Two-Faced RINO: Last Month, Sen. Lindsey Graham Slammed Tea Party Movement as “Fringe” That Would Die Out — Now Seeks Their Support
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on September 4, 2010
Sen. Lindsey Graham... a statist RINO who doesn't understand what the tea party movement is about, dissed it in the press, but now wants its support
What a maroon…
Sen. Lindsey Graham is most definitely feeling the lack of love from conservative South Carolina voters, so he is reaching out to the very same tea party conservatives he nastily dismissed as a “fringe” movement that would soon “die out” just a month or so ago in the press.
How quickly things change.
Reported by The Hill:
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is playing defense against conservatives in his state angry with his record.
Graham has reached out to the Tea Party movement in the Palmetto State this week and appeared on conservative radio in a bid to explain his record to right-leaning voters.
Some grassroots conservatives are frustrated with Graham for partnering too often with President Obama and congressional Democrats. Graham was the lead Senate GOP negotiator on climate change and immigration legislation, though neither package moved forward in the Senate.
Graham met with the Tea Party group in Charleston, S.C., on Wednesday in a closed-door meeting. The Charleston County Republican Party has been among several county chapters and Tea Party groups to censure Graham, citing concerns about the second-term senator’s stances on immigration, Supreme Court nominees and energy and climate legislation, among other issues.
The Tea Party appearance was paired with appearances on conservative radio in the state, where Graham faced tough questions about whether he was adequately conservative.
Graham defended himself as a mainstream conservative, and expressed worry that public officials like himself were being effectively prohibited from expressing disagreement with the party.
This is too rich. Lindsey is like a popular girl in a B-rated high school flick who arrogantly, loudly turns down the unpopular science nerd’s invitation to go together to the big school dance because she thinks the narcissist football hero hunk will ask her to be his date. He doesn’t. Uh, oh… so she demurely returns to the nerd, asking him to take her to the dance, hoping he’ll somehow forget her thoughtless, rude rebuff.
To which, the nerd (aka tea party movement) should respond, “Bite me!”
This has nothing to do with freedom of speech. Sen Graham is permitted to believe and say whatever he so desires… but there are usually negative consequences if you lash out in the press at a group one month and then disingenously reach out to them for their help the following month. It’s a politician talking out of both sides of his mouth.
From Gateway Pundit, Tea Party-Basher Lindsey Graham Decides to Reach Out to Tea Party:
Just last month Lindsey Graham told reporters,
“The tea party will die out… Republicans will move away from the fringe.”
[...]
But that was last month…
Now, the tea party-basher is reaching out to conservatives and tea party groups to gain their support.
Good luck.
This outstanding essay was posted in July at Political Christian, Lindsey Graham, the non-Patrick Henry… here’s a portion:
Senator Lindsey Graham has, once again, shown us the fallacy of simply looking at a party label as a sign of common sense and values that will preserve our country. According to a recent New York Times article he admits, “Everything I’m doing now in terms of talking about climate, talking about immigration, talking about Gitmo is completely opposite of where the Tea Party movement’s at.” And he appears to take delight in his position of sticking his thumb in the eye of patriots who love their country.
Of course, his view of the world requires him to see no value in the tea partiers that have been arroused by, not just the socialism of the President and his party, but by patriot pretenders as himself. He sees Americans as irresolute as himself. Lindsey Graham is so wrapped up in his position that he cannot comprehend that the American people would inconvenience themselves and turn off Dancing With The Stars long enough to throw charlatans like himself into the unemployment line… or to those of his elevated stature, into the brotherhood of overpaid lobbyists. Graham avers that “The problem with the Tea Party, I think it’s just unsustainable because they can never come up with a coherent vision for governing the country. It will die out.”
The man lives in the same fantasy world as the Democratic majority he is so fond of working with in the destruction of our country. He thinks, “If you look at the Republicans who are likely to come into the Senate in 2010, they’re gonna be more like me, not less like me.” If this is the case, it is our fault. We cannot let this happen.
He asks the tea partiers. “What do you want to do? You take back your country — and do what with it?” This shows his perverse thinking that assumes we want to do something with it… big government thinking. We don’t want to do anything with it. We want to be left alone… and have the government stick to it’s legitimate functions of keeping us safe, and doing things that we really cannot do for ourselves and are necessary for our survival.
In a world crying out for another Ronald Reagan, Graham says, “We don’t have a lot of Reagan-type leaders in our party. Remember Ronald Reagan Democrats? I want a Republican that can attract Democrats.” Once more showing a disconnect from the core of the Republican Party he declares, “Ronald Reagan would have a hard time getting elected as a Republican today.”
The man honestly thinks he’s in “the political middle” (Sen. “Grahamnesty” was all for illegal alien amnesty, helped author a piece of pro-amnesty legislation, spoke out against Arizona’s SB 1070 law, and then inexplicably did a 180-turn to support it)… the man is utterly, hopelessly clueless — or basing his bogus support on recent poll numbers. Which he hopes will be long forgotten by his constituents after/if he’s voted in again in 2014 and can return to being a weaselly Democrat Lite, two-faced RINO.
