I am in Chautauqua, New York for a book event this week and was shocked to wake up to find that Lindsey Graham has died at 71. I knew and worked with Lindsey since his time in the House of Representatives. We would correspond regularly on legal and constitutional issues. He was an extraordinary man with a deep and unshakable faith in this nation. His death is a great loss for our nation.
Lindsey was a true son of South Carolina. Born in the town of Central, South Carolina, he attended the University of South Carolina for both his undergraduate and law school degrees. He became a prosecutor with the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Office. He held the rank of Colonel in the Air Force Reserves.
His career is legendary and played a major role in military and foreign affairs. However, his greatest influence on the Senate was his practical thinking mixed with a disarming sense of humor. I would often receive texts or emails from Lindsey on ideas for resolving national problems. They were always bold and creative. He loved the law and enjoyed talking through such issues, often setting them aside after reflection on the political or legal complications.
We worked together on matters before the Judiciary Committee and I testified before him on issues ranging from investigations to impeachments. I would hear from him after I posted columns with praise or criticism of the underlying points. He was not only a skilled litigator but also had a keen sense of the practical. He was the ultimate problem solver, always looking for a way to navigate around barriers on the Hill.
What I will miss most was his humor. Lindsey had a puckish side and looked at much of the insanity on the Hill with a sense of exasperated levity. He was often frustrated by the lack of progress in the Senate and would joke about it being the “most deliberative body” with a certain irony. His jokes would often be self-deprecating, downplaying his considerable skills and gifts.
However, Lindsey’s aw-shucks style concealed one of the most penetrating minds in the Senate. He also had an iron core, unflinching in the face of withering criticism and attacks. A mob could surround Lindsey and not raise his pulse rate a tick. He was rock solid.
It was Lindsey’s voice that would often cut through the noise and nonsense of the Hill, with his signature Southern drawl. He was particularly effective in controversies such as the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings.
He was a major supporter of Israel and Ukraine. He recently returned from Kyiv, where he met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address Ukraine’s air defense systems.
The left has already filled the web with vicious attacks on Lindsey. In an age of rage, even a period of mourning is considered intolerable.
People either loved or hated Lindsey, but few had the chance to know him. He was a warm and fascinating man. He stepped forward to enter the fray in defense of the values that he held most dear.
Thank you, my friend, and rest in peace.
I’ve been subscribed to Turley’s posts for years now, but after today’s post on LG, I decided to unsubscribe. Warmonger Graham called to “flatten Gaza”. Graham went to hell today. Good riddance to the both of you.
AI Overview
China’s anti-ship ballistic and hypersonic glide missiles, specifically the DF-21D and DF-26, are the primary weapons designed to track and sink moving aircraft carriers. These weapons form the backbone of China’s anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategy, intended to deny U.S. Navy supercarriers the ability to operate near the Chinese coast or in the Western Pacific.
And they they are not likely to succeed.
These weapons are blind for most of their flight. If the carrier is significantly distanced from the position they were aimed at – when they are finally able to resume terminal guidance they will be unable to adjust.
That is ONE of many problems these missles have to overcome to strike a US carrier.
China’s supply – though large is not infinite. It is highly unlikely that a single hit would even take a US super carrier out of action – if the Chinese were lucky enough to get a hit.
There is of course the question of how many of those that exist are actually fueled with water – The Chinese military procurement system is massively corrupt.
It is unlikely that any of these perform up to their specs. It is likely that a significant percent are defective.
But assuming they are all up to spec and capable, A single or small number are highly unlikely to get through. China’s best hope is to Swarm them – instead of aiming for the Supercarrier to launch large numbers targeting anywhere the carrier could have moved to during their flight and hope that enough enter terminal guidance still in range of the target.
Even then there are 7 layers of anti-missle defense protecting a US supercarrier.
Getting lucky is not a strategy.
Early in the 21st century the US retired the non-nuclear super carrier USS America CV-66 after two weeks and myriads of hits with no damage control parties onboard she eventually had to be scuttled because she would not sink.
One non-nuclear strike is not going to take a US supercarrier out – it is not likely to do much more than Pi$$ us off even further.
