"Graham taking heat for backing immigration bill"
SC senator often at odds with state's conservative voters
www.thestate.com/426/story/94181.html
The State, Columbia, SC
Posted on Sun, Jun. 17, 2007
[emphasis added]
'Talk radio hosts within and beyond South Carolina have been deriding Graham as a Ted Kennedy toady.'
'Rush Limbaugh has taken to calling him “Lindsey Grah-amnesty.'
''Furious Republican loyalists lobby online for someone anyone to step forward and challenge Graham in the 2008 party primary when he seeks re-election.'
'The names of possible GOP primary challengers to Graham fly across the Internet: Gov. Mark Sanford; U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett; Attorney General Henry McMaster; former Attorney General Charlie Condon; former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride; former gubernatorial candidate Oscar Lovelace; state Sen. Greg Ryberg of Aiken; and Buddy Witherspoon, a Republican national committee member from Columbia.'
'The name mentioned most often is that of state Treasurer Thomas Ravenel.'
[ CCL Note: This article appeared June 17. Then, on June 19, Ravenel was indicted "on a federal charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute less than 500 grams of cocaine." Ravenel has been suspended from office by the SC Governor. www.thestate.com/169/story/96446.html ; www.thestate.com/426/story/100508.html ]
'Graham said he’s ready for any opponent, Republican or Democrat.'
"Anyone who runs against me better get up early and stay late because I think I’ve been one heck of a good senator for my state and my party,” Graham said...'
'Graham said he agreed to tackle immigration reform when President Bush summoned him for a personal meeting after Republicans lost control of Congress last November.''
“He asked me if I could help,” Graham said. “I said I would be glad to help because this is something he would like to do in his last two years (as president).”'
___________________________________________
"Sen Graham says he doesn't worry about challengers for seat"
www.thestate.com/312/story/100937.html
The State, Columbia, SC
Posted on Sun, Jun. 24, 2007
[excerpts]
'Graham has been criticized by people in his own party for several things since he was elected to the Senate in 2002. The most recent fight is over immigration reform. Graham has supported a bill that opponents, like South Carolina's other senator, Jim DeMint, decry as amnesty. Graham has heard the criticism and is not backing down.'
'Spartanburg County Republican Party Chairman Rick Beltram said Graham's biggest threat in 2008 could come from a Democrat.'
'And the right Democrat might get some support from unlikely people.''"We thought that (Graham) was going to be a great senator, but he has turned out, on immigration especially, to be very disappointing," said Nora Olson of Spartanburg, a Republican. "If anyone good and capable runs against him, I will vote for them - even if it's a Democrat, and if I have confidence they'll do a good job."
_________________________________________
"GOP anger targets McCain, Graham"
www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706170327
The Greenville News, Greenville, SC
Published: Sunday, June 17, 2007 - 2:00 am
[excerpts]
'Republicans are angry. '
'Angrier than they have been in years. '
"I haven't seen an issue that's connected with the base since hanging chads in Florida," said Katon Dawson, the state GOP's chairman.
'It's immigration,...'
'In South Carolina, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has become the face of that legislation. He's even picked up a new nickname, "Grahamnesty," and it's not complimentary. '
'The timing could have been better. Graham is up for re-election in 2008, and the primary is only 51 weeks distant, filing even sooner. '
'And Graham, Dawson concedes, is taking a "pounding" for his out-front role in pushing it, along with his choice for the Republican presidential nomination, Sen. John McCain. South Carolina Republicans' favorite bugaboo, Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy, was the prime Democratic co-sponsor. '
'The conservative Heritage Foundation called the bill "ill-conceived." Columbia Christians for Life issued a statement critical of Graham as one of the "pro-amnesty traitors in (a) Benedict Arnold betrayal of America."
'With Graham so closely tied to McCain, who led the GOP charge -- with very few followers -- for the immigration bill, there's bound to be fallout for McCain's presidential primary campaign in South Carolina. The question is how long, how deep.'
