I just talked with Sen. Lindsey Graham's office ... WOW!

[DemoTex]

Yesterday Sen. Graham told Rummy-the-Dummy that even in the conservative state of South Carolina he was hearing grumblings about the war in Iraq. This morning, on learning of the five female Marines killed in Iraq, I called Senator Graham's office. I talked to an aide for about 10 minutes. I said that I assumed that Sen. Graham meant that he was hearing anti-war sentiments from SC Republicans. The aide said that was exactly what Graham was saying.

The aide agreed with everything I had to say! I told him that I am a Democrat and was deeply offended by Roves remarks about 9/11. Graham's aide agreed with me. I told him that I really think the shit will hit the fan next week when the additional Abu Ghraib pictures and videos are released. The aide not only agreed, but told me that that is Sen. Graham's sentiment too.

I told Graham's aide that we must find a way out of Iraq and that we must avoid future wars in the region. He agreed 100%. I told him that we need a full bi-partisan investigation into how and why we went to war in Iraq in general, and the implications of the Downing Street Minutes in particular. He agreed and offered that Sen. Graham, as an Air Force Reserve lawyer, is concerned about violations of international law in going to war and in our treatment of prisoners.

I'm not holding my breath for Graham to change his stripes, but I do sense a quantum shift in the tectonic plates of Bu$hco's "base." Next week Abu Ghraib will again rise up - this time to stay around for a while - and bite Bu$h, Cheney, Rummy, and Condi in the ass.

[aden_nak]

1. Some Republicans have noticed that NeoConservativism is NOT Conservative.

It's about damn time.

[kentuck]

2. Something going on in South Carolina?

What state is Walter Jones from? The guy that invented the "freedom fries" phrase? Is he from SC also?? The people in SC seem to be putting pressure on their Repub reps...?

[SCDem]

5. Jones is from NC

But both SC and NC have plenty military bases and I think Bush and Rove are erroneously thinking that all military supports their neo-con agenda. Jones, Graham I think are learning that is not the case.

[DemoTex]

9. Walter Jones is from NC ... also Repub Rachael Hunter quits GOP.

A candidate for North Carolina Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court has announced on her campaign's blog that she is leaving the Republican Party and denounced the Bush administration's policy on troop withdrawal from Iraq. Rachel Lea Hunter, a Republican and a candidate for Chief Justice, likens Bush’s administration to the “Nazis” and says that all who disagree with the administration are being branded as “traitors”.
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Republican_candidate_calls_Bush_Admin_Nazis_q_0623.html

[NewJeffCT]

42. watch out Rachel

The RW attack machine may just have to gear up if your story makes it to the mainstream.

[Arugula Latte]

53. LOL. At first I thought you meant Rod Stewart's ex-wife.

Isn't that her name? :shrug:

[SCDem]

3. Good for you for calling

I should put a call in today.

[underpants]

4. I'll give this to Graham

He is willing to get away from their playbook when it is politically feasible to do it and when stark facts make their BS obvious.

[SCDem]

6. Yes not a complete lap dog to the president like our other senator

[DemoTex]

11. I cannot deal with DimWit DeMint.

He is way too far out in right field.

[scbluevoter]

20. Yeah on Demint. . .

my state elected this idiot after going around on the campaign trail saying gays and single mothers should not be school teachers. He also favors abolishing the IRS and passing national sales tax legislation. These things actually made him a more favorable candidate around here! We used to say thank God for Mississippi. . . now we're far worse.

[SCDem]

21. He also said that those making less that $75k a year are poor and

non tax paying citizens.

[elizm]

30. Did we elect him????

I sometimes question just what happened in SC on election night. I think there was a little 'padding of the vote' in SC as well and Demint just rode the wave in. He is pathetic.

[Catbird]

37. Uninspired Senate campaign

The senatorial race in SC last time was a bit discouraging and uninspiring:

DeMint (R): I am a Republican, and I will support Bush.

Tennenbaum (D): I am an independent Democrat, and my opponent supports a 23% sales tax. (Yes, she said a lot more positive things and, yes, I contributed to her campaign and voted for her; but this message is what came across.)

I don't know whether to be more upset at the possibility that DeMint rode Bush's election fraud into office or the possibility that he did in fact legitimately win.

[SCDem]

43. Plus she didn't run her campaign well

She stuck to Columbia, Charleston. Yes she traveled other places but she could have traveled much more in the Pee Dee area where our state does trend blue.

