NEWT GINGRICH: Lindsey Graham’s courage and patriotism leave a lasting legacy
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I have known Lindsey Graham since we campaigned together in 1994 during the Contract with America revolution. That effort led the American people to give Republicans control of the House for the first time in 40 years.
It was such a shock to lose him so suddenly this week.
His closest political ally, President Donald Trump, said Sen. Graham is “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known.” He went on to say that Sen. Graham was “a true American Patriot.”
LINDSEY GRAHAM, SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR WHO ROSE FROM SMALL-TOWN ROOTS TO GOP POWER BROKER, DIES AT 71.
Sen. Graham had a great spirit – and expended an equally great effort to get America going in the right direction. In the 32 years I’ve known him, he’s always been energetic, happy, and moving on to the next battle, change, or opportunity to do something.
We have worked together on many issues over the years, and recently we have been fighting shoulder to shoulder for the survival of Ukraine against the Russian regime.
Sen. Graham was always forward, angry, and always directed to help America achieve its goals.
His relationship with President Trump was good. Early on, in 2015, Graham was one of Trump’s fiercest and most vocal opponents. However, when Trump won, Graham was determined to be a strong ally. He knew that with a powerful leader like President Trump you can be his friend and do a lot or you can be his opponent and cut off from all important decisions.
What was impressive was how their love of golf brought them together. Sen. Graham had the right personality to put the President at ease when they played golf together. Actually, one of the biggest contributions of Sen. Graham was to hang out and help the President to renew his energy and his sense of enjoyment of life. And of course, they talk a lot about policy between putts.
Sen. Graham has had an unusually strong commitment to national security and foreign policy. Long before President Trump appeared on the scene, Sen. Graham was one of the “three amigos,” and Sens. John McCain and Joe Lieberman. All three can be found in almost every tropical region of the world. They didn’t just talk about national security; they are immersed in it and study it. All that would be of great help to Sen. Graham when the Russians invaded Ukraine. He became one of the leading lawyers to stop Vladimir Putin.
Longtime ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad captured their impact in a recent tweet. He said, “I remember Senator Graham especially after 9/11 as part of the trio: McCain, Lieberman, and Graham. They were a great unique package, a bipartisan powerhouse that loved America, its servicemen and women, and its national security including its world leadership role. They helped unite America and showed that unity. A special moment. I saw that during their frequent visits to Afghanistan when I served in neighboring countries and Iraq. Lindsey, you have served America with honor and respect, You, Senators McCain and Lieberman, will have an honorable place in US history.
Finally, I can’t write about Sen. Graham without returning to his first speech on the floor of the House. It was the first day of the new Republican Congress. Many freshmen may be a little nervous about addressing the House on that historic day, but not Sen. Graham. Here is his first contribution as an elected official:
“Mr. Speaker, I’m from South Carolina, the State a few years ago sent about 18 people to jail because they took shirts, took shoes, went on a golf trip, and sold their vote. If Members want to change me, I challenge them to do so. But everything in its time. For 40 years the Democrats have had control of this organization to do that.
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“What the American people should know, and what I want the voters to know at home, is that what we are talking about doing on the first day is to change the way this institution works.
“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 stopped a measure to reduce his term as Speaker. I congratulate him for doing that. Leadership and change starts at the top, and that is what he has shown, and on behalf of the freshman class we thank him for doing something without talking.
“Also in this law there is a provision that will limit committee chairs to six years. If we want to change America, that is a good place to start, and that is what we are talking about today, changing this institution to breathe new life into it.
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“Speaker, opinions are important, they will have a new day.”
Sen. Graham continued to fight for reform until the last day of his life. He will be deeply missed by those of us who knew him. He will be missed by the whole country for his courage, patriotism, intelligence and strength.
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