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Thats right Lindsey I want you to close your eyes and click you heels together and repeat threes times"Ron Paul is not the leader of the Republican party'.Maybe if you wish hard enoiugh it might come true-not'

The only reason he would be saying over and over, Ron Paul is not the "leader" is because Ron IS leading the way for Individual Liberty, Personal Responsibility and Constitutionally Limited government, unlike all these republicrat goofballs doing the oppisite of what they say every time. The Paul's on the other hand are consistent and practice what they preach. The repubs are dying and the Paul's are thriving! I will keep supporting them and the future of the party is Randall "Rand" Paul starting with Kentucky! R3volution!

How about not giving the party over to IDEAS that can't win? The philosophy of neoconservatism can't win.

It's funny that Graham can't find time to reconcile and work together with democrats OR republicans for that matter.

His distaste for cooperation between American's is going to usher the downfall of the Republican party and the conservative movement.

You can pull the handled now...it's time to flush the GOP!

The GOP will start to heal when these clowns are voted out of office!

Have you noticed? The Repubicans can't seem to even agree with each other. The GOP is circling the drain.

Lindsay Graham is an effeminate ninny.

Steven in Charleston – Well Said.

Where does Graham and Boehner get their plastic hair? They must shop at the same plastic hair store. Yick.

Ron Paul is the most Sane of the Insane GOP.
“I’m a winner, pal,” Graham retorted. Moments later, after saying he wants to the party to reach out to independent voters, he said: “Winning matters to me. If it doesn’t matter to you, there’s the exit sign.”
Winning that political power is all that matters in the GOP. Win at all costs even if America fails.

to Lindsey Graham:
You are not in the position to "give" the party to anyone. The American people are waking up. They are seeing that you and your ilk are squandering our liberties with no regard for the Constitution. Get ready to say goodbye in 2010.

to Trang:
Steve in Charleston is right: The current "Republican" party are not really Republicans.
Nowdays they have pretty much the same economic policies and military policies as the Democraps. They talk about limited government, but they're just as bad as the Dems.
Ron Paul is the true conservative and should be the leader of the GOP.

Lindsey Graham is a hypocrite who (1) says he wants a big tent party, and (2) wants to exclude Ron Paul supporters from the GOP. Yes, those Ron Paul supporters who have the "radical" belief that a government under the Constitution, i.e. a smaller government, where the federal government doesn't do everything, government debt is reduced, and state governments have more autonomy. The same radical beliefs of Jefferson that founded our country.

These Republicans are a very entertaining group...LOL

I am a Democrat, but you have to admire this guy for trying to expand the Republican Party. So long as it is the party of the narrow and the extreme, it will fail.

Graham is just another RINO.

Look I agree with Senator Graham:. However, the GOP cannot get on their own members in Congress if they oppose the party line in some votes. Look ar the Northeast not one Republican in the group.

I don't like Sen. Graham, like several others in his party, he thinks if you disagree with him youare wrong. The base of the republican party can not carry them back to the White House. I agree with James Carville, who said, "The party could be out of power for the next forty years". I think the party was damaged during the Bush Administration and people will change as they fill necessary.

It's not so much what he said, it's that he had to say it at all. And it's not so much his message as how it was received – badly, and in friendly territoy to boot.

TO American Libertarian, similarly, no one is afraid of Fox News as journalism, we are many of us terrified, however, of its unapologetic bias in its efforts to BE the news, rather than REPORT it. They are like The Daily Show with John Stewart except they don't acknowledge they are fake news and they aren't intentionally funny. That. my friend, is indeed frightening to those of raised on uncle Walter (Cronkite) who remember how it is supposed to be.

The Democrats seem to be winners. Time to change sides Lindsey!

Has Senator Graham forgotten his constant sidekick during the election. His memory seems to be slipping like McCain's!!

I hear that every speech given by a Republican politician must be approved by Boss Limbaugh. From what I have seen lately, this seems to be case.

What do you expect from a Republican? Look at what that party did to our nation the past 8 years under Bush/Cheney!

Mr. Graham – why don't you just go away and take your 3 buddies with you.