[woodleydem]

56. Tennenbaum and even Bowles in the North Carolina were hurt by Kerry's

extremely weak showing in the South, further emphasizing the need to pay attention to states that realistically aren't in play. It's important for whoever is at the top of a national ticket to buy airtime and even campaign in states that they probably won't win, if nothing else but to help the downticket candidates. It also helps if the Democrat has some concrete social or political policies that he can sell to Southerners (which Kerry didn't), and if said Democrat didn't allow himself to be painted as a northeastern liberal who didn't share any Southern values. Which is why I like Dean's philosophy of strengthing state parties in so-called "red" states. If there had been a stronger candidate at the top of the Democratic ticket last year, Bowles and even Betty Castor in Florida may have gotten enough momentum to get elected.

[salin]

34. I honestly believe that can be countered... with enough time and enough

people.

Get a whole lot of like minded folks together - and start polling folks informally - about what concerns them the most. Find where the real fear/concern that touches their daily lives. Ten to one it isn't gay people - but closer to home... like, putting food on the table. Try to canvass more than 100 folks (even 1000 would be better) - but don't go out with precanned questions - be open and write it all down.

Then do research on how DeMint stands in relationship to these real issues. Then frame some arguments that lay out the issues of concern vs the issues of DeMint. Heck you may even be able to defuse the "Gay" issues - by putting that in the mix... the ... while DeMint spends time and money on this - which effects almost noone - he is silent on X... and instead panders to special interest lobbyists and supports THEIR agenda rather then serving the needs of his constiuents.

Too many folks rely on outside strategists - when it can be done locally. From not guessing about what is of real concern - but going out and getting it down on paper - and then building from there.

The Clintons were ridiculed by the right for relying on polls on issues. But they found tht the public was much less concerned about "taxes" than other issues - and thus was able to do the "target tax cut" thing which involved raising some taxes, and using cuts/breaks as incentives for corporations and individuals to "behave" in certain ways considered to be for the public good - for example a tax break for certain kinds of R&D deemed needed (we could do this in the alternative energy arena - and get much more accomplished than just giving all energy and oil cos all sorts of breaks and hoping that they might serve the public good along the way).

I really don't believe that the republicans have a lock on all districts.

[FreedomAngel82]

54. My opinion on polls

is they're supposed to help elected officials know what the general public wants and they should work around that. The polls aren't supposed to necessarily make you go that direction but help guide you and show you what your constituntions want in their government and how well you're doing and everything. It's not a bad thing I don't think.

[peacetalksforall]

7. Let's see if he votes for Bolton. n/t

[SCDem]

8. He will probalby vote for Bolton

Unfortunately he still is a Republican.

[CBHagman]

10. Demotex, did you see the Washington Monthly?

I kind of doubt you would have, since it's a no-frills DC area publication. Anyway, they did a cover story on Graham a month or two back. It might be worth checking out.

www.washingtonmonthly.com

[DemoTex]

12. Thanks, I'll look for that.

[shraby]

13. Graham has been upset about

the torture since word first got out.

[getmeouttahere]

14. You just know that....

after BushCo leaves office, a ton of these GOP senators and congressman who feared diverting from the lock-step will come out and lambaste him/them...but let's hope it happens BEFORE he leaves office!!!

[jmaier]

15. Lindsey Graham will be McCain's running mate in 2008.

Bush & Co.'s plunge in the polls will take undercut the electoral power of the most rightwing Republicans and McCain gets the nod unless he dies or something before then. Yes, he is older, so he picks a younger, yet "experienced" VP candidate and voila...

[SCDem]

17. Lindsey Graham will not be McCains running mate

nor will he ever getter higher in office other than an appointed position by some future president.

He doesn't have a wife, never will and America will not vote for that. Plus his closet is pretty full of skeletons.

[scbluevoter]

23. Totally Agree with SCDem. . .

and any thinking person knows what he's talking about! How he won the Republican primary still baffles me. Back then though he was all "George W. is great, whatever he says me do! All heil George W." Not exactly but you get my drift.

[SCDem]

25. Yeah and now SC GOP is not the happiest with him

It's as if during the campaign they swept the whole "is he or isn't he" thing under the carpet for the sake of a GOP win. But now that he is speaking out against the almighty Bush and against some of the neo-con agenda I have heard on SC newsprograms and LTTEs that Republicans are not too happy with him. In a way you feel kind of sorry for the guy because you know at any moment the GOP can lift up that carpet.