This video is just for you, Senator…
Additional reading:
Politico: Graham: Tea party will ‘die out’
Gateway Pundit: Tea Party-Basher Lindsey Graham Decides to Reach Out to Tea Party and Jimmy Breslin: Tea Partiers Are Like Kennedy’s Killer Sirhan Sirhan, Are Racists Filled With ‘Madness’ and Bad Joke of the Day… Record Setting Dems Are Trying to Run as Fiscal Conservatives and Lindsey Graham: Tea Party Will Die Out – Republicans Will Move Away From “The Fringe” and New Low For Boy Wonder… Obama Approval Sinks to 42% and Obama’s Disastrous Jobs Record Makes George W. Bush Look Godlike and GOP Candidate Joe Miller on Obama: “He’s One of the Major Forces Moving This Country Towards Socialism” and Nancy Pelosi: Unemployment Checks Are the Fastest Way to Create Jobs (Video) and Obama Travels to Wisconsin to Tote Disastrous Stimulus Bill… Tea Party Breaks Out (Video) and Cardinals Manager LaRussa Comes Out in Favor of Tea Parties & Arizona Immigration Law and Commie Official: Without the Communist Party, Obama’s OFA Group Could Have Easily Disbanded
Lonely Conservative: Video: Obama Doesn’t Regret ‘Recovery Summer’ Fails to Mention Net Job Losses
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Out of Touch: Sen. Lindsey “I’m a Statist RINO” Graham Predicts Tea Party Movement Will “Die Out” and ON FIRE… Mark Levin: We Must Take Back Our Country, Stay Engaged & Fight for Liberty (video) and Obamanomics Continue to Fail: Consumer Spending, Construction Spending Drop in August, Democrats’ Promised “Recovery Summer” Never Happened and Gloves Off: Left-wing Extremist Chris Matthews’ Anti-Tea Party Propaganda Misrepresents & Demonizes Patriotic Americans… National Tea Party Calling for Sponsors to Drop MSNBC’s ‘Hardball’ (video) and Cowards: Democrat Politicians Hiding Out from Town Halls This Summer to Avoid Angry Voters (video) and What Now? Obama Media & Team Obama Failed to Report Automatic Paycheck Deduction Hidden in ObamaCare Health Bill (video)
GayPatriot: Young Voters Abandoning Democrats?
Nice Deb: David Limbaugh Calls Obama, “The Most Destructive President In American History”, In Bestseller, “Crimes Against Liberty”
Another Black Conservative: UPDATED: David Weigel just another fake, phony and fraud conservative
Taxing Tennessee: The Italian Tea Party: Meno Tasse (Lower Taxes) Piu Liberta (more Freedom)
Sister Toldjah: I want your money!
On My Watch – The Writings of SamHenry: Obama – HELP! We’re Losing Jobs, Yes but Hell, We’re Losing Arizona to Cartels
VotingFemale: Economic genius Obama slaps America in its Hopey-Changey face; Unemployment climbs to 9.6%
Market Wire, Milken Institute: D.C.’s Failure to Contain Medical Costs Could Deplete Gains of Middle-Class, According to Stephen Nyce and Sylvester Schieber in Latest Milken Institute Review
Before It’s News: Tea Party Groups Call on Sponsors to Drop Hardball, Matthews’ “Hit Piece” Disparages Tea Party Members
Radio Vice Online: Obamacare…more unintended consequences
Andrew Breitbart, Big Government: Reward: $100,000 for Full ‘JournoList’ Archive; Source Fully Protected
FOX News: Report: Health Overhaul Will Increase Nation’s Tab
About the author
Hi Vicki,
Weasel Zippers had a post on this today, without mentioning his “tea party will die out” interview in NYT. So I linked your post from 2 moths ago in the comments!
http://weaselzippers.us/2010/09/04/lindsey-graham-r-ino-to-tea-party-hey-can-i-be-one-of-you-guys/
Little Lin is a Maroon (and much worse)!
Thanks, Larry!
WZ is such a terrific source and blog, to have a link of mine placed over there is very cool. Muchas gracias!
Graham should be reaching out to the tea party conservatives. He is their senator after all. This is a fringe movement at best which will die out because they will not tolerate anyone who does not live up to their standards of conservatism. All they can do is call names, lie, and slander any of their opponents, but they will tolerate no criticism of Palin or Ron. They have called Graham every vile name in the book. There is no freedom of expression in this movement and that is one of the things which has made this country great. The tea party movement with its lying, slander, detraction and calumny will never amount to anything. It will eventually slink back into the twisted back alleys of history where is belongs.
With all due respect, you’re wrong. I’m a tea partier, and I’ve been critical of Palin, even here on this blog (which you obviously don’t read), and although I agree with her about 80 percent of the time, I don’t agree with her totally. I would never vote for Ron Paul, so where you’re getting your information is highly suspect. Sounds like liberal brainwashing to me. And I’ve not frequented any alleys lately… LOL. You don’t cite a single example with your “lying, slander, detraction and calumny” claims – cite your sources and provide some solid examples. Calumny is a terrific word, a real 10-dollar doozy you must be proud to have used… but I don’t see how it applies even remotely to tea partiers.
