Lindsey Graham snapped at an onlooker as she argued that those who support family values should also support the US sending billions in aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
A man in the audience at the Palmetto Family Matters Conservative Forum in Charleston, South Carolina, told Senator Graham that he is “not a real conservative” and accused him of being a “warmonger” during two separate outbursts.
The belligerent senator refused to let the participant in the early presidential forum in his home state overshadow his extended discussion, where he defended support for Ukraine, despite other Republicans calling for the “blank check” to be withdrawn.
“That was a man,” Graham told DailyMail.com after his remarks, clearly unbothered by the collision.
“I think that guy is crazy,” he added. “I thought most people would agree with what I said.”
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham told an onlooker Saturday to shut up after a clash over his unwavering support for Ukraine at a conservative presidential forum in South Carolina
Graham was urged by the MC and the forum moderator to speak on the hot topic of the GOP’s hesitant support for sending financial and arms aid to Ukraine.
Do you believe in family values? How would you like that to happen with your family?’ he added to the crowd of several hundred gathered at the Charleston Area Convention Center.
‘It is!’ shouted an audience member in the direction of the dais where Graham was sitting.
‘Just be silent. Go away!’ Graham said back, clearly frustrated after a few outbursts from the same person.
“If you want to speak, run and be chosen. So here’s the deal, if Putin –’ he continued, before being cut off again.
“You’re not a real conservative!” cried the stubborn listener.
‘I’m very conservative. If you believe in family, then stand up for families everywhere, right? Don’t you think God made us all in his image? If Putin gets away with this, there goes Taiwan.”
What was Putin accused of yesterday? The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against the president of Russia for kidnapping children in Ukraine and sending them to Russia,” the senator said.
Graham told a belligerent participant at the forum on Saturday: ‘Get out of here! If you want to speak, run and be chosen’
Graham said supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia is “stand.”[ing] for families everywhere’. Pictured: Apartments pictured March 18, 2023 in Donestsk, Ukraine, have crumbled to the ground during Russia’s years-long invasion of the Eastern European country
Graham is the only non-first-term senator to date to support former President Donald Trump’s third bid for the White House.
He stood alongside Trump during his visit to the state capital, Columbia, earlier this year in his first major public campaign through the states of New Hampshire and South Carolina from the first primary.
Trump was not present at the forum on Saturday despite an invitation.
When Graham was announced on stage on Saturday, the contestant who clearly has a bone to pick with the Senator yelled, “You’re a warmonger.”
‘warmonger? You’re at the wrong meeting,” Graham grinned, but quickly moved on.
Graham was only the second speaker on Saturday — following remarks from Louisiana Senator John Kennedy.
The senator’s remarks were followed by several other discussions and speeches, including from former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who is considering a White House candidacy.
The event closes with remarks from already-announced presidential nominees Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and Trump-era ambassador to the United Nations; and biotech multimillionaire Vivek Ramaswamy.
The Ukraine issue has come to the forefront of many Republican politicians, lawmakers and voters after several rank-and-file members of Congress, as well as leaders such as Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have said they are tired of writing a “blank check” to Ukraine after President Joe Biden’s latest aid package.
Ukraine invited Ron DeSantis to visit after Florida’s governor, who could soon enter the 2024 race, called the war with Russia a “territorial dispute” — amid growing GOP sentiment that the U.S. lacks money and to send weapons to Kiev
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not yet announced a 2024 bid but is already widely considering a frontrunner, last week dismissed the war as a “territorial dispute” during an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson.
He said the US should focus on domestic issues and stop interfering in international disputes.
However, Graham warns that Russia’s takeover of Ukraine would be a sign that the US is weak and would threaten the autonomy of other countries, such as Taiwan.
He also said that if Trump were still president, Russia would have avoided invading Ukraine.
“I believe if he were president, President Putin would not be doing this,” he told DailyMail.com after his remarks Saturday in South Carolina.
“I said to the president, I said, listen, it’s happened now and you have to be strong and clear that you can’t let Putin get away with this because there goes Taiwan,” he continued. And the Iranians are knocking on the door and if they ever come close to a nuclear weapon our friends in Israel will too [be in danger].’