Graham Hyperventilates On Senate Floor, Attacks Obama For ‘Giving In To Heresy’
Graham Hyperventilates On Senate Floor, Attacks Obama For ‘Giving In To Heresy’
The Senate immigration reform proposal introduces a dramatic change to the legal immigration system by eliminating visa categories that allow U.S. citizens to petition for their families to reunite with them on American soil. The immigration bill instead creates a points system for visa distribution that prioritizes work skills over family connections.
Last night during the Senate floor debate on immigration, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) introduced an amendment that called for sunsetting this points system method after 5 years to reevaluate its efficacy. The mild amendment provoked a furious outrage from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Graham took to the floor after Obama spoke, and began gesticulating wildly and screaming in anger. “This is why we can’t work together,” Graham said. “Some people on the left and right consider [the bill] heresy, and we’re giving in if we pass this amendment.” Shaking the amendment in his hand, Graham added, “This amendment says that bipartisanship doesn’t have the ‘bi’ in it. .. You’re gonna destroy this deal.” Watch it:
Reacting to Graham’s hyperventilation on the Senate floor, Obama said, “It’s a matter of too much coffee and people being on the floor too long.” It also reflects the fact that right-wing opposition to the bill is cracking the conservative base.
Graham’s furor is better directed at his right flank, who have fractured the bipartisan coalition on immigration reform with cries that it is amnesty. Graham said Obama’s amendment would undercut “everybody over here who’s walked the plank and told our base, ‘You’re wrong.’” It appears Graham is cracking under right-wing pressure and is blaming it on the left.
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You’re right Zooey, people shouldn’t drink so much of that
June 7th, 2007 at 12:56 pm“black medicine”…..
heh;)
It appears Graham is losing the courage to stand up to the right-wing and is blaming it on the left.
ding ding ding!!!
it’s what they do best!
twist and spin and blame the other guy(s)…
June 7th, 2007 at 12:59 pm.
Reduce liberal legislation!
June 7th, 2007 at 1:00 pmWhat Graham really means is quite simple – agree with me or you’re just refusing to work together.
The arrogance of people like this never ceases to amaze me. They’re quite happy to try and scare everybody about immigration.
If we don’t do something – we’re all going to lose our jobs, terrorists will attack us, crime will rise and …and…other really bad stuff too!
This whole immigration issue is a farce.
Some interesting reading:
June 7th, 2007 at 1:00 pm“The Immigration Scam”
http://www.populistamerica.com/the_immigration_scam
Graham Cracker is feigning outrage while supporting corporate cheap labor interests.
Guest worker, indeed.
Maybe next time he can be more dramatic…or actually blame his own party.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:01 pmGraham is a bad person, but Democrats allow him to be mean and nasty.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:03 pmIt ain’t high-test coffee. Graham is just nucking futz.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:06 pmA crazy an insane inbred redneck blathering about shrilly and making no sense.
If you’ve ever been to South Carolina, you will see plenty of folks like Graham running around. The intelligent and progressive southerners don’t listen to these naive and mentally impaired windbags and I suggest you follow their lead.
And a shout out to my friends in SC. Say hello to your mother and your sister when you see her.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:07 pmCoffee good. Graham insane.
It’s as simple as that. Don’t be blaming the coffee.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:10 pmFaiz is right. The Republicans need this compromise because immigration showed the Red States that the GOP aristocracy doesn’t give a damn about them, they just use them.
The Democrats could let this fall apart and it would only hurt the GOP.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:13 pm.
Tell me you can’t watch Graham and not feel the urge to shout “Praise Jayzuz!!”
June 7th, 2007 at 1:13 pmGraham ends up looking like a loon, while Obama speaks in a reasonable tone.
I think the Republican base just likes to see a hissyfit. The actual words being said don’t matter nearly as much as the tone of voice, flailing arms, finger pointing, marching back and forth and such.
Looks like Graham takes all his acting cues from Bill O’Reilly.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:13 pmYou’re right Zooey, people shouldn’t drink so much of that
“black medicineâ€â€¦..
heh;)
Comment by heyzeus
What? talking down coffee????
Now THAT is unAmerican….
Excuse me, need another cup to calm me down now.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:15 pm=D
Why doesn’t TP report on the Rasmussen Report poll on immigration instead of this petty garbage?
