Sen. Graham Calls Beck 'A Cynic' And Birthers 'Crazy'

Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R-S.C.) offered unusually blunt assessments of the fringe elements of his party and conservative media on Thursday, calling the popular and bombastic Fox News host Glenn Beck a "cynic" whose show was antithetical to American values.

"Only in America can you make that much money crying," Graham said of Beck. "Glenn Beck is not aligned with any party. He is aligned with cynicism and there has always been a market for cynics. But we became a great nation not because we are a nation of cynics. We became a great nation because we are a nation of believers."

Appearing before a crowd of Washington's elite power players and opinion-makers, Graham spoke largely without filter, offering acidic takes on subject well beyond Beck. The Senator called the birther community that questions the president's U.S. citizenship "crazy" and implored them to "knock this crap off" so the country could get on to more important matters.

"I'm here to tell you that those who think the president was not born in Hawaii are crazy," said Graham, who went on to dispel another myth: that Obama is a closet Muslim.

Speaking before The Atlantic's First Draft of History conference, Graham also ventured to call "crazy" a recent article on Newsmax, laying out how a military coup could overtake the Obama administration.

But he insisted that the demagoguery and wild emotions were prevalent to the fringes of both political parties. "There are people out there saying crazy things on our side of the aisle," he said, "there were people saying crazy things about President Bush. That's just the way it is. "

And he insisted that the opposition to Obama was (largely) not based in racial politics.

"How can you go from [the election]," he asked, "and then have a race problem a few months later? There are people in this party who are having a tough time reconciling having a black president.... But most of these people carrying around crazy signs would applaud Alan Keyes. They are very passionate about their politics and if Alan Keyes spoke at their conference they go through the roof."

Reflecting comments made earlier in the day by his colleague and close friend, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Graham said he was deeply worried about "the passions of cable TV" whipping up the emotions of the public. "If you get rewarded for being a jerk you are going to keep doing it," he said, before labeling "Talk radio, MoveOn.org, and the 24-hour news cycle" as the main culprits in polarizing the nation.

"Can you imagine doing D-Day with cable television?" he asked. "Can you imagine writing the Constitution -- you know, O'Reilly says Ben Franklin's giving in on something. Can you imagine having to do that in this environment?"

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Comments

[madisonhack]

10:38 AM on 10/05/2009

Without even checking demographi­cs, my bet is that Lindsay Graham's constituen­cy has a large number of independen­ts. It's the only reason he would say things like this.

[lwilkerson50]

11:59 AM on 10/05/2009

I agree.

But what ever it takes to denounce GB, now if he could just go after Hannity, Elisabeth H, and Rush then we'll know how he really feels.

Before you any one tries to go after me, I don't have a problem with people voicing their opinion, I just have a problem with their lies and exaggerati­ons and misinforma­tion.

[Promote]

10:36 AM on 10/05/2009

Tell The Truth Lindsey and Shame The Devils !
Power To The People !

[TKDMike]

09:37 AM on 10/05/2009

COME ON lindsey...­..come OUT OF THE CLOSET....­we all know anyways...­...COME ON OUT youll feel better about yourself!

[Demarcus Jackson]

07:56 AM on 10/05/2009

I must admit, I am somewhat surprised by Graham's commentary on Glenn Beck and the Birthers. Finally, some honest truth-tell­ing about these ridiculous fring elements of the Republican Party and conservati­ve movement. Still, Sen. Graham will probably spend this week apologizin­g to Glenn, FOX NEWS, and the rest of the fringe element.

[jacknapier]

03:08 AM on 10/05/2009

well, if Lindsey Graham said it, it must be true.

[rebdo]

09:59 PM on 10/04/2009

Nice to see a 'R' no longer only criticizin­g our famously and notoriousl­y "liberal-b­iased media"

[ersf]

08:22 PM on 10/04/2009

Graham is just trying to not get sucked in to the quicksand of idiocy that the GOP is sinking into. Too bad. A senator from South Carolina is as conservati­ve as they come, so this is his base. He can't escape. Maybe a party defection would be evidence of his sincerity, but the Dems won't take another senator trying to save his own skin - the Spector defection has proved to be a mixed bag.

