GOP senator faces wrath of right-wing activists

By Joe Byrne
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 -- 8:28 pm
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GOP senator faces wrath of right wing activistsWith today's passing of a Senate health-care overhaul bill dampening right-wing morale, Republican activists are keeping up their spirits in hard times by focusing on the problems within their own party. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was ready to give a rallying speech to supporters in Greenville, South Carolina yesterday; instead, the senator faced heckling from a contingent of far-right protesters who believe he is too moderate for his own good.

Graham is known for having voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor's nomination back in July, against the recommendation of his own party. More recently, Graham has been 'testing out lines' in the GOP concerning global warming, presenting a willingness to compromise on clean energy legislation, according to Darren Samuelsohn of the New York Times. Decisions to cooperate and compromise across party lines have made Sen. Lindsey Graham into a target of the far-right 'Teabaggers.'

A truck outside Monday's rally had a toilet meant for 'RINOs'(Republican in Name Only). During the rally, protesters shouted things like "Ron Paul," "Sotomayor," and "You are a country-club Republican." When Graham listed off a few battleground states, activists responded with, "Move there!"

Graham wasn't completely without support; cheering and clapping came from some in the audience. Others questioned his loyalty to the party and even his Christianity. One detractor told him that he had "signed a pact with the devil" by working with the Democrats.

"We're not going to be the party of angry white guys," Graham responded, according to The State. "If you don't like it, you can leave." At this, protesters began to leave the auditorium.

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More information on Graham's appearance can be found here and here.

This video is from Lindsey Graham's 'town hall' meeting in Greenville, South Carolina, on October 12th.

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Story comments are below...
  • Name
    Questioned his Christianity? Now there's proof that these rednecks equate their hatred, bigotry and love of violence with Jesus Christ and his message. How much more twisted could something be?
  • wyrdless
    The so called questioning of his Christianity according to the author occurred when someone used the idiom "pact with the devil"

    The author also used the phrase teabagger, which shows hostility towards the tea party movement. Which is a group involved in reforming the republican party

    The author clearly has an axe to grind
  • DownriverDem
    This is not your father's Republican Party. They are an all or nothing bunch. It started with the Reagan years. Although politcs is the art of compromise, the current Repub Party wants none of it. They put party first instead of country and what's best for the American people.

    The Republican Party I grew up with worked with the Dems to get legislation past. They do not care any more. The crazies are running the show and it is the Repubs fault. They joined forces with the nuts and now they are reaping what they sow.

    Wouldn't it be great if those that can would just bolt the Repub Party like Spector did?
  • Moonbeams
    He must have new polling data. A few Days ago he distanced himself from Rush. Maybe Lindsay wants to run for PResident so he's positioning himself. But I wouldn't trust him far as I could throw him. I'm only five feet tall. Weigh 70 pounds. Wellll...
  • rider3
    I thought the same thing, that he's preparing to run for the presidency. And, I whole-heartedly support your comment that you wouldn't trust him.

    (Only 70 lbs? Eat something, sweetie!)
  • smdmfrmr
    Isn't it beautiful when they start to devour their own? I really can't see how the Republican Party can ever turn this around. It is too bad, we need a two party system but both parties need to have some grasp of reality.
  • jimgoodson
    You cannot make chicken salad out of chicken s===t.
  • starvapor
    This is what happens with the wing-nut-fundamentalist-Birther-Tea Bagger-loons, when things don't go their way...they're ready to turn on their own kind.
    If their Spaceship Jesus doesn't take them to their "Rapture" soon enough, they'll be eating their young in a frenzy.
    Not unlike Islamist terrorists who behead their enemies, many evangelical/fundamentalists relish the prospect of God doing lots of messy killing for them as they watch in comfort from on high.
    They want revenge on all people that don't think exactly like them -- forever.
  • osage
    CAUGHT BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

    In order to gain the political power they've enjoyed for decades, Republican moderates and fiscal conservatives made a pact with the devil (faux Christians, bigots and misanthropes) to achieve the numbers they needed to defeat Democrats. They made a strategic decision to manipulate and exploit the ignorance, fears and hatreds of dysfunctional and vulnerable voters in order to win elections rather than lose them by being intellectually and morally honest.

    Today, those who conspired with the devil are caught between wanting to disassociate themselves with and or casting out the demons they empowered and the karmic reality that they don't have the numbers to hold on to or regain power without continuing to accept and "advocate" the immoral values, hypocrisies and corruptions that are dividing and destroying their party.

    The survival of today's shrinking Republican Party has become so dependent on extremism that they have no significant power left WITH or WITHOUT the support of America's increasingly pernicious lunatic fringe.

    The idiom "caught between the devil and the deep blue sea" is certainly appropriate as Republicans are facing the dilemma of choosing between two equally undesirable alternatives that both result in Republican impotence in mainstream American politics. They are suffering the consequences of their treachery.

    Their irresponsible propping up of George W. Bush cost them their credibility, and the inflammatory insanities of mercenary GOP opportunists like Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity and O’Reilly are costing them their viability.
  • sergesret
    I think the term of art is blowback. You arm a bunch of crazies to defeat your enemy you end up with a bunch of armed crazies who don't like you either.
  • libertate
    Who cares, Lindsey Graham is a huge tool. Go Ron Paul!
  • disgustedindc
    More evidence of just how shallow the gene pool is in SC.
  • Antibirther
    Graham is right about one thing.

    Birthers are crazy.

    The birther nonsense is the new inteligence test for the Republican party. If you are dumb enough to fall for it, then you are part of the party base.
  • joe67
    lindsay graham the closet homo wants to bomb Iran (probably being blackmailed by aipac) who cares what his position is on this he was a 100% shill for Bush a warmonger in the extreme
  • churchgoer
    It's about time that some in the GOP started listening to the average Americans rather than those on the fringe.
  • nader paul kucinich gravel
    ~ AIPAC NEOCON ~
    9/11 Lindsey Olin Graham 9/11

    Anderson Baldwin Carter Choate
    Clemente Gonzalez Gravel Grayson
    Kaptur Kucinich McKinney Nader
    Paul Perot Sheehan Ventura
  • staunchdem
    It's great to see Repugs eating their own.
    Let them teabaggers bring it.
  • cameramandavid
    Welcome to another episode of "Republicans eating their own!"
  • horacemanoor
    TeaBAGGERS are generally non partisan and have a point and it's the same point they've always had before GLENN BECK hijacked them and made them his 'own' so he could discredit them. The TEABAGGERS and indeed every AMERICAN, should stand up to all of congress because they are not representing the people but corporations. UNITED freedom loving americans would then have a chance to stop the madness.
  • DownriverDem
    TeaBaggers are destroying the Repub Party. It is a pleasure to watch them implode.

    Graham is right. They can not be the party of angry white people. The chickens have come home to roost.
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