What They Are Saying About Lindsey Graham at the #VotersFirst Forum in New Hampshire
The Guardian: “Lindsey Graham… Arguably The Candidate Who Packed The Most Punch”
(Sabrina Siddiqui, “Republican candidates' forum hears policy pitches in Trump-free zone,” The Guardian, 08/03/15)
Last night, Senator Graham participated in the Union Leader’s first ever Voters First Forum in Manchester, New Hampshire. In case you missed it, check out C-SPAN’s full video here and take a look at some of the coverage:
WMUR: Video: “Voters First Forum: Lindsey Graham on free trade, foreign hacking, ISIS”
(WMUR, “Voters First Forum: Lindsey Graham on free trade, foreign hacking, ISIS,” WMUR, 08/03/15)
Union Leader: “[Graham] Promised A Muscular Foreign Policy.”
“South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham promised a muscular foreign policy. He described his policy as a global leader as ‘a clenched fist or an open hand: you choose.’” (Dan Tuohy, “All eyes turn to nation's first primary state as Republican candidates take the stage,” Union Leader, 08/03/15)
Bloomberg: “Graham May Have Been The Victor Of The Evening”
“Gauging from the audience laugh-o-meter, Graham may have been the victor of the evening, getting chuckles for lines like ‘I'm fluent in Clinton-speak.’”(Emily Greenhouse, “The Trump-Less Extravaganza the Other GOP Contenders Had Been Hoping For,” Bloomberg, 08/04/15)
U.S. News & World Report: “The Most Memorable Response Of The Two-Hour Forum”
“’As to the Clintons, I've been dealing with this crowd for 20 years. I'm fluent in Clinton-speak. You want me to translate that? When he says, Bill says, 'I didn't have sex with that woman,' he did,’ Graham said… Then he turned on his possible 2016 opponent: ‘When she says, 'I'll tell you about building the pipeline when I get to be president,' it means she won't. And when she tells us, 'Trust me, you've got all the emails that you need,' we haven't even scratched the surface. So I understand this crowd and I can beat them and if we can't beat them it doesn't matter.’
“That tangent -- the most memorable response of the two-hour forum -- came out of a question about cybersecurity threats…[Graham’s] willingness to confront the Clintons on the most sensitive of matters is one way to grab voters' attention.”
(David Catanese, “Lindsey Graham Invokes Bill Clinton Sex Scandal In N.H. Forum,” U.S. News & World Report, 08/03/15)
The Boston Globe: “[Graham] Earned One Of The Warmest Receptions And Generated The Most Laughter In The Room.”
“Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina earned one of the warmest receptions and generated the most laughter in the room…Graham, a South Carolina Republican who plans to stake much of his candidacy on New Hampshire, showed up and brought some of the strongest language against Clinton by claiming he was ‘fluent in Clinton speak.’” (Matt Viser, “14 GOP candidates try to make mark at N.H. forum,” The Boston Globe, 08/04/15)
The Washington Post: “In Perhaps The Most Searing Criticism Of The Evening, [Graham] Said He Is ‘Fluent In Clinton Speak’”
“In perhaps the most searing criticism of the evening, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) said he is ‘fluent in Clinton speak’ and accused former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, of lying about her private e-mail server in the same way Bill Clinton misled the country about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.” (Sean Sullivan, “14 Republican candidates not named Trump did some political speed dating. Here’s how they tried to stand out.,” The Washington Post, 08/03/15)
Reuters: “[Graham] Declared Himself Uniquely Qualified To Take On Democrat Hillary Clinton”
“Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina got in what was arguably the zinger of the night when he declared himself uniquely qualified to take on Democrat Hillary Clinton in a general election matchup in November 2016. Clinton is currently the front runner among Democrats seeking the presidential nomination.” (Reuters, “Illegal immigration a dominant theme at Republican forum even without Trump,” Reuters, 08/03/15)
NPR: “[Graham] Had The Line Of The Night”
“South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham…had the line of the night, getting the most laughs, as he forcefully attacked Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, painting her as untrustworthy. ‘I've been dealing with this crowd for 20 years. I'm fluent in Clinton-speak…’” (Jessica Taylor, “Much Like Speed Dating, Republicans Try Their Best, Short Pitches,” NPR, 08/03/15)
NYT: “[Graham] Offered To Translate What He Called ‘Clinton-Speak’ For The Audience.”
“Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina mischievously offered to translate what he called “Clinton-speak” for the audience. When Bill says, ‘I didn’t have sex with that woman,’ he did,” Mr. Graham said. Turning to Mrs. Clinton, he added that when she promised to give her position on the Keystone XL pipeline, “it means she won’t.” (Jeremy W. Peters and Michael Barbaro, “Confrontation Is Avoided in Forum for Republican Presidential Candidates,” NYT, 08/03/15)