The exit Mr Graham is for you and all the other neo cons who ruined the country. The party is over for you, we will unseat you soon, get ready, the freedom movement is here to stay and to clean up the GOP from people like, PAL

Politics is all about winning and having power. Democrat or Republican. Graham just admitted that. He didn't say we need to do this for America, he is in it to win, to have power. You don't change Washington, it changes you.

Thank you and have a great day.

Religious fundamentalists have taken control of the GOP. As long as they remain in control the GOP will be relegated to the sidelines. This is the logical conclusion of Lee Atwater's Southern Strategy and the appeal to racist southern whites. It was accelerated by 8 ruinous years under Bush and the neo-cons. The defection of Specter makes it official, the moderate wing of the GOP will be re-invented as the fiscally-conservative wing of the Democratic party, which is the party of people of color in this great, melting-pot nation of ours.

Mr. Graham, Adolph Hitler wanted to win too. I would rather stick to my conservative values than to win by compromise. You need to learn something...If I compromise my values by appealing to the values of the right then I lose. You seem to be a Man that wants to win at any cost even if it compromises your values...on the other hand maybe you have no values. Maybe what you are most interested in is winning power at any cost. I recognize you. You are self serving, self motivated and you’ll do anything to win even at any cost. You are a man without principles.

When will these people learn that white evangelical Christians are NOT a majority in America? America is very diverse, and a national party has to represent ALL people, not just a select vocal minority. No, we do not have to compromise our core principles, there is plenty of common ground. Compromising our conservative principles through the big government spending, privacy invading, interventionist neocon principles of Cheney and Limbaugh got us into this mess in the first place and lost uf the election in 2006 and then 2008. Conservatives need to take back the GOP, away from the pretenses of these liberal neocons!

To Bill on the Bayou-

Glad to see you choose party over country. I appreciate your sacrifices, but I too made the same sacrifice. The difference between us is that I choose country over party. While you see color, I see American. Semper Fi.

If the current republican party wants to keep excluding people who aren't parroting Rush Limbaugh, if they keep pushing people out who aren't Bush apologists, if they think that America is ONLY small town white evangelical Christians with guns and a third-grade education, then they will continue to diminish and go they way of the Whigs!

It's the end of the Republicans and it's almost fascinating to watch. I guess that's what happens to a country when more and more people become educated. Another justification for higher education.

American Libertarian..... Fascists are conservatives, not liberals, you nut. Faux News is like fingernails on a chalkboard to an educator....where did you get so stupid? Just listen to Rush and you SHOULD know the party of "HATE" !!!

Graham has become a country club Republican. Even though his "big tent" has given the Rats a 20 seat majority in the Senate and an 85 seat majority in the House, he is STILL bent on making the GOP the Democrat Lite party.

What an idiot.

to Bill ~ Down on the Bayou

you need to calm.

lots of people are present and past military soliders. that does not give you a right to call names.

Since it was your rep party who dishonored and used the military for torture and other war crimes, you should question why you want to be part of that organization.

Ron Paul is just about the ONLY thing appealing to me about the republicans right now, for his stance on the war and on drugs, however, when you get right down to it, his fiscal ism is practically liege-craft in today's economy. His arguments during the primaries about what we should do about the economy were incredibly naive and unfounded in economic science.

I can see what Grahmn is trying to do, he just does not realize the moderates have already left, and become democrats. LOL.

Oops, in my last comment, it should have said "not paying" instead of "paying." Rats like Graham make my blood boil and that hurts my cognative functions.

Bill on the bayou...Why don't you get an education...maybe you will see the Republicans have already used you (to fight their wars for profit) and now abandon you (and us all) in favor of their real friends, corporations!

Ego First!

lindsey grahamn is a fast talking liar.

listening to him question the military sergeant in charge of interrogating prisoners was quiet eye opening. He was throwing any arguments out there and pouncing when he thought he had a crumb that he could use.

Hardened criminals would have admired the crafty underhanded way he was twisting the info, to somehow prove he was correct. This man is dishonest and does not care for the truth.

