South Carolina’s Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is running in a perhaps surprisingly tough race for his re-election against Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison. Recently, Graham has resorted to repeatedly pleading with Fox News viewers from across the country to send donations to his campaign, because the Harrison campaign has been swamped with donations amidst a nationwide and repeatedly record-setting surge in financial support for Democratic politicians and candidates. During a Saturday night debate, Harrison powerfully confronted Graham over his record, which has left many struggling South Carolina-ins behind.
Harrison pointed out that Graham has pledged that only “over our dead bodies” would Congress extend the additional $600 a week in unemployment benefits that had been put in place during the early part of the crisis. Graham’s relentless commitment to his ideology has left a glaring vacuum of leadership behind.
Harrison commented:
‘The Senate failed to act. The White House failed to act. The governor failed to act — we need leaders who are going to step up and act… Senator Graham said over our dead bodies will we allow a federal extension of the unemployment benefit. Folks need that money; the small businesses need that money. We need leadership to get those things that are so necessary for our families to open back up.’
During the debate, the Harrison campaign put up a plexiglass barrier alongside the candidate. A few of Graham’s colleagues have recently tested positive for the Coronavirus, although Graham has tested negative — although negative test results aren’t some kind of immunity guarantee, of course.
Before the above comments, Harrison addressed the barrier during his remarks. He said:
‘This has impacted me personally. My grand-aunt Gladys passed away this July, in a nursing home, by herself. That is the story that so many Americans are experiencing right now. No, we’re not gonna blame the president; we shouldn’t blame the president — we shouldn’t blame anybody for the inception of this disease. But where blame should come is how we handled this disease, whether or not we take it seriously. Tonight, I am taking it seriously… it’s not just about me. It’s about the people in my life that I have to take care of as well.’
Watch his comments below:
Harrison: "Senator Graham said 'over our dead bodies would be allow a federal extension of the unemployment benefit.' Folks need that money and we need leadership to get those things that are necessary for our families to open back up." pic.twitter.com/dhADtQcsE3
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 4, 2020
There was a stark contrast between Harrison and Graham’s respective approaches during the debate. While Harrison spoke in terms of what the people of South Carolina need in order to be on their feet, Graham repeatedly spoke in grandiose culture war terms.
At one point, Graham ranted that “your grandparents’ Democratic Party is no longer around,” and he belligerently added that “the people running the Democratic Party today are nuts.” Graham claimed, as evidence for this accusation, that the Democratic Party leaders want “open borders.” According to any reasonable understanding of this phrase, that is a lie — period. Amazingly, this nonsense came during a discussion about bipartisan collaboration! Harrison followed Graham up by poignantly noting that “the first step in terms of working with the other side is not to call the other side nuts.” Graham, of course, simply follows closely in line with the grandiose belligerence of Trumpism.
Watch some of his comments below:
GRAHAM: "The people running the Democratic Party today are nuts"
HARRISON: "The first step in terms of working with the other side is not to call the other side nuts." pic.twitter.com/nhHuCNn9Bl
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 4, 2020
