Lindsey Graham is running for proxy McCain.
— Bob Schooley (@Rschooley) June 1, 2015
No really, I'm sure Lindsey Graham's foreign policy savvy gives him the edge. pic.twitter.com/Ux2zi0LDvy
— Bob Schooley (@Rschooley) June 1, 2015
Dave Weigel, in Bloomberg Politics:
Senator Lindsey Graham announced his campaign for president on Monday, emphasizing his centrist challenge to the Republican Party’s base.
“I intend to be president not of a single party, but of a nation,” Graham said in a speech in his hometown of Central, S.C. “I want to do more than make big government smaller. I want to help make a great nation greater.”
Graham’s speech finishes a months-long exploratory process, one that found the Republican bantering with town hall audiences and baiting rivals into fights on foreign policy and immigration. Polling in single digits, joking about his chances, Graham combines the candor of a dark-horse candidate with the media profile of a front-runner….
Since the January launch of his exploratory committee, Security Through Strength, the possibility of a Graham bid has been a puzzle. His is a resume not calculated to appeal to Republican primary voters. Graham’s early Washington career was defined by the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, a case on which he served as a prosecutor, which quickly came to look like a debacle for Republicans. In the Senate, he’s advocated for an aggressive foreign policy and strong security state even as his party’s libertarian tendency has grown. And every time legislation to change immigration policy moved in the Senate, Graham was a co-sponsor…
Wry and affable, Graham’s approach to presidential politicking owes much to his friend and mentor John McCain. In 2000 and 2008, Graham campaigned hard for the Arizona senator, who was running for president. In the Capitol, both men share an open-door approach to the media and a hunger for deals with Democrats. Graham shares McCain’s readiness with a joke and talent for TV debate.
“In debates, he’ll shred ’em,” McCain said when Graham announced his exploratory committee. “He has my all-out complete support.”
Graham may be kept out of the first Fox News debate, in August, which the network intends to limit to the top 10 candidates according to national public polling. Despite his steady presence in green rooms, Graham’s focusing more on the New Hampshire primary than any “national” race. Like McCain, Graham is looking to prove that he can reason with the Republican primary electorate one room at a time. Alone among the candidates, he favors laws that would limit campaign spending–an issue that boosted McCain in 2000…
Come winter, maybe Pete Peterson and Larry Lessig can recruit Graham and Lincoln Chafee for a “No Labels, No Hope” third-party Centrist run.
Among the other yeah, sure, why not Repub challengers…
Sad to see Chris Christie, a strong leader and principled man, now polling behind both the Human Pappiloma Virus and sinus headaches.
— David Roth (@david_j_roth) May 31, 2015
The Donald, in one interview answer
http://t.co/pUrSfErY4x pic.twitter.com/0lclhKE2e4
— Kendall Breitman (@KendallBreitman) June 1, 2015
And speaking of the much-proclaimed GOP tradition of loyalty:
"Among those declaring neutrality rather than publicly embracing Jeb Bush’s candidacy is… Dick Cheney." http://t.co/fANImnAOnp
— Daniel Drezner (@dandrezner) June 1, 2015
***********
Apart from cheering confusion to our enemies, what’s on the agenda for the evening?
Bobby Thomson
That’s the most positive news about Jeb in weeks.
bobbo
Cheney endorsement would be toxic, no?
craigie
I’m thinking the GOP primary should just include all registered Republicans as candidates. That would be simpler.
David Koch
Republicans can’t govern. Never have, never will.
Kropadope
Quoted from Lindsey Graham-McCain (the fourth wife? Who can keep up?). Same Lindsey Graham who recently threatened to use the military to force legislative outcomes and prosecute thought crimes.
SiubhanDuinne
It’s amazing. A couple of nights ago I referenced a particular brand of backpack/briefcase/messenger bag in a comment for Suzanne, and since then I’ve had non-stop ads for the product popping up everywhere. Not just here, where at least it might make a little sense, but on several other blogs as well, not to mention Facebook. I understand, kind of, how advertising algorithms work, but you’d think they’d look for a stronger display of interest on my part before going for the strong sell.
As for ¡Jeb!, I can’t tell you how much I love the fact that Ol’ Plastic-Hearted Darth is “staying neutral.” LOL.
srv
The Washington Post doesn’t appear to be a fan of this Lindsey fellow:
And that woman better get in line:
cckids
Wow. Can none of them hear the mocking??