Oh, Boy Mr. Graham! You just don't get it. The more the GOP resists Ron Paul's propeace and profreedom message, the more the GOP will lose elections. Mr. Graham, if I'm ever put in jail for paying the communist income tax, I'll call you and let you know that your taxes are paying for my room and board. I don't support Obama, but I'm glad the GOP got a kick in the pants in 2008.

How dare this closet queen speak ill about Ron Paul

Ron paul has done more for this party than lindsey will ever do

Jeff Spangler – oooh, that's telling him! A cogent arguement if I have ever heard one! No wonder the Repigs are in the wilderness.

Will Lindsay ever come out of the closet? That is one of the questions South Carolians have had for years. Oh wait, that may interfere with 'winning' first.

Conservatives should demand all republican candidates adhere to the proper doctrine for all policies. No moderates, no compromise.

I prefer graham to other republicans in this state, however, I always vote Democrat because of people like Rush, Boehner, palin. etc. these people scare me with their rhetoric and la k of intelligent compassion!

graham, first learn how to speak english, your drawl is really sickening, hehehehehe

Hurray for Senator Graham. He has the backbone to tell those right wing fruitcakes where thay can go. If the extreme right wing takes over and is exclusive it will ruin our 236 year tradition of a country with a big tent. Maybe they should think twice or three times what can happen when and if they ever take over. There is always the thought of Nazi Germany in the wings. If the Republican party can not come around then their ideals and philosophy should be sent right back to Ripon Wisconsin and burried forever.l

Don't you love seeing a dysfunctional family play out their squabbles in public.

**“I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win,” **

You mean like that loser, Juan McAmnesty?

Lindsey graham, you were one of the driving forces that took this party down the road to ruin. For that, you will be held accountable, punk.

What future?

Perhaps Graham will have a more credibility as a winner when we forget his promotion of John McCain in 2008.

Great comment, Steve from Charleston – and delivered with a sense of intelligent debate over the issues instead of the childness of some other posters.

Oh no, Lindsey Graham in a tither again. Isn't that a weekly occurrence?

What mister Graham was saying is that he wants a gop without morals or rules ( just like the DEMS ) so i think that mister Graham should desert and grace the dem's with his presents. Even i will never vote REPUBlican again until it fully returns to being the moral choice. If grahams it i guessim a Independant until the GOP becomes a right movement again. So no mister Graham your not a winner , Just a republicrate.........

Lindsey Graham you are foolish blind or bought.

The current GOP is the problem.

Ron Pauls ideas are the solution.

Wait, Graham, a member of the party that has now experienced major defeats the last two elections, thinks he has what it takes to win?

I'd take Ron Paul and his ideas over Lindsey Graham any day.

A perfect example of the kooks along the BIBLE BELT who preach hate and continue to depress their constituencies. They want to keep them in those states as the lower educated , highest divorce rate , most kids out of wedlock and every other less normal failure or desire. The south ws once a proud ,productive,and happy population but since it went GOP it is a disaster,due to Graham and his ilk. Better days are coming in 2010 when you can get rid of these suppressors.

the guy is not a statesman Graham said this ...
"The release of these old photographs of past behaviour that has now been clearly prohibited can serve no public good, but will empower al-Qaida propaganda operations, hurt our country's image, and endanger our men and women in uniform," they...
May 13, 2009 guardian.co.uk (70 occurrences)
Check out his focus .. would be used as propaganda ... LOL.... he is all about manipulation of information ... propaganda ... that is always his angle ... he is a politician ... who spins and does not act in ways that support the people ... he is a pawn for the military industrial complex ... in whose interest does Ron Paul speak ? We who follow Ron Paul know the answer ... he stands tall with the people not any special interests ... on the outside looking in and wishing the great people of South Carolina all the best in the up coming election ... do the right thing with regards to Graham vote for freedom and responsibility and not for a Graham world view of people are free to do as they are told. Bound limit government not people.

“I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win,” Graham responded.

You already have - to Boehner and McConnell. The GOP lost in the last two elections. When is this party going to wake up and replace the GOP House and Senate leaders?!?

