Lindsey Graham is a weasel

Lindsey Graham is John McCain Lite

By Rod Pennington

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.

Senator Lindsey Graham pointing out to Senator John McCain the next Republican they were going to disappoint

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 Mr. “Just Build the Damn Fence” faster than the airbags could deploy. Not to worry. After the polls close on November 2nd he can revert back to his old habit of pulling the rug out from under Republicans.

For the past decade or so Graham has been Commander Riker to McCain’s Captain Picard on the USS Bi-Partisanship. For some reason and no matter how many times they have gotten bitten by the Democrats, both keep “reaching across the aisle.” This has made the pair darlings of the Washington elite media and each has gotten hooked on the ego stroking that comes with it.

In 2005 the Republicans held the Senate and the White House and Democrats were filibustering everything that moved. When then Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) proposed the “Nuclear Option” of not allowing filibusters on judicial nominees and giving them a straight up or down vote, Graham and McCain both had the vapors. The quickly formed the “Gang of 14” and “saved” the integrity of the great deliberative body.

From closing Gitmo, to stopping “torture” of terrorists, to “comprehensive” immigration reform, to bad mouthing the Tea Party movement, the mainstream media can always count on Lindsey for a quote. There was a bit of concern when Graham showed some spine recently. He got miffed when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) knifed him by having the nerve to move other legislation ahead of his. In a snit, he pulled his name off of the Kerry, Liebermann and Graham bill to tax the daylights out of anything that used energy bill. The Democrats aren’t too worried. They know if push comes to shove they can count on Graham’s loyalty.

Poor Lindsey probably hasn’t figured out yet that he is just a seat warmer for the long time darling of the media, John McCain. While Graham has been sticking his thumb in the eye of fellow Republicans for years, McCain has been doing it for decades. After the Maverick pulls the wool over the eyes of the good folks in Arizona in November with cooing words of conservatism, he’ll jet back to Washington and return to his old form. The press will be there waiting; probably with balloons and a cake.

Graham, who doesn’t have to face the voters of South Carolina again until 2014, can continue to put “whoopee” cushions on the seats of fellow Republicans. He can be secure in the knowledge, at least until November when McCain will be back; that he will be the first Republican all the networks will call to star on their Sunday talk shows.