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In a tiny little Hill blog piece yesterday, there was a blurb on an under-the-radar meeting, one-on-one, between Senator Lindsey Graham and Vice President Joe Biden.  This is worrisome on so....many....fronts. Joe Biden, for all of his gaffes and foibles, is still one smart political operative.  He rode the train home to Delaware with Arlen Specter on his way home to Pennsylvania every single weekend for years and is the one that most folks believe orchestrated Arlen's party switch.   Interesting piece here on the possibility for a White House job for Specter after his career as a Senator comes to...

A new financial report filed Sunday evening showed Sarah Palin’s political action committee has taken its fundraising to a higher level – and suggests that she has begun building a more sophisticated political operation in place of a bare-bones organization powered mostly by her rock star status and scrappy on-line presence. The report, filed with the Federal Election Commission, shows that Palin’s political action committee raised more money in the second quarter of this year – $866,000 – than it had in any previous three-month stretch since Palin formed the group in January 2009. The committee, Sarah PAC, also spent...

It's hard to spend a fortune without noticing. Someone with ordinary tastes would find it hard to blow through more than a few tens of thousands of dollars without thinking "wow, I'm spending a lot of money." Whereas if you start trading derivatives, you can lose a million dollars (as much as you want, really) in the blink of an eye. In most people's minds, spending money on luxuries sets off alarms that making investments doesn't. Luxuries seem self-indulgent. And unless you got the money by inheriting it or winning a lottery, you've already been thoroughly trained that self-indulgence leads...

Too many Republican leaders are acquiescing to a poisonous "demagoguery" that threatens the party's long-term credibility, says a veteran GOP House member who was defeated in South Carolina's primary last month. While not naming names, 12-year incumbent Rep. Bob Inglis suggested in interviews with The Associated Press that tea party favorites such as former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and right-wing talk show hosts like Glenn Beck are the culprits. He cited a claim made famous by Palin that the Democratic health care bill would create "death panels" to decide whether elderly or sick people should get care. "There were...

Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) are continuing their recess trip to the Middle East with a stop Tuesday in Jerusalem. So far, they have met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and the Palestinian National Security Forces. McCain — who has documented the trip via Twitter — said Tuesday morning they would also meet with Israeli leaders.

'Unsustainable' Lindsey Graham

South Carolina’s Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is fast becoming the mainstream media’s new favorite Republican. With Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in an unexpectedly tough primary fight, McCain has had to tack hard to the right. This means, the “Maverick” will have to pretend for the next 4 months that he shares at least a few Republican values. It’s a tough job, but McCain should be up to the challenge. With conservative and former congressman J.D. Hayworth breathing down his neck, McCain’s reversal on immigration reform has been enough to cause whiplash. He went from the front man on amnesty to...

So here I am, getting ready for a nice long weekend with my family and preparing to take a break from politics when wouldn’t you know it? Something happens that is just so stupid, so arrogant and so off the wall that I am drawn to scrap my plans not to write an article this week and hit the keyboard running. Thank you Senator Graham for helping to add to my workload. Mr. Graham, I have come to find, is one of those Republicans that has always been rather full of himself. He is one of those elitists that just...

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says in a forthcoming article that the tea party movement is “unsustainable” and will “die out” because it lacks vision. Graham made the comments to The New York Times as part of a profile in Sunday’s magazine written by Robert Draper. Graham argues throughout the story that the Republican Party will eventually move away from the fringe and join him closer to the political middle but that, for now, it has shifted too far to the right. “Everything I’m doing now in terms of talking about climate, talking about immigration, talking about Gitmo is completely opposite...

WASHINGTON -- Gen. Stanley McChrystal's comments about President Obama and other administration officials went off like a roadside bomb at the highest levels of Washington yesterday. Defense Secretary Robert Gates blasted the general for "poor judgment" and ordered him to return immediately to Washington to discuss the matter face-to-face today. Gates said McChrystal had apologized to him and others named in the Rolling Stone article -- but Gates declined to let him off the hook. "I believe that General McChrystal made a significant mistake and exercised poor judgment in this case," he said in a statement. Wisconsin Democrat Rep. David...