“Winning matters to me." There you have it. The entire philosophy of the Republican Party. I guess all the "Country First" crap during the campaign was just talk. It should be "Winning First". That's more appropriate. As another post noted, it seems that the Republicans just view governing as a game, to be won or lost. How pathetic. It explains why they don't have any new ideas or any vision to move the country forward. They only have the scare tactics and buzzwords like taxes, terrorism and gay marriage which they use to win elections in the South, but don't have anything to offer after they're elected. Finally, the truth.

@ Republicans are the
American Taliban:

I, you slimy pig am a life long Republican, former US Marine, circa 1945, and if you consider me American Taliban I challenge you...Come take me out. No doubt you would be coddling the obama factions of the Taliban.

I'm having so much fun watching the GOP implode. Truth be told, I hope they never recover. The idea that we somehow "need" a healthy Republican Party in America is hogwash. What we need is a dead Republican Party.

the GOP is looking more and more like a grade school playground!

Graham, I'm a conservative, and beleive me, you are nio winner either! so why don't you exit...PAL!

I'm sorry Lindsey you all are LOSERS.

I thought Ron Paul was good, and his son as well. They give good debate w/o getting personal. What Republicans have against them? They want 'Liberty', while 'Conservatives' want to dictate the nation on what is right and wrong to do in the 'bedroom'? That's irreconcilable differences there.

"I'm not going to give the party over to people who can't win."

Excuse me? Who do you think has it now?

So who is the leader of the Republican party?

We all know by now, that there is no future for the GOP but to go back to it's roots, to become again the defender of the Republic and the US constitution:

Ron Paul is the leader of the freedom movement, you will beg him to become the leader of the GOP, sooner or later, because all you want Mr Graham is stay in power

Is Graham a democrat or republican? He's the type that can make a seemless transition from party to party.

I don't trust snakeoil salesmen like him.

He still thinks there are WMD in Iraq.

Let's vote him out.

LOL!! Awesome!! I like Sen Graham, he is cool...

But he in some sense, is right, they do in fact need a winner. And I like his passion too, he wants to compete in Penn and Conn, that's serious stuff. But Penn can go either way, is one of the oldest Unions in the country and it is in fact a swing state so that state can go either way...it just ain't my fault I predicted that victory months prior to the elections, LOL!! I had to say it, I just had to...but I tell you what, don't you guys think is fair to say that it even is a surprised that my boy took states that Hillary took?? Like Indiana or Florida?? And remember the argument she made and even Dems for that matter??

Some good stuff, LOL!!!

I like Sen Graham's passion, I do.

Republicans are the American Taliban,

"Rush owns you pal …."

Rush wouldn't touch this twirpy fool with a 10 ft. pole or you either for that matter. You need a mirror to see who is the "American Taliban."

Not a fan of the GOP or Graham but until the party distances itself from right wing loons it will always have trouble.

I just love watching the Republicans flop around like a fish out of water. We DO need at least a two party system but when one of them is so dysfunctional its time throw it back before it starts to rot and ruin the rest of the healthy catch.

He looks like a wimp.

Steven in Charleston hit the nail right on the head; perfect comment. I, too was raised republican but find it difficult to believe in a party that is so resistant to change.

The original core republican values are very important to me, but the Democrats are currently the better choice in hundreds of ways.

And, honestly, I think the GOP would do well to consider some libertarian planks in its platform.

Sorry, GOP, you've got a long way to go!

So, now it's about winning? Personal gain? Power? Fame & Fortune?

What happened to serving the American people?

Not going to give the party over to people who can't win? You already have with the likes of Cheney, Limbaugh, Palin, Gindrich, they are losers and until someone has the guts to tell them to shut up they will never get this party back on track

A winner in South Carolina with a name like a girl is not necessarily (or even probably) a winner anywhere else.

The Senator has a point. As long as the radical far, far right continue to "purge" the party to make it "pure" they will never get enough votes to put their failed policies into action.

The GOP talks about winning but never about governing: after the last 8 years, we can all see why.

It's intersting to see the comments of the leftists and statists here.

My god you people hate the GOP, Rush and Fox. FoxNews to you is like light to a vampire, I guess. After 30 years of all news originating from one viewpoint (and few blocks in New York, for that matter) having a second viewpoint just terrifies you, doesn't it.

