Lindsey Graham Faces Tea Party Fury: "Traitor," "Democrat In Drag," "Half-A-Sissy" (VIDEO)

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) faced an eruption of rage from Tea Party activists at a town hall meeting Tuesday for his decision to work with Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on climate change and clean energy legislation.

In a New York Times op-ed published Sunday, Graham and Kerry discussed their commitment to achieving bipartisan legislation.

Sen. Graham has also independently expressed his own concerns on global warming:

I think the planet is heating up. I think CO2 emissions are damaging the environment and this dependence on foreign oil is a natural disaster in the making. Let's do something about it. I'd like to solve a problem, and if it's on President Obama's watch, it doesn't bother me one bit if it makes the country better off.

At a Greenville, South Carolina town hall, angry attendees called Graham a "traitor," of "going to bed with John Kerry," and making a "pact with the devil."

This unhinged response is reflected in the conservative blogosphere, where Graham has been called a "fake Republican," "RINO" (Republican in name only), a "traitor," "disgrace," "asshat," "democrat in drag," and a "wussypants, girly-man, half-a-sissy":

WATCH, via Think Progress:

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Comments

[jayburd]

01:27 PM on 10/26/2009

Calling Lindsey Graham a "RINO" is like calling Glenn Beck sane.

[AnAmericanDemocrat]

01:14 PM on 10/15/2009

I am an American first and a Democrat second.  As I look at my
party, I realize that American patriotism is a distant memory for many
Americans, while some look upon our great country with disdain,
distrust, and even disgust.

My inspiration and foundational political views as a young American
came from  words spoken by an American Democrat who paid the
ultimate price, "My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do
for you, but what you can do for your country."

Where are the John F. Kennedy democrats today?  I would like to be
counted as one of that group.  Everything that I have written on
my website, http://www.AnAmericanDemocrat.com,
is dedicated to the spirit of his words.

If you have time please check it out.  I want to advance the
discussion as much as I can.
Thanks
Paris

[Hopefor08]

12:30 AM on 10/15/2009

It would be nice if republicans would all begin to tell the truth and stand up for what is right. Republicans being held hostage by this rabid fringe of hateful racists is horrible for the country. We need real cooperation back in our government to solve the serious issues facing us. Lindsay Graham said some really rabid things himself during the campaign but it is good for him to want to work with Democrats on these important matters. I hope he will continue to show good common sense.

[CarolinaYankee]

05:36 PM on 10/14/2009

Help, Chris matthews just interviewed a S.C. teaparty participant and when asked his choice for the next election- he wants Sara President/Jim DeMint for VP. Help me, I have to live here in S.C. with these people...

[Teresa201]

05:49 PM on 10/14/2009

Let's see how your state votes in 2010....

Then you'll decide if you have something to worry about in 2012.

Sorry, but with your current elected oficials your state is in trouble.
The whole country is boycotting the state and it's products....
And it's worried about the cost of impeaching the Governor....?

I've never seen our country raise $3 million for a upcoming election in less than 48 hours...
But we did for Rob Miller.
And none of us live in S.C.

I feel for you.

[SharpDressedMan]

08:02 PM on 10/14/2009

This is the interview. They don't want to admit they are teabaggers or Republicans. Both are clowns in their own way. Both are hard to trust.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33316191#33317320

[Timothy Beauchamp]

05:11 PM on 10/14/2009

I'm sure Lindsay thought that crazy teabagger behavior was just fine and dandy when it was directed at Democrats.

[MSaxe]

07:44 PM on 10/14/2009

Although he is a conservative Republican, I've never seen or heard of him stooping to that level. I do not agree with him, but he is an admirable voice for his positions, regardless of the blatant racism within the state he represents.

You can't persuade everyone, but if all your opposition behaved like Graham, you could find ways to get problems solved that most of us in the middle would find acceptable.

[BobSacomano]

01:59 PM on 10/14/2009

These people want to let the market and free enterprise decide the fate of our energy policy, and have the government removed from the picture ? That would be tantamount to running a privatized military and would represent a serious threat to our national health and security...and it won't happen. They also want to drill, drill, drill and build more nuclear power plants. Personally I think we are going to see more nuke plants in our future and don't rule out drill baby drill, but I would not want to see our country taken over by unregulated private enterprise, which is what would happen if they are given free reign.

Forget about the fact that these 'folks' would be the first to scream and yell if you tried to put a nuclear power plant or an oil rig in their back yard, or the fact that we can drill all we want but we will not even come close to meeting our present, or future petroleum needs if we don't start weaning ourselves from this addiction.