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/support_for_senate_immigration_bill_falls_49_prefer_no_bill_at_all
June 7th, 2007 at 1:16 pmooh, if i were confirmed bachelor Lindsay Graham, i might be careful about using the term “bi” in public.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:17 pmWell, that was quite the little hissy fit, wasn’t it? Graham is a jerk.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:17 pmDamn, Graham is an excellent orator.
Both Graham and Ob/sama tried to sneak in some sophisms, but Graham clearly sold his point better.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:17 pmSince Graham went to Baghdad, and purchased 5 rugs for 5 bucks, Lindsey has lost his mind. He must be told to resign in disgrace.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:17 pmI feel sorry for the poor CSPAN2 camera operator. I bet they weren’t expecting to have to do too much to follow and film the Senator currently up to speak…
Three cheers for the camera operator for trying to keep up with Graham’s movements!
June 7th, 2007 at 1:18 pmGraham ends up looking like a loon, while Obama speaks in a reasonable tone.
Comment by kelso — June 7, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
Not really.
Consider this, who would you rather have defending you for murder, Graham with all of his emotion and zeal, or Ob/sama, standing there like a robot saying “Nuh-uh, that’s not what I meant, nuh-uh.”?
June 7th, 2007 at 1:20 pmAll these theatrics only for a sunset check? Really, these people are racists to the core.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:20 pmohh, linds.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:20 pmWell, I’m off to RNC Summer Camp for some brain-washin’
June 7th, 2007 at 1:21 pmCoffee good. Graham insane.
It’s as simple as that. Don’t be blaming the coffee.
Comment by gummitch
Really! Zooey is a beverageist!
June 7th, 2007 at 1:22 pmooh, if i were confirmed bachelor Lindsay Graham, i might be careful about using the term “bi†in public.
Comment by n69n
Jumping to conclusions aren’t you, after all he COULD be straight and just very hard up. Look at him, eek.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:25 pmIt’s not too much coffee, it’s too few meds.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:26 pmLet’em all fight each other! Anything to kill this horrible, anti-working class American, anti-environmental, pro-transnational corporation legislation.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:26 pmSince Graham went to Baghdad, and purchased 5 rugs for 5 bucks, Lindsey has lost his mind. He must be told to resign in disgrace.
Comment by Jay Randal
He probably thinks the Iraqis are coming to SC to take the rugs he stole back. He should be suffering from the effects of guilt.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:26 pmLawsy, Miz Graham’s got the vapors! This over-the top bombast about illegal immigration is Graham’s way of admitting to his conservative cohort that the Bush stategy of “fighting them over there” is a failure, because we can’t control who’s coming over here. That’s why he’s so adamant. It highlights Bush’s other failures.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:27 pmConsider this, who would you rather have defending you for murder, Graham with all of his emotion and zeal, or Ob/sama, standing there like a robot saying “Nuh-uh, that’s not what I meant, nuh-uh.�
Comment by Mr. President
Unless your trial is in some shitkicker, racist small town, Obama, definitely. What’s your point?
June 7th, 2007 at 1:28 pmWell, I’m off to RNC Summer Camp for some brain-washin’
Comment by Mr. President
I think you’ve had enough.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:29 pmI wouldn’t think a consternative would want a “bi” in anything…
June 7th, 2007 at 1:30 pmYou never make decisions when you are emotional, you WILL make the WRONG decision.
Level headed decision = good
Emotional decision = bad
This guy is too off the edge to be in government
IGNORE THE TROLLS – Debate is fine – Trolling is not
June 7th, 2007 at 1:33 pmMr. President @ 1:20 pm “Not Really”
No, he really looks like a loon. Somebody that spits out a bunch of words but doesn’t even know what he’s saying while he’s saying them. Not the kind of person we need for a President right now.
It also seems that Obama has a firm grip on the use of the english language, which is more than I can say for marble-mouth Bush jr.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:34 pmThe Republican Congress folks are so used to working half weeks and then dashing off to work on re-election for the remaining that they are not used to having to work hard on legislation. Add to that the Dem majority and things are more contentious and harder yet.
Man, for the party of self-sufficiency and accountability they sure are a bunch of whining 2 year olds.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:35 pmThis entire bill is a sham… I hope that if I ever break the law egregiously and get caught that a bill like this will be passed for me.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:37 pmIf you’ve ever been to South Carolina, you will see plenty of folks like Graham running around. The intelligent and progressive southerners don’t listen to these naive and mentally impaired windbags and I suggest you follow their lead.
