Joe Biden Calls Lindsey Graham “A Personal Disappointment”

Lindsey Graham’s public fall from grace has been astounding to watch. Despite being a lifelong Republican, Graham was known pre-2016 to be one of the more agreeable members of the GOP, often speaking warmly of his colleagues across the aisle. A confirmed Southern bachelor, Graham was often able to finesse his way through contentious political discussions with his opponents with a genteel grace that helped him maintain his professional reputation and relationships. Graham even famously spoke so warmly of Joe Biden, he became openly emotional when talking about their friendship.

Graham remained a vocal critic of Donald Trump’s even after his inauguration in 2016, but then he famously joined Trump for a round of golf and came back saying, “He’s not so bad after all.” Since that day, Graham has become one of Trump’s most devoted sycophants, parroting his every talking point even after the election was called for Biden. Earlier this week, Graham told reporters there should be a Special Counsel appointed to look into Biden’s surviving son, Hunter Biden, for his alleged business ties to China amid a separate investigation into the younger Biden’s taxes. 

During an appearance on Thursday night’s “A Late Show with Stephen Colbert“, Biden spoke to Graham’s odd behavior as he sat beside his wife, Dr. Jill Biden. When Colbert asked the President-Elect about his former Senate colleagues embracing Trump and refusing to acknowledge his victory, Biden responded “It’s fine by me” because “they’re in a tough spot” politically. Colbert also asked Biden if he has taken it personally that some Republicans have yet to acknowledge his win over Trump. Biden also told Colbert that he believes that once Trump is out of office, the Trump influence over the Republican party will fade, which will allow Republicans the leeway to work with him.

“Look, they’re in a tough spot,” Biden said. “I know everybody says, ‘Well, they should just step up.’ How can I say this? A number of them sent messages to me four weeks ago. ‘Give me time, Joe, give me some time.’ That’s fine by me. That’s fine by me. We won. We won Georgia three times.”

But then Biden said he had to make an exception for Graham, whom he described as a “personal disappointment” because “I was a personal friend of his.”

We need to talk about Sen. Lindsey Graham. Not only did he do an about face on Trump, he has turned his back on long time personal friends, including Joe Biden, whom he has refused to congratulate. These are the acts of someone who is compromised. We need to know how has dirt.

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) December 18, 2020

According to Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Graham tried to pressure him to throw out legally cast mail-in ballots using a signature match technicality. If true, Graham would have been committing a felony for attempting to interfere with the results of a national election. Graham has denied any wrongdoing.