I’m to the point where the GOP Clown Car reminds me of the tavern song from Disney’s Tangled.
They’ve got a Dreeeeeeam!
Though the thieves, thugs & goons in the song are more appealing than all the Goppers.
Jim, Foolish LIteralist
Centrism: All war everywhere, cuts to Social Security and raising the Medicare eligibility age
From Joe Lieberman to Joe Manchin to Heidi Heidkamp, there’s no Democrat Lindsey can’t work with!
Man, I’ve heard of source-sweetening (I think that’s the term), but that’s embarrassing. Weigel’s too young for that crap. Did he sleep through ’08?
Says the man who picked Palin.
I’ve seen Weigel write some good stuff, and also some Benghazi trutherist tongue baths to Trey Gowdy. I’d put this piece alongside the latter
Jim, Foolish LIteralist
@bobbo: Cheney has a book coming out, with his horrid daughter. Brace yourself for some fawning interviews and dialogue premised on the notion that whatever drivel they spew in those pages is reasonable and worth discussing.
Tree With Water
If Fred Thompson has a sense of humor, he’ll get that old red pick-up truck of his out of mothballs, and announce his candidacy standing atop its tailgate.
Elizabelle
Noooo! Sticking with Betty Cracker’s beach thread below. Not interested in the Klown Kalvacade, Palmetto State entrant.
jl
@Tree With Water: Huh, waddayano, I was just thinking the other day, it would be really swell if Fred Thompson got in it.
Gene108
Why does Graham HATE America?!?!
“Great nation”?!?!? Fuck you Graham, as Hannity says America is the greatest best nation, God ever gave man on the face of the Earth.
Not great nation becoming greater, but the greatest best nation ever. You cannot make America “greater” because we are the greatest best there is and ever will be.
It does not get better than us.
We are the apex of civilization.
Also, too how big was you flag label pin? I bet you forgot to wear one Traitor.
cahuenga
No word from Palin yet?
Major Major Major Major
@SiubhanDuinne: Try the browser extension disconnect.me
ETA: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/disconnect/jeoacafpbcihiomhlakheieifhpjdfeo?hl=en for Chrome; disconnect.me leads to their desktop application (not a bad idea either)
SRW1
“Among those declaring neutrality rather than publicly embracing Jeb Bush’s candidacy is… Dick Cheney.”
I am sure Cheney could be persuaded if only Jeb were to reach out to him and task him with, say, the vetting of possible VP candidates.
Zinsky
If Lindsey would come out of the closet and be the first openly gay presidential candidate, I might consider voting for him. Of course he won’t.
Frankensteinbeck
My ENTIRE ass.
JustRuss
@Tree With Water: Oh heck yeah: “Thompson–Because Why the Hell Not?”
dmsilev
@cahuenga: Plenty of words, but they don’t form coherent sentences.
SRW1
@SiubhanDuinne:
Did you by any chance happen to Google that particular brand and product? Cause that apparently triggered something similar for me after I Google, and eventually purchased, a tablet from a company that sounds vaguely similar to Ass’ re us.
Jim, Foolish LIteralist
@cahuenga: @dmsilev: I did see the statement she released about Martin O’Malley. I think her ghost-facebook poster must be on vacation. She clearly tossed the refrigerator magnet poetry pieces herself
Kropadope
@Frankensteinbeck: His party’s Libertarian tendency hasn’t grown. The Ls have just cozied up to the Rs while Obama is president. They’ll duly hate whomever is elected in 2016 and try to bolster their weak numbers by stressing whatever common cause they inevitably have with the opposition party of the time.
Major Major Major Major
@SRW1: Seriously, install Disconnect or Ghostery, everybody. You’ll be happy!
Tree With Water
@SRW1: When Cheney finally does kick, I’ll be interested to know the size of the brain tumor that has so grotesquely warped the man. I mean, that’s got to be it. Then again, the heart that he was born with rejected him altogether- maybe the SOB is indeed just bad to bone (“and loving it”).
Why on earth democratic politicians are afraid to call Cheney the war criminal he is baffles me. They know better, and the rank and file knows they know better. Cheney taunts those democrats willing to do so, and laughs in the face of those who don’t, and no one seems to pay it much mind. It’s very strange..