The problem is that the “intelligent and progressive southerners” must be in the minority when it comes to voting.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:37 pmlooks like Graham was expected to deliver for his corporate masters or have his funding cut off. Poor Lindsey.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:43 pmReally! Zooey is a beverageist!
Comment by shane
Ha! Hear that, Zooey? She needs a nice big cup of Stumptown House Blend with lots of cream. Mmmmmmmmmm. Send her for reeducation.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:43 pmSenator Graham Cracker, indeed.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:48 pmSounds like Lindsey caught an acute case of the vapors.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:57 pmGraham is another chickenhawk who avoided Vietnam, “JAG credentials” notwithstanding…
I lived on the NC side of the NC/SC border near Spartanburg.
The BLACK folks know that people like Graham are LIARS and TRAITORS.
The white folks are a weird mix:
I asked my neighbor WHY he was voting for Bush, especially after LYING about WMD’s.
His reply: “what about FAMILY VALUES?”, and when I replied that “FAMILY VALUES” included not having your FAMILY members DIE for the LIES of Bush, and it was like talking to a wall.
His mother claims that Saddam DID have WMD’s and that a preacher she knows told the congregation that “he KNOWS where the WMD’s are”, but that the GOVERNMENT is “covering this up”.
I LOVE the Pacific Northwest. June 7, and temps will be about 62.
June 7th, 2007 at 1:57 pmYou’re right Zooey, people shouldn’t drink so much of that
“black medicineâ€â€¦..
heh;)
Comment by heyzeus
That stuff is evil! Y’all say what you want, ya haters, but sunshine and pure water are what you need…and soup. Mmmmm, soup.
…oh, and Graham is nuts — coffee or no coffee.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:02 pmJust sayin’
I watched Graham speak on this bill some time ago, and I was actually impressed with his attitude.
He seems to have put some integrity forward on this plan.
I actually feel a bit sorry for him. His base being the dickheads that they are, he’s gotten himself into quite a bind by being openminded if even on just this one issue.
If I were him I’d start going after the leadership thats been driving that base further into a state of irrational fear.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:05 pmMr. Bush Goes to Hell
Please don’t tell about anybody about our (wink, wink) great Pacific Northwest, we have way too many ppl moving here for our liking.
Shhhhh…..it’s a secret.
IGNORE THE TROLLS – Debate is good – Trolling is bad
June 7th, 2007 at 2:06 pmPlease don’t tell about anybody about our (wink, wink) great Pacific Northwest, we have way too many ppl moving here for our liking.
Shhhhh…..it’s a secret.
Yes. Shhhhh…..
IGNORE THE TROLLS – Debate is good – Trolling is bad
June 7th, 2007 at 2:11 pmComment by Buck Fush
Stumptown? Gummich – you an upper left coaster?
June 7th, 2007 at 2:17 pmMiss Lindsey has the Vapors!
June 7th, 2007 at 2:22 pmConsider this, who would you rather have defending you for murder, Graham with all of his emotion and zeal, or Ob/sama, standing there like a robot saying “Nuh-uh, that’s not what I meant, nuh-uh.� Comment by Mr. President
Easy. I’ll take the guy who is a Harvard Law grad and was President of the Harvard Law Review over the University of South Carolina law grad any day of the week. Hands down.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:26 pmI think Lindsey Graham is exactly right. The Democrats not only want to let foreign people dictate our immigration laws and quotas, they want to determine what group will be the majority in the U. S. electorate. The fact that the Democrats would argue for relatives being the criteria to move to the front of the line rather than skills and education is unconsionable. It’s exactly what Big Business wants. Let millions of destitute, ignorant, unskilled foreign people in who can be treated like slaves.
This whole bill is abominable, but I guess people who are already breaking the law by buying and using illegal drugs from Mexico, see violation of immigration laws as no trespass at all. Why not just give the whole country to Russia? We took land from the Russians in the 19th century and lots of them are unskilled.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:29 pmLaw School Rankings:
#1. Yale
#2. Harvard
. . .