_____________________________________________
Two days after Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) appeared in a Washington D.C. news conference May 17 with Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA), John McCain (R-AZ), and others to promote the Instant Amnesty Immigration bill, Graham was booed back home at the SC Republican Party State Convention on May 19, in Columbia.
'The crowd at South Carolina’s Republican convention cheered Saturday when former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney criticized a new immigration proposal and booed U.S. Sen Lindsey Graham when he defended it.' [emphasis added]
[South Carolina Republican Party State Convention, Columbia, SC - May 19, 2007]
Immigration hot topic at GOP event
Attendees at S.C. convention vocal over Romney's, Graham's stances
www.thestate.com/169/story/69054.html
The State, Columbia, SC
Posted on Sun, May. 20, 2007
This reaction of Republicans at the SC GOP State Convention has been repeatedly reported in the news nationally, including Sunday on Meet the Press (June 24, 2007):
[emphasis added]
'Meet the Press' on NBC transcript for June 24, 2004
Rep. Luis Guiterrez (D-IL) & Pat Buchanan debate immigration reform
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19354560/
MR. RUSSERT: Our political roundtable, David Broder, John Harwood, Roger Simon, Gwen Ifill. They are all here next, right after this station break.
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19354560/page/5/
MR. RUSSERT: Welcome all. Let’s just pick up on immigration. Here’s an article from the Los Angeles Times. “Two conservative senators [Saxby Chambliss]” of Georgia, “[Lindsey Graham]” of South Carolina, “were booed by Republican crowds in their home states for endorsing the legalization effort. And conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh attacked the Bush-backed plan as the ‘Destroy the Republican Party Act.’”
Immigration bill drew fire from both sides
www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-immig9jun09,1,3157639.story?page=2&cset=true&ctrack=1
Los Angeles Times
June 9 2007
"Those angry critics booed Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), both bill supporters, at their state conventions. They packed town hall meetings with boisterous crowds when lawmakers returned to their districts. When Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.), at a constituent meeting last week, quoted a Bible verse "When an alien lives with you, do not mistreat him." one man shouted, "I can tell you're for amnesty!" and stalked out."
Senate coalition crosses borders
www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-coalition3jun03,1,1282424.story?ctrack=2&cset=true
An unlikely bipartisan team forged the 'grand bargain' at the heart of immigration reform legislation. It'll be tested this week.
Los Angeles Times
June 3, 2007
Lindsey Graham (S.C.): Booed by home-state crowds for his immigration stance, Graham is unrepentant. Critics of the bill, he says, "have an obligation to tell us what to do next."
Immigration reform debate puts up a wall within the GOP
www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-immig27may27,1,530405.story?ctrack=3&cset=true
May 27 2007
Two conservative senators were booed by Republican crowds in their home states last week for endorsing the legalization effort. And conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh attacked the Bush-backed plan as the "Destroy the Republican Party Act."
On Friday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) tied his presidential campaign more tightly to the view that a welcoming immigration policy would boost the GOP in important swing states as he scheduled a June 4 address on the plan in immigrant-rich Miami and attacked his leading rivals for opposing the measure.
The grass-roots anger at the party elite was on display last week in Georgia and South Carolina, when Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) were heckled by otherwise friendly Republican audiences for their support of the immigration measure. Graham was booed when he mentioned that Bush understood the politics of the issue and performed well among Latinos.
McCain, a key negotiator on the compromise, seemed to be keeping his distance when the deal was announced last week. Now he has decided to tackle the matter head-on, frustrated by what his aides called pandering by his rivals and buoyed by polls showing that a majority of Americans supported a welcoming approach to immigrants.
