Can you feel the Lindseymentum? It's official, Sen. Lindsey Graham is now officially a Republican presidential candidate, running on the tried-and-true and utterly ridiculous theme of being an "outsider." Never mind that he's served in the Congress for 20 years. He
grew up poor.
It’s the tale of a son of pool hall owners, who grew up near-impoverished in the back room of his parents’ bar. As a college student he raised, and eventually adopted, his little sister after their parents died, before going on to have a career as an Air Force lawyer and then rising to become South Carolina’s senior senator.
“Those of you who’ve known me a long time know I had some ups and downs as a young man,” he said. “I lost my parents, and had to struggle financially and emotionally…There are a lot of so-called ‘self-made’ people in this world. I’m not one of them. My family, friends, neighbors and my faith picked me up when I was down, believed in me when I had doubts. You made me the man I am today.”
But mostly Graham's announcement was about wanting to bomb Iran, making this more Sen. John McCain's third run for president than Graham's. His announcement speech was
heavy on the national security theme.
"I am running for president of the United States because I am ready to be commander-in-chief on day one…to defend our nation with a sound strategy, a strong military, stable alliances and a steady determination," Graham told a crowd of supporters at a campaign launch event. "I have more experience with our national security than any other candidate in this race. That includes you, Hillary."
Never mind that his overarching concern for national security didn't extend to postponing Monday's announcement so that he could be in Washington Sunday night to talk about and vote on renewing the Patriot Act. He's going to defeat ISIS and Iran and Putin. Oh, and raise the Social Security retirement age and cut people's benefits. That's because he's the serious one.