Even a nuclear strike that is not a bullseye is not likely to take one out.
Simulations that result in the Loss of a US supercarrier require the carrier doing something stupid – like getting itself trapped in the South China Sea, surrounded with little means of escape and within rage of substantial amounts of chinese short range weapons and large numbers of land based airpower. Anmd even then the Supercarrier and its fleet pummels the crap out of its attackers until it runs out of ammunition and is unable to eascape and is overwhelmed.
This is not going to happen in the defense of Taiwan. In an engagement with China US supercarriers would do much as they have against Iran – stay out of range of all but the longest range weapons – of which there are few and there is despite the “hypersonic” title – lots of time to defend against. Further as with Iran – US supper carriers will in addition to their own fleet defenses, be under air cover by forces from Taiwan, Japan, Okinawa as well as Japanese carriers.
Hypersonic Missles are not some miracle weapon – until recently there has been little US investment in them – because they are very poor bang for the buck and they are not undefendable.
Current – RIGHT NOW and for the past decade US investment has been in larger numbers of cheaper slower weapons. We are starting to deploy cruse missles that are 100K a pop instead of 4M.
I would separately note that since Trump 45 the US has been reactivating Pacific bases – particularly airfields like Tianian. Tinian is the Diego Garcia of the Pacific. It is where the B29’s that bombed Japan came from. China is in range of Tinian. Further bases like Tinian allow the US to extend an air umbrella over out super carriers and to resupply those fleets so they do not run out of amunnuition – while the carrier aircraft are free to protect Taiwan and attack China.
Chinese hyper-sonic missiles are a concern – they are a threat. They are not a magic bullet.
Just as with “the battle of Britain” – Taiwan can not be taken so long as China can not establish air superiority over the straights of Taiwan.
And that is a very difficult task.
Opposed Amphibious landings are just about the most difficult military operation there is,
A landing on Taiwan is one of the most difficult ever attempted.
China has never performed an opposed amphibious landing – pretty much on one has done so in almost 200 years outside of the west.
Enjoy your hemp
Hangman’s rope, hand em High
Before Lindsey’s passing is ruled natural, be advised that Putin has deployed hit men using military grade toxins in Europe. It can be used in food, drinks or applied to a door knob as was the case in UK. Therefore a toxicology test is warranted.
Our nation has lost a great patriot! RIP, Sir. You’ve earned your eternal rest! We will never forget you!
Some have suggested that Graham will now be subjected to the fury of his former friend John McCain for eternity, demanding to know what the hell happened to him.
I am not so sure that will happen.
I think Graham is in a somewhat hotter place, far removed from the fury of John McCain.
Graham loved war more than Americans. The world is a little bit safer today..
I am a reformed Democrat and left that party years ago. All of my friends and FB groups I belong to are conservative. When someone like Jimmy Carter, or anyone on the left passes, I see nothing but comments like “Didn’t agree with his politics, but RIP President Carter” or “Didn’t agree with him politically but he was a great humanitarian” When a conservative passes? OMG- the toxic venom that comes from the left is mind blowing! Is it any wonder why the Democrat party is imploding? It is filled with hateful, evil demons. No entity that is fueled only by hatred, can survive. It must suck- and be brutally exhausting- to wake up every morning with your heart filled with loathing and disdain for another human being- and not for a wrong they have personally done to you, but because you do not agree with their politics. If I did not have so much divine faith in my life, and realize that God is in charge, I would be filled with so much anxiety.
There is a simple explanation for these people’s behavior and it is just that they are bad people and evil to the core. They no longer can cover. Their comments on the day of the death of a political adversary shows everyone who they really are.
I’m sending my thoughts and prayers.
Me too – I’m thinking that Trump should be next, and praying that it happens soon.
May you be first–soon!!
Graham was as loyal as a windsock. He made mere sycophants look like amateurs. With Mitch being a vegetable and Graham out the Republican majority in the senate is precarious. Trump’s agenda is looking less secure and less certain.
Rushing in as usual to prove what a vile person you are.
McConnell is not running for re-election – Kentucky is an R+30 state. South Carolina is an R+20 state.
Separately – what is the Danger to “trump’s agenda” ?
