Fox
News and Conservative Talk Radio have spent some focus on a recent filmed podcast
which included an interview with Susan Rice. The segment they broadcast (Fox & Friends repeated it five times
in secession) showed Susan Rice calling Lindsey Graham “A piece of S**T” (they beeped out the word). She was actually
repeating back what the interviewer said, but clearly she embraced the analogy.
As
a matter of literary merit, I like to avoid writing profanity (or what used to
be considered profanity) in my blog. So let’s just call Lindsey Graham a “piece
of sheet”.
Following
Lindsey Graham over the past 3 years has become as convoluted as following
Trump, and following Trump is like watching a Roomba vacuum cleaner at work.
Only in Trump’s case the Roomba deposits grime on the floor instead of picking
it up.
Lindsey
Graham is a piece of sheet and as
such has become the darling of Conservative media (which is pretty much just
the Fox Network and Conservative Talk Radio). His media outlets are in contrast
with all other media which both
Graham and Trump categorically label as “fake”.
The question is: has he always been a sheet
and, if not, why has he become one now?
Given
his stand on social issues, typically and stalwartly Conservative, he is an odd
duck. His apparent and virtual lack of family and social life has long fueled
speculation that he is a closeted gay, which either conflicts with or explains
his outspoken “defense of marriage”
position. At the very least he is a monk by Washington standards. However, his
career path has complimented his Conservative credentials with a long record in
the military JAG corps (SC National Guard), three terms in the House, and on
this third term in the Senate.
He
is comfortable being outspoken in Congress, enjoys (and seeks) media coverage
of himself, and looks for occasions
to be bombastic. Contrast his input in the last Kavanaugh hearing to everyone
else, Democrat or Republican. Still,
he was noted for following the lead of someone he claimed to befriend, John
McCain. In doing so he held to his favorite positions on hawkish foreign
affairs while still working compromises with those more liberal. He had enjoyed
a reasonable reputation of integrity, even with those who adamantly disagreed
with him.
Then
came Donald.
When
Trump entered the Republican camp as a truly possible contender to lead the
Party there was no mistake in how Graham viewed that possibility. With Trump
leading the Presidential race and Graham essentially out of the running, Graham
stated on camera that Trump was “…a
race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot, he doesn’t represent my (Republican)
party. I don’t think he has a clue about anything…he is empowering radical
Islam. You know how to make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to
hell. I’d rather lose (the Presidency) without Donald Trump than try to win
with him.”
No
ambiguity there.
Since
Trump was inaugurated, however, Lindsey easily managed to climb Pennsylvania
Avenue and prostrate himself at the feet of the Buddha. His defense of Trump
has become shocking in it veracity, even as most of his Republican colleagues grit
their teeth and numb their tongues with the daily Trump SNAFUs . Forest Gump’s
famous line “stupid is as stupid does”
appears to have no meaning for Graham who seems more than willing to back Trump
up with bellicose enthusiasm regardless of underlying idiocy.
Please
don’t get me wrong. Lindsey Graham is not alone. There is a cadre of Republican
sheets on Capitol Hill who are more than willing to vocally support Trump with
the clear goal of protecting their Party over the Nation’s interests. The proof
is in their ever increasing suspension of reality. They are like the parents of
a wayward criminal (adult) child, who they feel with each crime or assault just needs
more love and support. The virtual absence of any critical assessment of this
ignorant, out of control, narcissistic President is prima facie evidence.
But
Lindsey is special. Given his 180 degree about face from reality to reality TV,
he is neither a full size nor queen size. Rather he has become the king size sheet in trying to cover
the corrupt and corroded body we know as the Trump Administration. Why? Frankly,
I don’t know. Party? Ego? To echo Trump’s oft used rejoinder: “Who knows?”
Maybe the better question is whether next year the people of South Carolina will care
or not.
I
think there is one thing we can feel comfortable in knowing. Lindsey Graham
would rather be a sheet than emulate the likes of John McCain, who would not
have served Party, himself, and Country…in that order.
