If the title picture of the late Lindsey Graham’s sister Darlene makes he look like a deer in the headlights, well that’s what she was when asked a national security question even regular MAGA goobers could answer. Graham I should note is already serving in the Senate, having been appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to take her brother’s seat after his unexpected death. However she wants to keep the seat. Move from serving out her brother’s term to having a full term of her own. Oh, and Trump endorsed her.
Clearly Darlene Graham is in way over her head and unqualified. That of course makes her almost perfect (he’s probably vented about her being a woman and wishing ole Lindsey had had an idiot brother that would do what he was told) as far as Trump’s concerned. Most of us, even freaking FOX pundits were aghast at her answer to a softball question about the issue with Taiwan and China. Trump was probably thrilled. No doubt he will see Senator Darlene Graham as someone who will constantly be calling the WH for instruction on what to say and how to vote! However the world is getting more dangerous and Trump has squandered away a great deal of our military and diplomatic power. We need people, especially Senators in Congress who don’t just know basic stuff but are experts.
Say what you will about Lindsey Graham but on National Security he was an expert, even if he too often bowed to what Trump wanted. But not always. Darlene Graham standing there on a debate stage with Fox News pundits asking the questions and saying she wasn’t ‘informed’ on National Security caused even Fox to react in a WTF manner as this article (From FOX!) indicates. It really was a simple question Greta Van Susteren asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States:
Sen. Darline Graham, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister who was appointed to fill his vacant seat, admitted during a South Carolina GOP Senate debate that she is “not that informed on national security” as she campaigns for a full six-year term.
Graham made the candid admission just days before South Carolina’s GOP Senate runoff between her and Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., after a moderator asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States. She responded that national security is “not my thing” and “not my area of expertise.”
That’s a question even a high school kid, probably even Jr. High could answer. With a single word – YES – in fact. Then follow up with a short statement to the effect that the relationship between China, Taiwan and the U.S. is complex but we have to control Chinese desire to expand their influence in the Pacific. That’s it, and as the Fox article notes Graham’s opponent did give such a boilerplate answer. That she would stand there and say the things she did is astounding. Also, keep in mind South Carolina is a state where military affairs are a major thing.
Graham’s answer should be all the proof South Carolinians need to reject her, but she’s Trump’s gal so she won the freaking primary. Sadly, because so many in that state (like others) would rather sell their firstborn into slavery than admit Trump and the GOP is unfit to lead our military or this country she will likely get elected in November. Let’s just hope the clip of her vapid, clueless answer to a softball question is aired countless times a day between now and the election. With her opponent and other Democrats adding the tagline ‘Is THIS the best Republicans can come up with?’ It is so appalling you have to see for yourself. Van Susteren really did ask a softball question and to say Graham fumbled her response is an understatement:
“Are Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States, and if so, why or how?” the moderator asked.
“I’m just going to be honest here. I’m not that informed on national security,” Graham responded. “But I do support the military. My brother was in the Air Force for 33 years, so I will do everything I can to support the military. My dad was in the Army. I’m not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise. But I do support the military.”
If that looks bad in print, well, the actual video (you can skip to the 25 second mark) shows it’s worse:
The linked Fox article didn’t pull many punches and noted it didn’t take long for ‘What the hell?’ reaction to Graham. Former Gov. and U.N. Ambassador (during the first Trump administration) weighed in next to a clip on twitter. Haley pointed out Lindsey Graham was ‘well informed on national security’ and got in a pointed dig at his sister adding ‘This is not something you inherit.’ Then Haley twisted the knife pointing out the obvious which is that this is crucial in the United States Senate. Ouch! Fox’s article also included a comment from a South Carolina talk show host, which we hope will get lots of airtime down there:
“DEVASTATING: Darline Graham can’t answer a softball question about China and Taiwan, admitting she doesn’t know much about foreign policy,” wrote South Carolina talk-show host Tara Servatius, noting that her “stunned 16 year old answered it off the top of his head.”
While Darlene Graham accurately pointed out after the debate (consistent with her past comments) that people in her state are concerned with prices one has to wonder if being so dismissive of national security is something her voters will be okay with. Cost of living IS huge for voters everywhere, but part of what’s making said costs stay so high (and likely to go higher) is the way Trump has botched national security! The fact Darlene Graham has gone on record about hassling her brother about his focus on national security is something that if handled correctly could make her vulnerable when the voting starts.
I should also note that (again I can’t believe the source I’m citing) the linked article concludes by pointing out this wasn’t her only gaffe during the hour long debate:
Graham’s response to the Taiwan question wasn’t the only gaffe she had during Tuesday night’s debate. Graham is also facing heat for saying that South Carolina was home to 50 million residents, when in fact it only has about five million.
“Darlene Graham doesn’t even know how many people live in South Carolina! Here she is saying 50 million people live here. Darlene darling, approximately 5.5 million people, not 50 million people live in South Carolina. I can’t even right now with this Senate race,” said Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., on X.
When Nancy Mace is accusing you of delusions of grandeur (50 million residents which would be ten million more than California!) you truly are too clueless to be a Senator! Again, let’s hope that voters in South Carolina have the scales fall from their eyes, and that Trump’s sagging approval drags Darlene Graham down to defeat.
It’s not so much her answer as it was she told the TRUTH that set Republican alarm bells sounding and red flags waving, as they too have no idea about foreign policy. Being unqualified is one of the tenants of the Republican party, truth, not so much.
….but they were ok with her sharing that she doesn’t do weekends or overtime and was only available Tuesday through Thursday skipping every other Wednesday and was not available before noon.
What you’ve pointed out is that she’s an awful lot like her political benefactor Trumpty-Dumpty. No wonder he’s endorsed her!
Like two peas in a pod. Know nothing and know nothing.
……but they shouldn’t feel singled out. I can’t think of a single Republican that is not a dumbass, a hack, and an unscrupulous bastard.
Denis, you wrote “We need people, especially Senators in Congress who don’t just know basic stuff but are experts.” Then, a little later you also wrote, “That’s a question even a high school kid, probably even Jr. High could answer. With a single word – YES – in fact.”
So, are you suggesting that a kid, “even a Jr. High” one, is an “expert?” Or is the question some “basic stuff” that pretty much everyone *should* know?
Personally, given the MAGAts infecting (and infesting) the GOP, I’d be satisfied for Senators (especially on that side of the aisle) who just knew “basic stuff.” Of course, we also need an electorate that’s willing to sit still for more than 10 seconds and listen when an “expert” gives an answer that’s more than just some little (potential) sound bite. In fact, unless the folks at Fox “News” TELL their viewers, “Oh, Darline Graham is an idiot. And even though the President wants her in the Senate, and she says she’s more worried about the economy, those economic issues are affected by foreign policy information and knowledge,” they’re going to vote for her because she’s so “grounded” and has “common sense.”
As for the population thing, remember this is the GOP/MAGA we’re talking about: A group who couldn’t be made to understand that you can’t lower drug prices by 1500%–that “economic genius” of theirs in the White House said it, so it must be possible and the drug companies and the Democrats are blocking it from happening (rather than their failing to understand basic math).
Come on. I in no way suggested a high school kid with basic understanding of national and world affairs has the chops for high political office. I DO believe as I long have that the notion of ‘someone you could have a beer with’ got warped. FDR was born to wealth and privilege but when stricken with polio he learned about regular folks because he spent so much time in a place filled with them – and realized just how privileged he’d been. He might not have been a beer guy but the concept held true – although extraordinary is so many ways and even for part of his life believing privilege was his birthright to a degree he didn’t pay attention to or related to common people he learned to do so.
The same could be said of his cousin Teddy, who at first was dismissed as a ‘dandy’ strutting around NYC in fancy outfits. However he got out and lived life in a way that taught him what life was like for most people. He too learned to appreciate his privilege and to relate to regular people. Since he was genuine people sensed this.
My point is that the ‘I like the thought of someone I could have a beer with’ came to mean someone average (say Bush 43) in ability could be President. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bill Clinton famously said there’s no other job like it in the world. It takes someone with extraordinary gifts and not just intellectual to even do the job without fucking everything up. History in my lifetime has taught me that, and since I like history I could give more examples both of those who ‘had it’ and those who didn’t.
I also believe that we should send ‘regular folks’ to Congress and especially the Senate. Of course I want them to not only understand and be able to relate to average Americans AND care about them. However if they care to actually govern and do some good they need to be far more capable and in multiple ways than most people you meet in your daily life. Yet somehow too many Americans have gotten to think we need ‘regular’ folks in positions that exert extraorinary pressures on elected officials. I just remembered a relevant scene from The West Wing, where the fictional Bartlett (the whip smart kid classmates resented) was running against a ‘regular’ guy who was being advised by some self-help ‘guru’ who dispensed cookie cutter advice. So Josh sent his assistant to spend a day at one of ‘Teddy Tomba’s’ seminars:
I urge you and others to take the three or so minutes to watch the clip. Sadly, tragically it seems that half the country IS willing to accept far less of a President (or other top leaders) than we should. Bush 43 was our first example but Trump, not just once but TWICE squeaking into the Oval Office proves how far we have fallen.