I am sure Trump and Republicans would like to hold the house and senate for 2 more years – and attempt to pass more legislation – but it is incredibly hard for either party to pass anything consequential.
The loss of the house and Senate will not stop Trump from doing anything that does not require legislation.
Nor is it likely that Democrats will be able to muster the super majorities needed to pass legislation to constrain Trump.
All a Democrat congress means for Trump’s last 2 years is lots of stupid democrat investigations.
How well did that serve democrats in Trump’s first term ?
ICE has been funded for 10 years by the BBB – you need a super majority to defund them.
What is it that you expect a Democrat congress to be able to do to shutdown Trump ?
One of the problems that Democrats have with Trump is that ALL HE is doing is FOLLOWING THE LAW.
You can stop Presidents that act outside the law or constitution through the courts – you have Tried that – and failed, because Trump has been acting withing the law.
You can change the law – but even without a filibuster – you need a 2/3 majority of both the house and senate to override a veto.
Current RCP average generic ballot has Democrats at +5.9 – that will likey BARELY give them control of the house.
But 2Way/Harris had the generic Ballot at D+2 and half the polls in the past week had D+3 or LESS.
When I woke up this morning and found this piece of news in my inbox grace to Scott Ritter who provided his own obituary to the late senator, I felt a sense of elation, and while not a believer, I had the impulse to say that God exists and to go to the church an thank the divine and light a candle for the sould of the late senator, so he can have some light to help him descend in the pits of hell, where he belongs. God have mercy on his soul.
Not a patriot. He supported Trumps attempted coup and the rest of Trumps crimes.
Lindsey Graham, you could love him, and you could hate him, but you knew he was a true American.
A true American? He switched loyalties like a windsock. He was a coward and a man bereft of principle. More like a first class suck up than senator. Tru American, LOL!
GSX, one takes a side based on convictions, circumstances, and facts. They change, but you don’t, as you have no convictions of your own and no facts. You are worthless.
More evidence that the entity known as “S. Meyer” is simply a very poor foreign AI bot that mangles the English language and makes nonsensical comments that are obviously the product of AI hallucinations.
It starts by asserting that one takes a side based on convictions and facts.
Fair enough, makes sense.
But then it makes the utterly absurd statement that convictions and facts change, but X does not.
Unfortunately, this poor AI bot does not understand that if convictions and facts change, then they were never convictions or facts in the first place. Convictions are convictions. Facts are facts, not subject to change.
This obvious logical error clearly proves that the entity known as “S. Meyer” is nothing more than a mindless, fault ridden, buggy, and overall very poor AI bot originating in some foreign country.
Simund the Fraud is trying to make himself relevant. Unfortunately, he cowardly rambles and can’t attack face on with facts. That is why I always see his back.
Final Grade: Intellectual Pigmy, Rambling Runner, and Fraudulent Pedant
Here again, the profoundly poor programming of the AI bot known as “S. Meyer” becomes apparent.
The spelling is atrocious and the grammatical and syntactical errors are plain to see.
“Sigmund” is misspelled as “Simund”, and the misspelling of pygmy persists despite my attempts at correction.
The adjective “cowardly” is incorrectly used to modify the verb “rambles”. Adjectives cannot be used to modify a verb. A verb can only be modified by an adverb. However there is an archaic usage of the word “cowardly” as an adverb, but all modern dictionaries label this as archaic and not in common modern usage.
It is of interest to note that the bot known as “S. Meyer” has now used three words in an archaic style, those words being “strait-jacket”, “pigmy” and “cowardly”. This is very strong evidence that the foreign creators of this bot are using very old outdated dictionaries to program this pathetically inconsistent and incoherent bot.
And there is an idiomatic syntactical error with the use of the phrase “attack face on with facts”. The syntactically correct English idiom to describe a direct confrontation is “face-to-face”, or “head-on”. Unfortunately the poor programming of the S. Meyer bot has mixed these idioms to come up with an incorrect Frankenstein term of “face on”.
All the cumulative evidence so far simply confirms that the S. Meyer bot is nothing more than the product of low level trolls in some third world country, who have a minimal grasp of the English language, and who are using old unreliable English dictionaries probably written by people with an equally minimal grasp of the language.