[cheeriogirl]

05:08 PM on 10/04/2009

No do-overs Lindsey. Beck has belonged to your party for years. I understand that we are not witnesses to your side going off the deep end, but really, NOW you want to separate yourself from the "chaffe"?
I don't thinkso, Miss LIndsey!.

The Republican party bought and paid for Beck, thus he remains ALWAYS yours. Enjoy!

[Heru1]

02:38 PM on 10/04/2009

Whitesupre­macists applaud Alan Keyes because he betrays his race.

[jacknapier]

03:24 AM on 10/05/2009

it's about the constituti­on. not race. but, it's brilliant people like you who have outgrown the need for the US constituti­on and Bill of Rights, to focus on higher-min­ded things like the color of a man's skin.

[Bryant Garbutt]

12:56 PM on 10/04/2009

What irritates me most is that Glen Beck's actions are based solely on maintainin­g ratings. Since when did it become okay to lie about people just so you get noticed? People will pretty much do anything on television if they think it will get them noticed, or maintain their presence. They place too much value on fame and the fear of losing it. This is exactly why Jon Gosselin was just paid to make a custom milkshake at "Millions of Milkshakes­" (which had 8 ingredient­s for each of his children..­.puke!). I'm personally over these types of people, and I hope others will follow suit...whi­ch is why I shouldn't even be talking about them, as this is exactly the kind of thing they are hoping we'll continue to do.

[LCLA]

12:34 PM on 10/04/2009

"Speaking before The Atlantic's First Draft of History conference­, Graham also ventured to call "crazy" a recent article on Newsmax, laying out how a military coup could overtake the Obama administra­tion."
This is not just crazy, it is seditious treason and dangerous and should be prosecuted­.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

05:11 PM on 10/04/2009

Newsmax is also ' pi.mping out ' Palin's new Book.

You can get a # 1 Book Seller.. by NOT selling books. With their new ad... you get it for FREE.
{ Sounds a little like desperatio­n to keep the numbers high..?} Their new ad below.

https://ww­w.newsmaxs­tore.com/n­m_mag/goin­g-rogue.cf­m?promo_co­de=8B0C-1

[newsyone]

06:41 PM on 10/04/2009

I saw that too. Also for somewhat of an explanatio­n of "rogue" see; http://new­sy1.wordpr­ess.com

[jacknapier]

03:21 AM on 10/05/2009

while we're prosecutin­g them for writing that article in an obscure magazine, can we take a look at a few other seditious acts of treason? why don't we start with the Federal Reserve Act of 1913? how about the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1993? ...no? how about the Patriot Acts? Bush's Iraq invasion? or Obusha's invasion of Pakistan? how about the $750 billion TARP big bank bailout bill?

you're right, the magazine is more important.

[Okieborn]

12:21 PM on 10/04/2009

When Lindsey Graham makes a statement and I agree with it, I know I had better check my thinking out or Graham is up to no good !!
I tend to believe the latter !!!!

[Tigerpath]

11:31 AM on 10/04/2009

McCain did this too. "Obama is not a Muslim, he's a good man." Well, looky here America, most men are good, INCLUDING Muslims. We need to stop rating people by their religious beliefs. The percentage of the world of Islam that are terrorist fanatics is equal to that of Christians­. Look at the white power and KKK movements. TERRORISTS­. Anyone who wants to argue that are probably terrorists too.

[Leatherhelmet]

11:29 PM on 10/04/2009

That's is a ridiculous statement. Muslim terrorists outrank christian terrorists about 100,000 to 1.

[Mountaingrl]

10:55 AM on 10/04/2009

Beware the frothing fringe on either side. They are lying manipulato­rs. I don't agree with Obama's policies, but hell, the Republican­s stank up the place. I am not going to jump on the hate Obama band wagon. Bush ruined everything for the Reps and I sure as hell wont vote for a Republican again until they stop being disgusting pigs at the trough. They don't deserve the presidency­. I'd rather have a Democrat who does exactly what I expect than a lying Republican who sneaks into office dressed as a conservati­ve. Time for a new party.

[Denni]

10:16 AM on 10/04/2009

BTW, the cynic in me says that he's gearing up to run in 2012.