Graham sticks by record in face of challenge over immigration

Graham sticks by record in face of challenge over immigration

By Robert Morris - rmorris@thesunnews.com

Posted on Sat, Jun. 07, 2008

With endorsements from nearly every conservative issue group in the country, a war chest that refuses to dip below $5 million and strong ties to the party's nominee for president, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham's Republican renomination would, on paper, seem like a given.

And then there's immigration.

At the beginning of the year, nearly half a dozen Republican challengers had announced against him, though only one mustered the party's $10,000 filing fee for the primary: Buddy Witherspoon, a Columbia-area dentist who spent years as the state's representative to the Republican National Committee.

Whether the primary unrest is the anger of the conservative base or just one faction of it, it manifests itself on dozens of anti-immigration and anti-Graham Web sites, stoked by talk-radio hosts who targeted Graham during last year's Congressional debate on the issue.

In 2007, Graham worked with close political ally John McCain and several Democrats on a bipartisan compromise to reform immigration laws.

Graham says his first priority was improving border security, but opponents decried the bill's paths to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the U.S. as amnesty. The bill died.

Graham defends his work on immigration as an attempt to confront political realities. In a Senate controlled by Democrats, Graham said, only a compromise has a chance of passing and tackling such a contentious issue shows his leadership skills.

"One thing I know for sure, doing nothing is not a solution," Graham said. "I've taken on hard things. Somebody, someday is going to have to solve the immigration problem, and there will be no solution unless it's bipartisan."

Witherspoon, however, condemned the bill as too much compromise, saying there is no reason to agree to any concessions to illegal immigrants. Though Witherspoon admits he does not yet know how he could get Democrats to vote for a purely conservative bill, he said he would not support a bill he did not agree with.

"I would reach across the aisle, but I'm not going to give up my principles," Witherspoon said of the 2007 attempt. "We're not going to do something just to do it in a bipartisan fashion."

Witherspoon's run is a break from party orthodoxy, in a political sense, as he gave up his post as a party official to challenge the party's own sitting senator.

From an issues standpoint, however, Witherspoon is firmly in step with the party line. He says he strongly supports gun laws, the military and private schools while opposing abortion and same-sex marriage and notes his interest in energy independence and a national sales tax to replace income taxes.

Witherspoon's candidacy has also suffered some public hiccups. Questions have arisen about the strength of his past ties to the Council of Conservative Citizens, a group that opposes any form of racial mixing. At campaign stops, he announces his opposition to the formation of a one-country "North American Union" of Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Witherspoon now dismisses his association with the Council of Conservative Citizens as a once-only appearance, though media accounts from the early 1990s quote him defending his membership with the council, then breaking with them under pressure from other Republicans. The North American Union, he insists, is a valid concern and evidence of the need for secure borders.

"I didn't think it up," Witherspoon said of the supposed union. "We're not in the situation yet, but we don't want to get into a vise where they say, 'Now there's a union. Now we're in with Canada and Mexico.'"

Graham touts himself as a "mainstream conservative leader," arguing that a Senate race should be about more than a single issue, such as immigration. He cites the Unborn Victims of Violence Act he helped author, calling it one of the largest single changes to federal law in recent memory.

"That's not just being pro-life," Graham said. "That's making a difference."

His finest moment, he said, is joining with McCain to promote the surge in troops that Republicans now hail as suppressing violence in Iraq. He also played a deciding role, he said, in the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

"People will look at all I've done," Graham said. "I think I've done above my weight as a first-term senator."

---

"One thing I know for sure, doing nothing is not a solution," Graham said. "I've taken on hard things. Somebody, someday is going to have to solve the immigration problem, and there will be no solution unless it's bipartisan."

Maybe enforcing the existing laws would work better than doing nothing and they already has bi-partisan support by definition or they wouldn't have been passed in the first place.  The guy just breaks the nutso meter every time he opens his mouth.  I feel nauseous just hearing his name.  Thank goodness he isn't my senator!