When the law is against you – pound the facts, when the facts are against you pound the law, when both are against you – pound the table.
When you have no argument – fixate on fallacy, grammar and ad homienm.
” has now used three words in an archaic style, those words being “strait-jacket”, “pigmy” and “cowardly”.
Strait-jacket: You are crazy mad.
Pigmy: You are a pig
cowardly: You are always running away.
Final Grade: Intellectual Pigmy, Rambling Runner, and Boring Boor
Apparently we have mischaracterized the bot known as “S. Meyer”. We had assumed that the bot was powered by Artificial Intelligence, albeit an AI model of very low quality produced by minimally competent trolls in some third world country. However this assumption appears to have been misplaced.
The most recent responses from this bot suggest that it is not powered by Artificial Intelligence, or indeed any form of intelligence, artificial or otherwise. It is becoming increasingly apparent that this Meyer bot is powered by Natural Stupidity, rather than Artificial Intelligence.
The evidence for this is very clear. The bot continues to repeat the usage of archaic words despite being corrected. AI models are supposed to learn from the input they receive from humans. This Meyer bot shows no sign of learning, so we are forced to conclude that it is powered by Natural Stupidity, rather than Artificial Intelligence.
Henceforth, the bot entity known as “S. Meyer” will be referred to as the Natural Stupidity bot “S. Meyer”, or the NS bot “S. Meyer” for short.
“Apparently we have mischaracterized the bot known as “S. Meyer”. “
Juvenile words and deflection remain the only thing Sigmund Fraud has to offer.
Final Grade: Broken Record, Defeated Deflector, and Persistently Peurile
Ad hominem is not argument.
I can confirm that S. Meyer is a real person – we have exchanged emails.
At the same time Why does that matter ? SM’s arguments are valid regardless.
Facts do not change – but our knowledge of them changes. As our knowledge of the facts improves are analysis of them MUST change.
Convictions would not be a word I would use in this context.
Principles are not supposed to change – but wise people do change their principles when they are confronted with Facts that falsify them.
In the context SM was writing Convictions are not the same as principles. They are conclusions based on the current understanding of facts and are subject to change – when our understanding of facts improves.
John, thank you.
AGain – can you save your vitriol for the living – or at-least have the decency to wait until after the funeral.
I am not a big Graham Fan – he was without a doubt a Neo-con and prefer they returned to the democratic party.
Much will be written about Graham all too soon – some of it by people lest ignorant than you.
But this is not the moment to pi$$ on his grave.
After the filth circulated about the Charlie Kirk assassination, I’m sadly not surprised that venom would flow after this sad occasion as well.
Thanks for your comments and thanks for sharing the video where he was defending Justice Kavanaugh at the senate hearings!
What a wonderful moment for the world to watch!
*. RIP. Senator has gone home. Such marvelous sky blue eyes and his humor may be missed. Senator Graham was not an embarrassment to the Senate as so many are now. A life of service and a decent man is Senator Graham.
Our political arena is now inhabited, on both sides of the aisle, by people whose politics are their religion. Enough already.
By the time Jefferson became president, he and Hamilton were bitter rivals. When Hamilton died, Jefferson did not crow: “The champion of a federal bank is dead. Good riddance!”
Jefferson had the good grace to remain silent.
Maybe take your cue from Jefferson.
A few days ago Graham said he was going to check on Mitch.
Hopefully Trump will go check on Mitch as well.
Graham may have done a good job representing the interests of the people of South Carolina, or he may not have; I am not an SC resident and therefore am not in a very good position to judge that. However, since the ratification of the 17th Amendment (which I view as a mistake) Senators arguably also represent the nation at large. On that level, I did not hold Graham in high esteem. There were too many unexplained reversals of positions, and too much pandering to defense contractors (although that might have been a positive for SC parochially). To me, he was also a prime example of the deficiencies of a system that fosters career politicians. I will personally not miss him as a politician or as a US Senator. What is of immediate interest to me is who SC Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint to serve out Graham’s term, and the political ramifications of that appointment on 2026 and 2028. Graham’s death also exacerbates questions about the status of Mitch McConnell, and intensifies the importance of resolving the political aspects of his situation ASAP. YMMV.