NotMax
@SiubhanDuinne
There are ads on the internet?
:)
Arclite
@bobbo:
Not for the 27%. And they make up the bulk of primary voters.
SRW1
@Major Major Major Major:
Thanks, I’ll check those out.
SiubhanDuinne
@SRW1:
Yes, I might have googled the brand, just to verify the spelling. But then, I google a great many products, branded and otherwise.
I guess what perplexes me a little about this is that in the past I’ve made several references to a particular product (googling, mentioning in comments or on FB, etc.) whereas this was the most casual of mentions. It just seems a bit disproportional. Not a big problem, I learned long ago to ignore ads that don’t interest me.
SiubhanDuinne
@NotMax:
Wait a minute here.
You live in Paradise AND you don’t have Internet ads?
One or the other I could manage. But both?
::shakes head sadly and wanders off::
lamh36
Welp, the ONE AND ONLY reality show I actually watch LIVE.
Time for So You Think You Can Dance.
I like that SYTYCD doesn’t linger on the bad auditions for laughs.
Ugh. I don’t even like Jason DeRulo…but he might be a good judge. Now Paula Abdul!!!!! I can’t wait. Been saying she shoulda been a judge!
MattF
Graham is the fear-is-the-vote-getter candidate. The beltway media likes him, but what he says, if anyone is actually listening, is plain old warmongering.
MattF
@efgoldman: Well, I’m not so sure. Compared with Coolidge, Harding, Hoover? Eisenhower, I think, was the exception– and he was vilified by the ‘real’ Republicans like Taft.
mdblanche
Truly the GOP field is a richness of embarrassments.
SiubhanDuinne
@efgoldman:
I hope Kate gets to meet him in person someday soon. And I hope she seizes the opportunity, and punches him in the neck.*
*(I know that won’t happen. She’s a nice person, like her mother. But a girl can fantasize.)
Mike J
@Major Major Major Major: in firefox, type
about:config
in the url bar. When the list of prefs comes up, search for
privacy.trackingprotection.enabled
and set it to true. It’s build into firefox, just no ui for it.
Iowa Old Lady
@efgoldman: I saw that at the time. She deserved to lose? Right back at ya, big guy.
MattF
@Mike J: You can set that in the Firefox preferences, under the ‘Privacy’ heading.
ETA: Also in Safari.
Major Major Major Major
@Mike J: Looks like it’s privacy.donottrackheader.enabled now
OzarkHillbilly
@MattF: You are forgetting the first Republican President. And while I give Teddy mixed marks, he did the job.
Frankensteinbeck
@Arclite:
Actually, everyone outside the Village hates Cheney. He’s like the least popular politician in America. But that leads to…
@bobbo:
He DOESN’T KNOW THAT. Have you listened to him give interviews? In Cheney’s world, he’s the greatest president in American history, and it really pisses him off that not every single person on Earth understands that.
Baud
I saw a clip of Graham’s announcement in the TV. He remembered to have some black people behind him. I was impressed. Bernie could learn a thing or two. ;-)
JPL
@Baud: Bernie lives in VT so a large population of blacks might raise some questions.
Mike J
@MattF:
The setting under privacy just sets the Do Not Track flag that websites can ignore if they wish. The buried pref I referenced above actually makes the browser ignore third party trackers. In addition to privacy, it will speed up loading of some pages by 50%.
ThresherK
@efgoldman: You know which politician’s surname is closer to “Christie” than “Cuomo”?
“Cianci”.
Mike in NC
Lindsey Graham soils himself every time some elderly Tea Party loon raises his voice at a town hall gathering. Now he wants to be their leader. Doubt if he could even carry SC in a primary.
OzarkHillbilly
@efgoldman: Yes. Like I said, he did the job, even if I don’t agree with everything he did.
SiubhanDuinne
@efgoldman:
Tru dat.
ThresherK
@SiubhanDuinne: Cookies: Eat them (the good kind) or destroy them.
I’ve used “Close’n’forget” on Firefox for years. Right-click and choose it to close that Google tab and your Google cookies go away.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
@Frankensteinbeck: EVERY. SQUARE. INCH.