___________________________________________
This was Senator Lindsey Graham laughing it up with Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA)and other Senators before a significant May 17 news conference in Washington D.C.to promote the Instant Amnesty Immigration bill with Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA), John McCain (R-AZ), and others:
PHOTO: Lindsey Graham (RINO-SC) laughing it up with Ted Kennedy (DEMON-MA) before May 17 sell-out of America
www.christianlifeandliberty.net/Immigration07-06.doc
U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) laugh before a news conference to announce a compromise on immigration legislation between the White House and the Senate at the U.S. Captiol Thursday in Washington, DC. Kennedy was key in negotiating the compromise language in the bill, which U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to sign.
Chip Somodevilla: Getty Images
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4812997.html
Lindsey Graham is a protege of fellow Amnesty-for-Illegal-Immigrants supporter John McCain. Graham supported CFR-member John McCain in the 2000 presidential election, and continues to support McCain in his 2008 campaign.
2006 Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Membership Roster www.stopthenorthamericanunion.com/CFRMembers.html
www.geocities.com/zembmor98
See a concise overview article about the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) at:
"The Definition of Tyranny," The New American (May 15, 1995), by John F. McManus
www.christianlifeandliberty.net/CFR-TNAart.doc
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www.timesexaminer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=158&Itemid=1
Graham Receives Honor from La Raza, Calls Amnesty Opponents "Bigots"
Written by Jeffrey West
May 21, 2007 at 05:11 PM
[excerpts, emphasis added]
'South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham received an award on March 6 from the National Council of La Raza for his efforts to pass an amnesty bill for illegal aliens.
According to Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation, the bill Graham helped pass would have allowed up to 200 million illegal aliens and their family members to become citizens in the next twenty years, and would have bankrupted America in the next decade accordingto the Congressional Budget Office.'
'Sen. Graham was joined by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Archbishop Roger Cardinal Mahoney of Los Angeles.' La Raza (The Race) is an organization that defends Hispanic rights and lobbies for amnesty and open borders. They received over $15 million in federal grants last year, in spite of the fact that the organization only helps Hispanics and no other ethnic group.'
'As late as 2003 La Raza funded groups such as MEChA (Chicano Student Movement for Aztlan), a radical leftist organization whose goal is to take over the western U.S. and establish an Aztec nation, which they imagine existed historically.'
'Despite a 2006 Zogby poll which found that the majority of Americans are opposed to amnesty for illegal aliens, Sen. Graham closed his speech by declaring that “We are going to solve this problem, we’re not going to run people down, we’re not gonna scapegoat people, we’re going to tell the bigots to shut up and we’re gonna get this right.”'
___________________________________________
Key Immigration Amnesty vote expected Tuesday, June 26 in US Senate !!!
The Amnesty bill has been re-numbered and was re-introduced on June 18, 2007, now as S.1639. The U.S. Senate calendar indicates that S.1639 will be taken up on Tuesday, June 26, 2007.
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=senate_calendar&docid=sc001
Check the bill status and any votes on S.1639 at http://thomas.loc/
"Bloggers, radio reshaping bill on immigration"
www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070623/NATION/106230056/1002
The Washinton Times
June 23, 2007
'A vote to resurrect the bill, which collapsed two weeks ago when Democrats and Republicans demanded more time to pass amendments, is scheduled for Tuesday [CCL Note: June 26].
It will require the support of 60 senators. As of yesterday, it was a close call, with opponents claiming momentum.'
'If the compromise survives Tuesday's first test vote, the Senate will then move to vote on about two dozen amendments, divided between Republicans and Democrats, that could substantially alter the bill.'
'NumbersUSA, a grass-roots organization that opposes the bill, is running television ads in South Carolina attacking Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who the ad says "joined with Ted Kennedy in strong-arming senators to support amnesty." A similar ad is scheduled for Kentucky, tying Republican senator and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to Mr. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat.'
____________________________________________
"... I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Jesus Christ (Y'shua Messiah) Matthew 16:18
Steve Lefemine, pro-life missionary
dir., Columbia Christians for Life
Columbia, SC
ttp://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/ (click on "News" for more Immigration / Amnesty bill information)
http://www.righttolifeactofsc.net/
June 24, 2007
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