From the article: “He was an extraordinary man with a deep and unshakable faith in this nation.”
Right! “This nation” being Israel, of course.
Mike wakes up every day thinking about one nation and one nation only…Israel. But he will insist he doesn’t hate Jews!! He just doesn’t have the time to castigate Iran, Russia, China, N Korea, syria, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia or Jordan. Funny how that works.
He was a zionist whore and traitor to our country and made money off of our emdke$$ war$ of 25 years. Google it up if you all (y’all) aren’t (ain’t) intellectually stunted and lazy …
Another post by anonymous with a name that will disappear just as anonymi do when faced with intellect.
This loser known as S. Meyer constantly whines about comments from anonymous contributors and demeans them for no other reason than their anonymity.
Then when someone posts a comment under an actual name, and he does not like that comment, Meyer makes the absurd comment that it is “another post by anonymous with a name”. If he has a name, then he is not anonymous.
Apparently Meyer has a remarkably tenuous grasp of the English language. Most likely he is a paid foreign troll with minimal English language skills. Or it could be just a poorly trained foreign bot from Israel that automatically responds with the same tedious complaints about anonymous anti-Israel commenters, but in this case a program bug caused the absurd comment regarding a commenter who actually posted under a name. Clearly the bot is trained to automatically respond to anti-Israel comments with the standard complaint about anonymity, but is unable to respond coherently to an anti-Israel comment from someone with a name. Thus we see this absurd comment about “another post by anonymous with a name”.
Well said.
Meyer’s use of the the word “anonymi”, which is a completely made up word, not to be found anywhere in the English language, points to a foreign source for this troll and/or bot.
I think we can safely assume that “S. Meyer” is a completely fake name used by some foreign agitators, and that in reality this entity is in fact anonymous in the same category that it constantly complains about.
If I were to intellectually shoot Sigmund the Fraud. It would hit his yellow jacket in the back. We always catch him running away.
Final Grade: Intellectual Pigmy, Yellow Runner, and Fraudulent Stylist
Here we have further evidence that the entity known as “S. Meyer” is nothing more than a mindless, poorly trained foreign AI bot.
It started by deriding a comment for being anonymous, when in fact a name was clearly attached to the comment. Now it has taken a truly anonymous comment and decided to arbitrarily attribute it to some completely fake and absurdly named commenter, Sigmund the Fraud. This is obviously a completely absurd made up name.
As we know all too well, AI bots are prone to hallucination. This is a classic example of the hallucinatory ramblings of an extremely poorly trained, and out of control bot.
If it is not the hallucinatory ramblings of an AI bot, but rather the comments of a real person, then that person is quite clearly a deeply disturbed individual who is probably confined somewhere in a mental health institution for his own protection, and the protection of others.
I would advise all here to simply ignore any comments made by the entity known as “S. Meyer”, an obvious foreign controlled bot with absolutely nothing to say of any consequence.
“comment for being anonymous, when in fact a name was clearly attached to the comment. ”
Imagine this, an anonymous miscreant creates a one-time name to troll the blog and wants applause he certainly doesn’t deserve. The name is now gone, but it doesn’t matter. He was an ignorant bore then and hasn’t changed. Can we believe his words? Of course not; Sigmund the Fraud is a stain on the blog.
Final Grade: Intellectual Pigmy, Yellow Runner, and Fraudulent Boor
..poor baby.. Thin-Skinned Anon. who knows how to dish it out but not take it….! ..the spot on S. Meyer really hit a few nerves… ..would have been great for S. Meyer to keep going and hit a few more……………..
Another vacuous comment from Signumd the Fraud, our resident coward, who lacks sufficient intellect to debate. He is a runner (Poltroon).
Final Grade: Intellectual Pigmy, Cloistered Coward, and Fraudulent Stylist
The entity known as “S. Meyer” continues to identify itself as a very poorly trained foreign AI bot.
Clearly the bot has many program errors and bugs. It misspells “Sigmund” as “Signumd”, and inappropriately capitalizes the word “poltroon”. It also misspells the word “pygmy” as “pigmy”.