[salin]

38. And what would that accomplish at this point in time

he doesn't face an election for five years (wasn't he just elected? or was he a 2002er?) - if anything that would make him more problematic... a) he would feel even more independence; and b) would sorta taint themselves... the state party with the....--- senator...

If anything that would be held as leverage closer to reelection time.

By the way - back in 1986 there was a senate race for an open seat in Maryland. Congresswoman Barbara Milkulsky (sp) won the dem nomination, and former Reagan cabinet member Linda Chavez won the republican nomination. On her party nomination night Chavez made several cloaked references to Milkulsky's sexuality.

The story goes (I was working among the circle of dem consultants on various senate campaigns - and we gossiped across campaigns... a lot) - that Chavez's people got a call the next morning... the Milkulsky folks were aware of a couple of abortions in Chavez's past - and if Chavez kept up the rhetoric.. they would dish as well.

No more vieled references from Chavez.

Are we sure that Lindsey Graham doesn't have some dirt which helps him play the political mutually assured destruction card?

[jmaier]

45. I wasn't aware of his marital ... er ... status

just watching the way he and McCain seem to choreograph moves on issues.

[Donna Zen]

24. Kay Bailey Hutchison

Whaddya think?

[Auntie Bush]

26. That team is much better than what we have...but still scary because

they will be difficult to beat. Then we'll still have Rethug economic plans and Rethgs appointing SC judges!

Clark is the only one I would feel safe with!

[LynneSin]

16. Did you ask when Grahem is coming out of the office

sorry, he just trips major gaydar

[salin]

18. I am jealous - my sometimes critical GOP senator

always in the end, backs bushco. And he knows better. Back in the war buildup Lugar pushed for more post war planning... but got in line. He has at times raised questions and criticisms... but gets back in line. Most recently he has looked pained - while being forced to push forward the Bolton nomination - even though he, Lugar, is an internationalist and Bolton wants to blow up all international efforts to solve anything. Sen Graham shows more promise in his first term, than Sen Lugar shows after nearly 30 years in the Senate.

[SCDem]

19. and I am so disappointed in Lugar

He used to be kind of moderate. Not today....

[salin]

27. He is - and he has a good staff

throughout the war buildup he was very responsive and concerned (more than Bayh, btw). however he seems really cowed - and I don't know why. Back in the 80s he would veer out from the Reaganites from time to time - not just rhetoric but actual votes. No longer the case - but I don't believe his views have changed. I really don't know why he is so cowed by this Administration. Almost like they have something on him. He is NOT politically vulnerable - so it has nothing to do with threats of a primary hard race (ala Spector). He is senior enough not to be cowed with threat of losing a committee chairmanship. Leaves us only with dirt. But hard to see Lugar as having a whole lot of dirt. Leaves us just wondering what happened.

[SCDem]

29. Know someone who worked in his office in Capitol Hill during the '80s

She says he was always moderate... staying truer to policy than party... which actually I like of any politician. But she said either the GOP or Bush or someone soon after the time she was there on Capitol Hill really did him in. Seems after that he has been less likely to opt for the policy stance instead of the party stance.

[salin]

32. Which Bush? And any idea what "did him in" refers to?

I know folks who have worked with him and known him for years. Everyone has very positive things to say about him and his integrity. Which is why his performance in these past four years has been so puzzling. But I didn't watch as closely in the nineties (left DC myself, and was doing the grad school thing) maybe he shifted earlier than I realized.

[SCDem]

41. HW Bush

Have no idea what or who specifically got to him and how.... could ask my friend for further details if you are interested.

[salin]

44. I would be very interested

both as a former hill type person and also as a Lugar constituent.

Thanks.

[SCDem]

51. PM me and so I'll remember who to get this info back to

[suziedemocrat]

48. I'd like to know too. He ran for Pres. so he can't have that much dirt.

I used to really like Lugar too. I was so disappointed how he tried to shove Bolton through.

[Pacifist Patriot]

22. My GOP senator is so far up Bush he sees out of Shrub's eyes.

[salin]

28. question -how long has he been a senator?

from some regions - the longer-timers have a little more ability to play distant from time to time. Which is part of what makes the situation with Graham so interesting.