#91. University of South Carolina
*nuff said*
June 7th, 2007 at 2:30 pmAlso, the Dems say that Bush isn’t paying attention to the polls in Iraq, but we aren’t paying attention to the polls on illegal entry.
Graham is pointing out that the bill is a compromise, the only compromise the Dems have made is letting skills take precedence over blood relations. Now, they’re trying to change that. He does have a point.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:32 pmSenator Graham Cracker, indeed.
Comment by HeartlandLiberal
__________________________
If you add the marshmallow and the chocolate, I might want s’more of the Senator’s opinions but otherwise Polly can have this cracker (not that she’d want him either).
June 7th, 2007 at 2:33 pmRight off the gate: Sen. Lindsey Graham—what part of “blow me†don’t you understand?†I, too, have issues with Senator Obama but I don’t go into a nutso fit about it. Senator Obama has every right to put forth a amendment as any Cogress member. Grant it, you don’t have to like it but you don’t have to totally go half-cocked it. The word “heresy†is inappropriate to use in matters of law and politics. Apparently, anyone within the Bush administration were given tons of passes into such inappropriaetness; Graham is no exception. So stop the bellowing, Graham, and do you job in proper legislating Congressional issues
June 7th, 2007 at 2:34 pmteak: you mean the polls that show a majority of Americans support an amnesty program for illegal immigrants?
NYTimes, May 25, 2007: http://tinyurl.com/2rcctw
Oh wait, that’s the OPPOSITE of what you’re claiming. You must have a link to some other poll.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:38 pmDon’t you just love how RW talkers always end up with the Russian (aka commie) meme?
Listen, fellas, I know how you miss the Evil Empire – but chin up – it looks like your boy is itching to re-start the cold war.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:38 pmIt’s nutbags like Graham that make me so happy I’m leaving SC to move back home to IL next month. There are some progressive southerners but they are few and far between from what I’ve seen. The big topics they worry about? The confederate flag (hint, the war is over), gay marriage, and prayer in school. I guess immigration amendments can be added to the list now.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:39 pmWe will see a lot more of this throughout the campaign. These people can’t seem to get it that, they aren’t running things anymore No more blank checks! No more our way or the highway!
June 7th, 2007 at 2:41 pmFunny…the camera can barely follow Graham as he rants.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:41 pmYet another fat, old, white, rich repug telling it like it ain’t!
June 7th, 2007 at 2:44 pmAZTLAN!
we are at war with mexico you people just dont know it yet.
June 7th, 2007 at 3:10 pmIt’s Bill Clinton’s fault we can’t pass immigration legistlation.
June 7th, 2007 at 3:12 pmWith moves like that, Huckleberry Graham should try out for the “Wiggles”.
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/03/31/wiggles1407_wideweb__470×313,0.jpg
June 7th, 2007 at 3:32 pmLordy lordy, Graham should have fumigated those rugs he bought in Iraq, I think he has become infested with a brain-eating parasite.
June 7th, 2007 at 3:33 pmGraham did a great job of making a total fool of himself.
He’s just angry ’cause his GOP is going down in effing flames baby.
Hey Lindsey, it’s not all your fault and if you quit towing the party line you won’t look quite so bad when you lose your job.
June 7th, 2007 at 3:59 pmYou Leftists missed hsi point.
June 7th, 2007 at 4:06 pmThe current Immigration system is ridiculous.
We should emphasize educated Immigrants over those with family ties.
Better a Mexican Engineer than a Mexican farmworker.
I’m Hispanic so don’t even call me racist!
Senator Obama is simply calling for a provision that will allow them to judge the effectiveness of a new provision after 5 years.
Graham’s objections are very telling. Republicans preach accountability, but not only refuse to practice but also outright oppose it.
The Republicans used their majority to kill debate and dissent – and Graham’s absurd complaints are a throwback to the overblown, caustic, and patronizing way they treated the minority Democrats. Unfortunately, these bullying and dishonest tactics still work to a degree: Graham’s comments have made it into the headlines and a large segment of the voters who read about it will simply take Graham at his word without understanding the full context.
It’s a shame to see this come from Graham, a senator who (because of or despite being an evangelical) has often exhibited a higher than average degree of civility and independence as compared to his Republican colleagues. It just goes to show how many of the Republican flock have been poisoned.
June 7th, 2007 at 4:23 pmCNN must have left out the part where Senator Graham started shouting, “Moe, Larry, the cheese!”. Does anyone out there speak gibberish? I’d really like to know what he was trying to say.