---

I believe the primary is Tuesday, June 10 and I am waiting with bated breath for the outcome of this.  It will be a predictor of the rest of the nation.  John McCain should be watching this primary closely.

Regardless of their elected in Washington, most Democrats oppose amnesty and paths to citizenship.  South Carolina allows cross party voting and I would not be surprised to see a lot of Democrats crossing over to vote against Graham.  He is a traitor not just to our party, but to our nation.

Hopefully Wednesday morning we can say good-bye and good ridance to Lindsey Graham.

 

 

---

msbobbie said:

Hopefully Wednesday morning we can say good-bye and good ridance to Lindsey Graham.

And then McAmnesty could announce his VP choice ........

---

If LG is defeated in his Senate re election, selecting him as vp would be the death of the McCain campaign.

 

I still think McCain will choose Lieberman to try to pull votes from the center and left of center.  He thinks the base will be there to vote AGAINST Obama and he is sooooooo wrong.  Lieberman has  General Election Campaign experience behind him.  He brings with him the Jewish vote.

 

---

msbobbie said:

 

  He thinks the base will be there to vote AGAINST Obama and he is sooooooo wrong. 

I certainly dislike McCain but the only one I dislike more is Obama....he and his wife are  anti-American, anti-white, anti-middle-class and his Muslim background is scary as hell!  I would love to know exactly what he plans for our country..we know he has promised citizenship to the illegals in his first year of office but then what????

So I sincerely hope the base does vote against obama!

NancyL said: I certainly dislike McCain but the only one I dislike more is Obama....he and his wife are  anti-American, anti-white, anti-middle-class and his Muslim background is scary as hell!  I would love to know exactly what he plans for our country..we know he has promised citizenship to the illegals in his first year of office but then what????

So I sincerely hope the base does vote against obama!

Let's NOT find out, OK?

---

I know more democrats who will vote against Obama than I do Republicans who will reject McCain... but I live in a really small community.

---

Isn't he up for re election this year?   

"He" who, Martha?

Graham? Yes. The thread started with his re election campaign in South Carolina.

Obama's next Senate election will be in 2010

McCain's next Senate election will be in 2010

 

---

Hasn't S Carolina already voted? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_South_Carolina,_2008

---

YES, MARTHA501: We in SC already voted in a Presidential Primary several months ago. This primary, tomorrow, is for Congressional, and State offices. AND YES, FEEDFWD, Graham IS my senator, and I plan on voting AGAINST HIM tomorrow, and somewhat reluctantly, for Buddy Witherspoon. And if LaRaza McCain nominates Lindsey Grahamnesty to be his VP, it wouldn't surprise me at all. Two wings on the same corrupt bird of prey. Graham is as phony as a $1.00 Federal Reserve note, exceeded only by the "love of his life", LaRaza McCain.

I sure hope Grahmam loses.  He is an open borders scumbag and his defeat would surely send a message and give me a little hope.

---

martha501 said: Hasn't S Carolina already voted? 

 

I know you have told us where you live, Martha, but I do not recall.  Most States have a separate PPP, Presidential Preference Primary every 4 years.  The rest have their regular State primaries at a set time every 2 years.

Some states have kept their Presidential Primary on the same date as the regular state primary elections.  Montana and South Dakota had their state primary and presidential primary last week.

 

.

---

I am in Texas , didn't know any state had seperate elections.  So how good or bad is Graham's  apponent?

martha501 said: I am in Texas , didn't know any state had seperate elections.  So how good or bad is Graham's  apponent?

 

Witherspoon looks good to me.  He has the credentials as a long time state committeeman to the RNC.

 

---

Good I hope he beats that Pro Illegal Graham

This is encouraging.  Read the comments.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026416/posts

 

 

---

I like this:

http://www.heraldonline.com/109/story/533876.html

 

 

---