<p>Three key senators on Tuesday joined the Washington chorus questioning the judgment of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, adding that his fate is in the hands of President Obama.</p> <p>The statement by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham is important because it gives the Obama administration political cover if the president decides to fire McChrystal. The three senators are longtime backers of the military.</p>

PREVENTWMD.GOV "COMMISSION ON THE PREVENTION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION PROLIFERATION AND TERRORISM" # NOTE The following text is a quote: www.preventwmd.gov/ Preventing Terrorism: Assessing the Nation’s Progress The Commission has concluded its work as a congressionally mandated organization, as of February 26, 2010. Senator Graham, Senator Talent and Colonel Larsen are committed to continuing this bipartisan work on these important issues. To that end, they have formed The Bipartisan WMD Terrorism Research Center. The Commission website will remain as an archive of past activities, but will no longer be updated. “Unless the world community acts decisively and with great...

(snip) SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C.: I think the best way to solve immigration is for the federal government to secure our borders and have national immigration policy. I understand the people of Arizona are being overrun. They are right on the boarder and this is spreading to places like South Carolina. There is legislation in the state house, and my hope is to sit down with some Democrats and Republicans, and if not this year, next year come up with a comprehensive immigration plan that would make people feel like they are secure and immigration is no longer broken. (snip)

Link only, per FR posting rules

SNIPPET: "Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and George S. LeMieux of Florida made their comments a day after one of the court's conservative icons, Justice Antonin Scalia, undercut Republican criticism of Kagan's lack of a judicial background." SNIPPET: "Scalia last week volunteered that he considers Kagan a friend." Chief Judge Royce Lamberth of U.S. District Court in Washington said

Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan got a boost from potential GOP supporters Thursday, when two Republican senators who will vote on her confirmation both said her lack of experience as a judge is no obstacle to elevating her. Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and George S. LeMieux of Florida made their comments a day after one of the court's conservative icons, Justice Antonin Scalia, undercut Republican criticism of Kagan's lack of a judicial background.

The famed evangelist is dealing with a number of health woes but his spokesman said he wants to preach again. "At 91 years of age, he realizes that he's quite possibly in the sunset years of his life," A. Larry Ross told Asheville Citizen-Times. "He's trying to make every day count, knowing that one day he will join his wife, Ruth, in Heaven." "It is encouraging that he remains healthy, alert and committed to his lifelong calling," he added. Though Graham has expressed his desire to deliver a sermon, Ross said the time, location and format have not been...

Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., announced today that they will unveil their new climate change bill on Wednesday. But Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who had been working on it with them, will not be there. In a statement on his Web site, Graham says the energy bill is “significantly compromised by the cynical politics of comprehensive immigration reform hanging over the Senate.” That being the case, Graham says, it would “be wise to pause the process and reassess where we stand.” Graham added that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has increased Democratic opposition to the bill’s...

Evangelical Christians in the United States had better see a big challenge staring us in the face. Franklin Graham was disinvited by the Pentagon for making statements that are required by faithfulness to the gospel of Christ.Thursday, May 6, 2010 Marking the National Day of Prayer, evangelist Franklin Graham led in prayer this morning at the Pentagon. Not inside the Pentagon, mind you, but outside, where he led a handful of other Christians in silent prayer. The recent controversy about Franklin Graham is a sign of things to come. The prominent evangelist, son of Billy Graham, is known for his...

As observers celebrate the National Day of Prayer Thursday, a recent court ruling and Army decision to revoke an invitation to evangelist Franklin Graham has shrouded in controversy a day meant for reflection and prayer. Graham, honorary chairman of the 2010 National Day of Prayer Task Force, said he is going to stand outside the Pentagon anyway on Thursday, despite the decision to rescind his invitation to participate amid complaints about his describing Islam as an evil religion.. "I don't have to be invited to a prayer service to pray for the men and women who serve this nation, who...