“Pigmy” is an archaic form of this word that is not considered to be common usage. All major, modern dictionaries spell the word as “pygmy”, while noting that “pigmy” is an archaic form not accepted in modern usage.
This use of archaic forms is clear, further evidence that the entity known as “S. Meyer” is a very poor foreign bot that has been trained using outdated unreliable English dictionaries most likely written in some foreign country by people who have minimal command of the language.
I urge everyone here to completely ignore these absurd comments by the entity known as “S. Meyer”, an obvious foreign controlled bot.
Sigmund the Fraud, I see you can’t stay away. I recognize the back of your head while you run away, covered in a yellow garment. You complain about my spelling of the word Pygmy which you feel is archaic, but like the last time, I have my reasons. You are an Intellectual Pygmy, but you are also a pig (my)
Final Grade: Intellectual Pigmy, Cloistered Coward, and Fraudulent Pedant
The faulty logic of the poorly trained foreign AI bot known as “S. Meyer” continues to make itself apparent.
In this latest example the bot continues to hallucinate about its creation of the imaginary Sigmund the Fraud. The bot accuses this imaginary persona of being unable to “stay away”, while simultaneously claiming that he is “running away”. The profound illogic of this latest comment is proof positive that the AI bot known as “S. Meyer” is a very poorly trained and programmed bot arising from some very low level trolls in a distant foreign country.
The bot somehow believes that is possible to run away while being unable to stay away.
Profoundly illogical and nonsensical gibberish.
Sigmund the Fraud, S. Meyer existed before AI was readily available for casual use. I won’t accuse you of using AI unless your AI is All Idiots.
Final Grade: All Idiots, Rambling Runner, and Sick-O Sig
Meyer, why do you persist in responding to this troll. It serves no useful purpose.
Unfortunately, the AI bot known as “S. Meyer” is compelled to respond due its faulty programming, even when the responses are incoherent, illogical, self-contradictory gibberish.
Final Grade: All Idiots, Rambling Runner, and Sick-O Sig
Final Grade: All Idiots, Rambling Runner, and Sick-O Sig
Here we note further evidence for the faulty programming of the bot entity known as “S. Meyer”.
The two responses above are evidence of a bug that causes repetitive, identical responses. There also seems to be a bug that causes some sort of infinite loop whereby the bot persists with this “Final Grade” comment, although the following words are sometimes different. Of course a “Final Grade” is actually final, so there cannot be multiple “Final Grades”. Obviously there is faulty logic in the bot programming at many levels causing repetitive comments and nonsensical comments.
These observations comport with the assessment made earlier in a comment above at 9:53pm, where we determined that the “S. Meyer” bot is actually powered by Natural Stupidity rather than Artificial Intelligence.
“Here we note further evidence for the faulty programming “
Sigmund the Fraud is obsessed with me and my text! I live rent-free in his head. He has nothing to say except to fictionalize my words because he can’t touch their content. You stand in place naked and alone, desperate to make your mark.
Final Grade: Desperate and Defrocked Fraud, Defeated Deflector, Broken Record
“Right! “This nation” being Israel, of course.”
Of course, Israel is a great nation and a vital ally of America. He was a true American who recognized Israel’s democracy and existence as a tremendous benefit to America, not the reverse. He recognized that the antisemitic screed held closely by fascists was quite the opposite of American values.
That’s a point in his favor.
As for the hate filled morons (you know who you are) across the USA trying to smear and essentially piss on the grave of a true American patriot and, quite frankly, a really good man; with every hateful word you write about Lindsey Graham you reveal your utter moral bankruptcy and complete lack of character. You participation trophy bearing, sophomoric morons, need to grow up.
As for the hate filled morons (you know who you are) across the USA … Look who’s calling morons morons. Steve do you even have a brain, you moron.
Is it any wonder why the Democrat Party is imploding? Not to me…
Are you seriously “Critically Thinking About Things That Change Our Society” Steve? You reek of sickness and evil.
Hey everyone,
This alki-bopping “Anonymous” moron is arguing, or should I say playing, with himself again.