June 7th, 2007 at 4:27 pmReminiscent of the politician/Klansman’s meltdown in O Brother Where Art Thou. Or maybe he just really had to pee.
June 7th, 2007 at 4:41 pmGeez. Coffee really can make you do that?
June 7th, 2007 at 5:40 pmI’m allergic to the stuff myself.
I much prefer some STRONG English Breakfast tea with milk…
I remember Graham from the House Judiciary Committee during the Clinton impeachment hearings. He performed the single most disgusting bit of parliamentary shenanigans that I have ever seen.
At the end of the hearings, every Rep was given five minutes for final statements. Graham requested that he be passed over and then be given the last five minutes. When his time finally arrived, he completely ignored the meat of the hearings and proceded to talk about completely unsubstantiated charges, he claimed that there were boxes of complaints from other women in the House repository and passionately leveled the charge that Clinton raped Juanita Broad… i can’t remember her name.
None of this was relevant to the hearing and there was absolutely no evidence submitted for the charges. Since Graham was the last speaker, there was no opportunity for rebuttal from anyone.
Nothing came of Graham’s charges, but he was able to falsely smear Clinton in front of the world. What a disgusting piece of work.
June 7th, 2007 at 5:43 pmis it time to start looking at Lindsey’s fifth column yet??????????
June 7th, 2007 at 5:44 pmMr. Bush Goes to Hell
Please don’t tell about anybody about our (wink, wink) great Pacific Northwest, we have way too many ppl moving here for our liking.
Shhhhh…..it’s a secret.
IGNORE THE TROLLS – Debate is good – Trolling is bad
Comment by Buck Fush — June 7, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
Fuk the PNW, know’mtalkin’bout
The mothafukin’ Souf is gon rise agin bitches!!!
Wha’cha’ll know about Richmond, VA???
June 7th, 2007 at 6:04 pmGraham basically throws temper tantrums in the Senate, so it’s way past time for him to resign/retire from the Senate and seek help for his rages.
June 7th, 2007 at 10:34 pmGraham needs to smoke a joint and hope that it quiets him down some. Before doing that however, he might want to introduce a bill to remove everything hemp from the Controlled Substances Act.
June 7th, 2007 at 11:13 pmI am one of those progressives in SC and yes, unfortunately, we are in the minority though far from overwhelmingly. Just enough to have to suffer Republican domination and representation by such as Graham and our other Senator, Demint. Graham and Demint have been going at it tooth and nail in the state during the Memorial Day break over the immigration bill. Demint opposes it vehemently. The Repugs in SC are even attempting a recall of Graham based on his immigration bill stance. Obviously, Grahams experiences in the state have frayed his nerves somewhat. My only hope is that he is weakened politically enough to allow a Democratic challenger to mount a successful campaign since Graham is up for re-election.
June 8th, 2007 at 12:21 amI remember Graham pulling that stunt at the Impeachment hearings also but for some reason people think he’s a moderate Republican because he cultivates that maverick persona the MSM love. There’s a reason he’s a protege of John McCain. They and Joe Lieberman cultivate the contrarian image, get lots of coverage in the media and then completely fold on torture, illegal wiretapping, Guantanamo, etc. This bill was a corporate lobbyist’s dream, a real piece of trash. At least Republicans own up to being the party that thinks business should be able to do anything it wants; the Dems are a real disgrace. I hope Harry Reid did try to kill the bill by pulling it; it never should have taken a breath in the first place.
June 10th, 2007 at 8:22 pm#71: So glad you remember Graham at the impeachment hearings. He was so righteous. And I rejoice that the Chief Justice, who was eager to hold the hearing is gone. I have felt since the impeachment hearings that Graham is a right wing Republican. He belongs in SC, and I so wish he could be recalled.
Isn’t it interesting that the Illinois Senators have introduced sensible bills? Where are the others?
June 10th, 2007 at 10:19 pmIsn’t it interesting that the Illinois Senators have introduced sensible bills? Where are the others?
That should have read, “Isn’t it ineresting that the Illinois Senator have introduced sensible amendments to the immigration bill? Probably neither will pass. Graham demonstrates that credibility rarely wins in Washington.
June 10th, 2007 at 10:21 pm