And slowly it's having the same effect as light on a vampire: it is disolving America's hypnosis by the blood-sucking left and revealing you as fascists and totalitarian for whom no amount of social control is ever enough. Smoking bans, light-bulb regulations, CO2 controls based on hysterics, hate-crime laws, gun control....

I take solace in the fact that no matter what internal problems the GOP has at least we haven't become a characature of ourselves unable to offer any critique tha rises about playground level. "Hate Mongers"? Have you looked in the mirror lately?

Poor Mr Graham needs a rest. May be he needs a wife. Sounds very frustated to me.

“I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win,” Graham responded.

Um, you already did!

It's interesting that the GOP is no longer about issues so much as it is about winning. Ego should be the last thing that drives a party. Mr. Graham will soon find his ego dumps him out on his ear, I bet. Or at least, I hope.

This man is one of the most depressing excuses for a senator; political expediency is truly all that matters to him, as he made quite clear by the statements offered here. South Carolina must be an intriguing place, to elect someone like this.

The one point that Senator Graham is correct on and that is the GOP as long as they are the all white party, will never win enough elections to control congress again. I have always voted for the republican candidate until the practical thing Obama decided to run for office. The republican party only has room for non reading, uneducated, dumb down citizen.

Ahhhh,, the GOP, now the party of 'winners'......

He is a hypocrite. He asked Obama to veto the budget because of earmarks, but publicly announced that the earmarks that HE had put in would be added to the replacement budget. That's hypocrisy, pure and simple.

Sen. Graham, you don't have to tell us that all you people care about is "winning." That is quite appropriate for people of small intelligence. They still think this is all just a football game..very very sad!

How do define "suicide mission"?

Try talking logically with Dixie-cons and idiot-ogical neocon purists about working to expand the GOP to include those who are not blond haired and blue eyed. In case you haven't noticed Sen. Graham, the GOP doesn't want to be a relevant political party if it can't "dicatate" morality, patriotism, religion and who we should invade next to "spread freedom and democracy"....

“I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win,” Graham responded

Can Fox News and the media hate mongers win?; because you've given your party over to them. And don't forget the teabaggers and toe tappers. Oxymoron Rush owns you pal ....

“I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win,” Graham responded. That is why he supported John McCain for president, he doesn't support losers. Just another failed lawyer. Time for the pubbies to become radical again, not complacent.

what a wooosie

he like Gingrich ( Darth vader) and Cheney (Emperor of the Dark side),
Rush (Jaba the Hut)
just can't figure it out the more they threaten and lie the lower they go . soon it will be all over ,and peace will come to the land we love .

and out of the mouth of MR we can cross the party lines and work things out ( he will not turn the party over to loosers) buddy you are the party of loosers. people like Ron Paul could be the new republican party . just facts and no bull.

Lindsey Graham couldn't be a winner in a national election and with his unwavering support of lame John McCain, it is unlikely that Graham knows what it takes to win on a national scale. The GOP has self-selected figureheads who have lost touch with the conservative base and have moved the party plank to thee left of center. Good riddance to trash like Graham and McCain.

Find yourself a new line of work because your not doing the decomposing GOP any good.

I was raised in a Republican household, and I was taught to believe that the GOPs values were the same as our family's values - strong national defense, limited government, strong individual liberties, and giving people a leg up instead of a hand out.

Where did that party go?

They still talk the talk but rarely walk the walk.

Strong National Defense: you don't strengthen our defense by wasting resources on a war that didn't need to be fought while ignoring one that does.

Limited Government: we know that has been an abject failure, and that the GOP is as guilty as the Democrats in this regard;

Strong Individual Liberties: you can't say you believe in individual rights, then inject your will into what a woman can do with her body or by forbiding gay couples to get married;

Leg Up/Hand Out: The GOP has been really good at saying "no" to handouts (unless they are for massive corporations) but always seem to forget to say "yes" to anything providing a leg-up, such as SBA funding, improving our schools, increasing the minimum wage, or providing assistance with daycare so poor Moms can work.

I am not a big fan of Lindsey Graham, but he is right to believe that if the bible-thumping evangelicals and greed-happy capitalists are allowed to retain control of the party they hijacked, then the GOP is doomed to irrelevance.

Is he in the closet?