[Pacifist Patriot]

33. Oh, about six months.

We're talking Mel Martinez, former Bush cabinet member.

[salin]

35. smoochie smoochie

dance with the one that brungya and all that. That would be an irritating switch for Grahm (sp) ... *sigh*

[Burried News]

36. There's an image I gotta erase and a line I gotta remember.

[Zen Democrat]

31. Graham has always been a McCain devotee. He's never been in Bush's corner.

I've heard that Graham would be Attorney General were McCain ever elected president.

[woodleydem]

57. You're right. Graham endorsed McCain in the 2000 primaries, and he

considers himself to be McCain's protege. The New Yorker article published a few weeks back about McCain had extensive quotes from Graham where he came off as McCain's pet project. To take it even a step further, I believe that if McCain gets the Republican nomination in 2008, Lindsay Graham could very well be his running mate.

[Catbird]

39. Fritz Hollings' legacy

I was sad to see Fritz Hollings retire, partly because I did not expect to see a Democrat elected to continue his independent tradition. I am beginning to think that it might well be Lindsey Graham who does that. (It certainly won't be Jim DeMint.) The local South Carolina paper has had lots of LTTE's from right-wingers who are very upset at his "betrayal" of the right through his role in the filibuster "compromise." These have been counterbalanced by editorials and LTTE's in his support for an independent and statesman-like move. He has probably not upset enough of his base to lose the primary and has defused some of the anticipated opposition for the general election. Of course, he is still a conservative and a Republican.

[seabeyond]

40. but graham is bothered and has shown

he is bothered thru out. good for you and your call. and thank you for sharing so much of it.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

46. Sounds to me like Rove's comments

were advance groundwork for the coming Abu Ghraib pix.
In fact I am sure of it.

[4_TN_TITANS]

47. Graham surprised me too.....

I believe it was last Sunday him an Moynihan were on Tim Russert's morning show. It was astounding to hear a Southern Republican agreeing with logic concerning the war and abuse. That was the moment I realized that the tide had turned.

[Lexingtonian]

49. not too surprised, here

That Rolling Stone article last summer had the journalist explaining that basically the grassroots activists and voters were wrongheaded morons and dips, but the higher up in the GOP ranks he looked and was let in the more moderate people really were on issues. To the point where he said the majority of their views sounded like most Democrats' if not liberal outright. E.g. none of the real campaign coordinators actually wanted abortion rights affected, despite running the deal on a vociferous anti-abortion platform.

But the upper rank people have a lust for power and a willingness to manipulate 'their' voters and a contempt of them that far surpasses Democrats'. It's not a relationship of actual respect or agreement, only an alliance. (You can't have actual respect for people who really are clueless idiots.)

Last year there was Republican talk on the Hill that the thinking in McCain's office was 'just like Democrats'. They do see reality in very much the same way. Their interests just lie very differently.

[BamaBecky]

50. kick

[FreedomAngel82]

52. Great call!

[paineinthearse]

55. Imagine

If all 71,917 DU members called or, better, made appointments to visit their Senator's local offices.

Good job!

[Carla in Ca]

58. The LA Times has an article today called

Republicans Voice Their Doubts. Mr. Graham is quoted throughout.
<http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraqmood24jun24,1,4943129.story?coll=la-headlines-world&ctrack=1&cset=true>

[Lecky]

59. That's my senator as well

I've only sent emails so far, but I'm definately going to call him on Monday...I didn't think a republican would be so receptive. He's on a republican hit list though, it's a shame since republicans should really be holding on to their honest leaders.

[laugle]

60. Great phone call, I always liked Graham,

he seems to have a conscience, unlike the others. Thanks for your service in vietnam, I remember it well and new many who served when you did, including my fiance at the time. Glad you made it back.

[LightningFlash]

61. The true republicans versus neocon psychos....The war begins!!!

Now we will have our showdown. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[ngGale]

62. The military states are not happy with the way the war ...

is going. I respect Lindsey Graham - he's a JAG. Fighting to allow JAG to sort out Guantanamo instead of non military. He's a fighter and a real Conservative, not a neocon. I'm wondering how Bush's visit to Fort Bragg will go. I'm sure they will have a receptive or captive group, but IMO he won't be able to escape the protesters.
They owe our NC National Guard money and won't pay it. Giving away contract's to Halliburton for millions of dollars, our Guard's and their wives losing their homes.

End of rant.:rant: