I have known Lindsey Graham since we campaigned together in 1994 during the Contract with America reform movement. That effort led the American people to give Republicans control of the House for the first time in 40 years.
It was an enormous shock to lose him so suddenly this week.
His closest political ally, President Donald Trump, said Sen. Graham was “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known.” He went on to say Sen. Graham was a “true American Patriot.”
Sen. Graham had enormous spirit — and he spent equally enormous effort to get America on the right track. In the 32 years I knew him, he was always energetic, upbeat, and moving on to the next fight, reform, or opportunity to get something done.
We worked together on dozens of issues over the years, and recently were shoulder to shoulder fighting for Ukraine’s survival against Russian imperialism.
Sen. Graham was always moving forward, always on offense, and always maneuvering to help America reach its goals.
His relationship with President Trump was phenomenal. Originally, in 2015, Graham was one of then-candidate Trump’s harshest and loudest opponents. However, when Trump won, Graham set out to become a strong ally. He knew that with a leader as strong as President Trump you could be his ally and get a lot done or you could be his opponent and get frozen out of all the key decisions.
The fascinating thing was how well their love of golf brought them together. Sen. Graham had just the right personality to help the President relax when they golfed together. In a real sense, one of Sen. Graham’s greatest contributions was hanging out and helping the President renew his energy and his sense of enjoying life. And of course, they talked a lot about policy between putts.
Sen. Graham had an extraordinarily energetic commitment to national security and foreign policy. Long before President Trump appeared on the scene, Sen. Graham was one of “the three amigos,” along with Sens. John McCain and Joe Lieberman. The three of them could be found in virtually every hot spot on the planet. They didn’t just talk about national security; they immersed themselves in it and studied it. All that would be of enormous help to Sen. Graham when the Russians invaded Ukraine. He became one of the leading advocates of stopping Vladimir Putin.
Long time Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad captured their impact in a recent tweet. He said, “I remember Senator Graham especially after 9/11 as part of a trio: McCain, Lieberman, and Graham. They were a great unique package, a bipartisan powerhouse who loved America, its servicemen and women, and its national security including its role of global leadership. They helped unify America and reflected that unity. A special era. I saw that up-close and personal during their frequent visits to Iraq and Afghanistan when I served in both countries. Lindsey, you served America with honor and distinction. You, Senators McCain and Lieberman, will also have an honored place in US history.”
Finally, I can’t write about Sen. Graham without reaching back to his first speech on the House floor. It was the first day of the new Republican Congress. Many freshman might have been a little intimidated by addressing the House on that historic day, but not Sen. Graham. Here is his very first contribution as an elected official:
“Mr. Speaker, I came from South Carolina, a State that a few years ago sent about 18 people to jail because they took shirts, they took shoes, they took golf trips, and they sold their vote. If Members want to reform me, I challenge them to do so. But everything in its time. For 40 years Democrats have had control of this body to do that.
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“What the American people need to know, and what I want constituents to know at home is what we are talking about doing the first day is to change the way this institution operates.
“Newt Gingrich, the new Speaker of the House, has done something that no Speaker of the House has ever done in this body, Republican or Democrat. He has instituted a measure to limit his own term as Speaker. I congratulate him for doing that. Leadership and reform begins at the top, and that is what he has demonstrated, and on behalf of the freshman class we thank him for doing something other than talk.
“Also in this rule is a provision that would limit committee chairmen to serve six years. If we want to change America, that is a great place to start, and that is what we are talking about today, changing this institution to breathe new life into it.
“Mr. Speaker, ideas do matter, and they are going to have a new day.”
Sen. Graham went on to fight for reform until the last day he was alive. He will be deeply missed by those of us who knew him personally. He will be missed by the entire country for the loss of his courage, patriotism, creativity and energy.
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