ThresherK
@efgoldman: I remember the clue. I was going for the future perfect tense, in which we can “Who were Cianci and Christie?” to “These were the two closest alphabetically surnamed Northeast blowhard pols who went to prison”.
Frankensteinbeck
@Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant):
That sentence is the view from inside a Villager’s ass. They’re an old school Republican social group. They like grinding the poor, really want to help blacks by cutting welfare and increasing the War on Drugs, wars totally give them a boner, and it would be great if gays, women, ethnic minorities, and really everyone but rich white men would just stop complaining when a rich white man exercises his superiority over them. All of this loudly talking about how they’re doing this for Christ, using words like ‘negro’ and ‘slut’, shutting down the government… they don’t want to be associated with that. So, obviously, Libertarians are supplanting Christian Conservatives as the driving force of the Republican Party. It must be true!
Tree With Water
@Frankensteinbeck: May god grant democratic politicians the wisdom to denounce him as a war criminal while he yet lives, that there can be no mistake in his mind that his name will forevermore be associated with that of Bededict Arnold and Jefferson Davis in the hearts and minds of American school children.
Frankensteinbeck
@Tree With Water:
I don’t see how Step One leads to Step Three there. I mean, I *wish* Step Two was ‘Everyone agrees,’ but it doesn’t seem likely.
Jim, Foolish LIteralist
@Frankensteinbeck: Bloggy rumor has it that Weigel self-IDs as a ‘pro-life’ Paul-ite Libertarian. I’ve never seen him say it, myself.
Tree With Water
@Frankensteinbeck: I fault them all for their deliberate decision to ignore Cheney’s criminal culpability, because in the last analysis it betrays this country’s most vital interests- our collective humanity, the better angels of our nature, call it what you will. Until we face up to the truth regarding the successful plot to wage the War in Iraq, We The People are the ones who stand indicted as criminals in his stead. And that especially pisses me off, because I opposed that war with heart and soul.
the Conster
All of the clowns make Rand Paul look like a leader, if by leader it means someone who can stand out from the Republican crowd by creating chaos that has no coherent internal logic, and who can then stand there to the end (almost) of the shit show and say “see? I did that, and meant to do “it” because freedumb!”, and then fail to grasp “it” to use for their presidential aspirations (because no one knows what “it” is because even Rand doesn’t know) because there is no “it” there. It’s so pathetic and troubling, because one of these clowns is guaranteed to get 47% of the presidential vote.
PaulW
Just finished the evening making fake campaign bumper stickers for some of the 2016 candidates… http://noticeatrend.blogspot.com/2015/06/honest-bumper-stickers-2016.html
I have more ideas for Jeb, damn him. And I totally forgot about making ones for Rand Paul and Cruz and now Graham.
I doubt making one for Santorum would change much: he’s been a bad marketing product for 8 years…
catclub
@Tree With Water:
Campaign financed by reverse mortgage.
PaulW
@efgoldman:
well even then Nixon had a level of competency that modern Republicans don’t have. Even *he* was able to negotiate and compromise when he found cause to do so. Nixon’s failings were personal as much as political: his obsession with conflict and crisis, the desire to rule at all hazards, the inability to genuinely connect or empathize, and his self-serving hypocrisy.
Today’s Republicans are all about the ambition, the zero-sum game, to rule or ruin on a scale even Nixon wouldn’t approach. These are his inheritors, a purer breed…
Chris
Did you know Lindsey Graham was a proxy POW?
Steeplejack
In the entire history of the universe, has any exploratory committee ever come back and said, “Forget it, you don’t stand a chance”? Rhetorical question.
Tenar Darell
@efgoldman: That really happened? WTF? Seriously, the man is a walking d*ckhead. I think it’s time to start throwing rotten tomatoes at politicians again, they seem to be asking for it.
Ksmiami
@Zinsky: @Jim, Foolish LIteralist: then seriously fu:: him and now I can safely ignore his rantings because he comes from a fantasyland of high school Ayn randians who wouldn’t actually stand a chance if he had to live in the libertarian utopia of well Somalia
catclub
@Arclite: When George W Bush approval was at 23%, Cheney was at 11%
So not even 27% of the crazies.
SFAW
@Steeplejack:
Mine.
Although they didn’t put it exactly that way. If I recall, the actual result was “NFW.”
And the exploratory committee was composed of all my friend, so that gives you an idea.