A number of tea partiers I associate with don’t agree with Palin 100 percent nor with Paul even 40 percent – I’d bet I know many more tea partiers much better than you do, and your bias and lack of information is showing. Attend a tea party and don’t get all your information from the liberal. Obama-adoring media, and then you’ll understand better. But you’re right on one point – Graham is reaching out because he is their senator. But only a month ago he was slamming them. Oops. Hypocritical to say the least.
Graham sees the harsh writing on the wall in the polls, where a vast majority of Americans embrace the values and mission of the tea party, and that’s why he’s reaching out now at long last. It’s not a genuine gesture, but a convenient lie, an obvious flip-flop to win votes. He will use the tea party for as long as it benefits him – not because he adheres to their principles or wants to represent their voice. He’s proven that time and again with his well-known voting record. Conservative voters have been very critical of his RINO support of much of the statists’ agenda. And as far as “being called every name in the book,” Sarah Palin and her family have been attacked FAR more viciously by liberals and the liberal press than poor Lindsey “Grahamnesty” ever has been.
The tea party movement will no longer be necessary if and when the government returns to the Constitution, free market principles, smaller government, and less irresponsible spending. “Die out” isn’t accurate – because if and when it does achieve the objectives in the contract outlined in April by Rep. Bachmann, tea partiers will continue to remain vigilant. “Fringe” means outside of the main, insignificant, a minority… which they are not. However, if they are so “fringe” in his opinion, then Graham’s more desperate than he wants to let on.
There is plenty of freedom of expression in the tea party movement. For you to say that there isn’t is downright amusing. And, well, ignorant.
I’m guessing you’re an Obama supporter who is becoming disenchanted that The One is not walking on water like so many sheeple libs believed… now Team Obama is a sinking ship if there ever was one. And deservedly so.
Well said, Vicki!
Have a great weekend!
The tea party movement needs to unite not divide the republican party. Instead, they have been preaching with the fervor of Peter the Hermit against all candidates and all institutions not measuring up to what they consider their own standard of conservatism. I agree that they are more than just a “fringe element” They are becoming the mandrake root of the republican party and since they are poisoning and dividing the republican party they won’t stand a ghost of a chance against the democrats in a general election. A pity I can’t come up with any paeans for this movement.
The tea party movement is a grassroots development brought on by the unfettered ignoring of the majority of American voters. We are not “organized,” but are concerned citizens who are appalled by what the Democrats and many of the Republicans elected to serve us in DC are doing to usurp constitutional provisions and to defy the majority of Americans. It’s not a club nor an established group, and is NOT a group comprised of just angry Republicans.
There are many Democrats and Independents and undeclareds who are active tea partiers, so you expecting these Americans to “unite” the Republicans is impossible and unrealistic – unless you expect all Democrat tea partiers to change their own political affiliations. The tea party movement is made up of regular people of all religions and all races who are sick of what’s going on with this rampant liberalism, of moms and dads and grandmoms and retired vets and teachers and business people and fire fighters and engineers and thousands more who love this country and have decided to not sit back like timid mice waiting for our country to be power-grabbed into socialism/Marxism by a greed-driven government.
These are, for the most part, average, non-political people, many of whom have never protested before. Many of the people in Congress and the White House have forgotten they were elected to SERVE the people, not mandate to the people. This isn’t Cuba or Venezuela or any other third-world nation. They have let their elected office change them into dictators – ObamaCare is just one example.
Your assumption that all tea partiers are Republicans is the same as Graham’s and others in DC – naive and ill-informed. Many of the GOP congressional folks did this to themselves, and they refuse to recognize it, by abandoning basic American principles, and it didn’t happen just under Obama, but has been developing for many years. The Democrats escalated this disconnect with the majority of Americans since they took over the House and Senate.
Graham is more interested in keeping his job rather than changing his liberal ideology – he will lie now to the majority of his SC constitutents to get re-elected. Liberalism is more interested in change and revolution, even if it is horrible and destructive, than in the outcome of results. When liberals get what they want, they’re not ever happy, because it has been drilled into their heads that it is the “revolt” that is important, not the results. Look at all socialist nations and see what has happened to those countries and to the people. America is swiftly becoming like them, and has been for years – THIS is what the tea party movement is trying to prevent. A growing number of Independents and Democrats have wised up to the Team Obama agenda and don’t like what they see – and they too have started attending townhall protests and tea party rallies. Your attacks on the tea party movement is closely aligned with that of Graham’s – it’s attacking the voice of the majority of Americans. Something that libs don’t care about – as long as they get what they, the minority, want, then the majority can just stuff it because they aren’t interested in “the people” but in their own progressive, destructive, anti-free market agenda. The “will of the people” is an inconvenient roadblock to them, the Constitution an annoyance. Which makes you wonder why they don’t just move to Cuba or Iraq or Venezuela.
November is coming.
EXCELLENT VICKI !
We The People are going to fix this constant surge of career parasites that smile and laugh at us while sucking us dry.