[AllShookUp]

02:18 PM on 10/14/2009

I don't believe these people know what they want. They have been given an opportunity to be unruly and rebellious and get all the attention they want on national television. They will be against anything they want to be against, even if it is at the expense of themselves just to be contrary. There is no way to reason with that type of mentality. If the GOP doesn't get it under control and apply reason to these people they will lose even more than they have already, if that's possible. It's already started, so they have some serious choices to make.

[AllShookUp]

02:21 PM on 10/14/2009

Sorry, what I meant to say was that if the GOP doesn't get it under control and rein them in, they will lose even more than they have already, if that's possible.

[Teresa201]

02:24 PM on 10/14/2009

Exactly.

Well said.

[SharpDressedMan]

02:54 PM on 10/14/2009

In the long term, decades from now, we will have more nuclear power plants and more offshore drilling. It's inevitable because fossil fuels won't last forever. For now those issues are contentious and political.

This doesn't mean teabaggers have a valid platform. They don't. They have no clue regarding the consequences of their wishes. Being ignorant of history, geography, geopolitics and economics leaves them vulnerable to predator power grabbers like health insurance companies, Dick Armey and other so called Republicans. If that's not bad enough, they wear their overt racism and bigotry like a badge of honor.

[AllShookUp]

01:32 PM on 10/14/2009

This is what happens when the GOP stirs up the crazy and create a monster, and now they're paying the price. Be careful what you ask for in your quest for crazy as legitimacy, GOP, you'll get alot more than you bargained for.

[Teresa201]

01:42 PM on 10/14/2009

It's sad really.......

The only thing the man has done outside party lines is vote for Sotomayor.

Now the 'monster' is in control and that is a huge problem for all of us.

[AllShookUp]

02:00 PM on 10/14/2009

I agree, it is sad. If any of these mega-extreme crazies (or should I say any more) are voted into office, it's possible we'll never get anything meaningful accomplished in this country again.

[SharpDressedMan]

02:00 PM on 10/14/2009

This seems like a dysfunctional parent / child relationship. The parent (GOP) wants to keep control of the rebellious child (teabaggers). The more the parent opposes the child's rebellion, the more the child rebels.

[aofh]

04:15 PM on 10/14/2009

I think the parent is encouraging unruly behavior when it suits the parent only to discover that he/she can't control the child at all. The parent is trying to live through the child.

[KayCo]

01:29 PM on 10/14/2009

Oops, I meant "quit" towing the GOP line. My mistake.

[KayCo]

01:28 PM on 10/14/2009

Kudos to Mr. Graham for finally taking a stand to try to do what is best for the country and keep towing the GOP line.

I hope more will come forward and ditch the right wing insanity

[SharpDressedMan]

02:17 PM on 10/14/2009

Lindsey Graham deserves praise but it's not all about bravery. This is an old tactic used by many politicians in the past. Lindsey, like others, depends on voters' short memories to raise controversial issues now when he is nowhere near his next in election in 2014. This is the time for him to test the waters and talk outside the party line.

The real test will come in future years closer to his election when he has to pander to voters.

[Teresa201]

02:58 PM on 10/14/2009

I was thinking he was trying to get money back in his state also because after Joe's stunt, a lot of people have cancelled vacations in S.C.
Rob Miller has raised almost $5 million and the GOP is losing ground down there!
Just my thought although I think he walks a fine line between the parties.

[kimbutgar]

01:08 PM on 10/14/2009

They only got themselves to blame they allowed the teabaggers/limpaugh and beck to become the spokesmen for their party. They created this monster of irrational and ignorant people. Now they have to live with them. Hee-hee!

[HazerX]

01:01 PM on 10/14/2009

"Birds of a feather, flock together" lol

[Ron44]

12:37 PM on 10/14/2009

You know, the whole repub bunch are candidates for the asylum!

[Nunnya]

12:32 PM on 10/14/2009

About time he got a personal taste of the Glenn Beck fan club.Rather nasty eh Lindsey?

[jsgaetano]

12:27 PM on 10/14/2009

That isn't fair. Lindsey is at LEAST a full sissy.

[Kim Rivers]

12:24 PM on 10/14/2009

WOOHOO...I am from Senator Graham's district and I am so PROUD of him. I would think many more of us from South Carolina are breathing a sign of relief ..that at least ONE of our Senators has the balls to do what is right !!.

[jsgaetano]

12:28 PM on 10/14/2009

If Lindsey wanted to do what was right, he'd quit politics and apologize for being a Republican.

[Teresa201]

12:40 PM on 10/14/2009

You need to let your Senator know how you feel.

I have to say standing in group like that would take my last nerve...
They are thrilled to keep needing oil from the middle east...
Unsure about drilling...
Unsure about everything really.

They have no solutions and don't want any....
Definitely a GOP group.

That's a shame.