BRET BAIER: Lindsey Graham was a true defender of America and a bridge builder

Lindsey Graham was a consequential senator. If determination was an important issue, helium was close determination connected apical of it. But that’s not the full story. The essence of his character, the shaping of his background, the joyousness helium recovered successful radical and successful the governmental process, and the joyousness helium brought to those astir him, is the large story.

Over the years I had an accidental to spot Lindsey astatine enactment connected galore occasions, and to perceive his passionateness for the issues. He could beryllium the astir entertaining idiosyncratic astatine immoderate meal table, but his wit was matched by a razor-sharp caput that was ever considering however to lick the adjacent problem. He ne'er stopped working. The nighttime helium died he’d conscionable returned from Kyiv, Ukraine wherever he’d met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Lindsey’s emotion for radical shined through. He had a peculiar entreaty and was socially gifted. Maybe that came from his aboriginal years hanging retired successful the backmost country of his parents’ bar, wherever helium learned the good creation of schmoozing. People from each locomotion of beingness crossed his path, and helium was funny successful them all.

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Lindsey besides learned aboriginal successful beingness the meaning of commitment. His parent died erstwhile helium was 20, followed by his begetter months later. Lindsey became the ineligible guardian for his 13-year-old sister Darline, who erstwhile called him "a brother, a begetter and a parent rolled into one." He raised her to adulthood, and they person ever been highly close. With Lindsey’s death, Darline has been appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to decorativeness her brother’s term, which expires astatine the opening of 2027.

Lindsey’s decease connected July 11 astatine the property of 71 capped a Congressional vocation that began successful 1992 successful the South Carolina House, past the U.S. House for 8 years, and the U.S. Senate since 2003. From 1995-2015 helium simultaneously served successful the Air Force Reserves. His passing brought a flood of tributes, including tearful memories from his colleagues connected some sides of the aisle. Their disputes melted distant arsenic they recalled their friend. What struck maine astir was however truthful galore of them had stories astir Lindsey’s passionateness for uncovering communal crushed truthful helium could get things done.

I often observed that Lindsey loved to marque a deal. He could enactment with anybody and threw himself into the astir challenging nationalist issues, laboring alongside radical with whom helium differed connected different issues. He ne'er fto the differences get successful the way—although helium ne'er pulled his punches erstwhile helium disagreed, and helium did passionately disagree with the near connected galore occasions.

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Yet those aforesaid radical summoned up sincere praise for him successful the days pursuing his death. Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin spoke with evident fondness erstwhile helium recalled emotionally, "Lindsey, for galore years, was the lone Republican consenting to co-sponsor the Dream Act, a measure that I introduced implicit 20 years agone and reintroduced successful successive Congresses, providing extortion to undocumented immigrants brought to this state arsenic children, his enactment took guts. At a clip erstwhile issues surrounding migration were becoming politically toxic, Lindsey stuck his cervix retired for maine and for these young people. I volition ne'er ever forget."

New Jersey Democrat Corey Booker shared a akin experience, recounting their collaboration connected important legislation. He admired Lindsey and appreciated his uniqueness. Booker recounted however a White House negotiator had erstwhile told him that "Lindsey Graham was similar an unguided missile. That God, helium ne'er knew which mode helium was going to go, whether helium would travel backmost and deed you, but erstwhile helium was aligned, erstwhile helium would beryllium successful the close spot astatine the close time, man, helium could get things done that different radical couldn't, and bring a batch of airy and caller possibilities to the efforts."

The time aft Lindsey’s death, Senate Majority Leader John Thune spoke successful the senate. With tears successful his eyes helium said, "I travel to the level contiguous with a dense heart. I look to my right, and I spot a table which we successful the Senate notation to and cognize arsenic the John Calhoun table is covered with a achromatic shroud, and connected apical of that shroud is simply a vessel of achromatic roses. That is contiguous arsenic Lindsey Graham's desk. It's hard to judge that Lindsey Graham is nary longer present with us. That we won't tally into him astatine a media time oregon stock a gag with him astatine this afternoon's vote. The halls of the Senate already consciousness bare without him, and I cognize I'm not unsocial successful that feeling. He was a person to truthful galore of america connected some sides of the aisle."

A vase of achromatic roses was near connected U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham's table successful representation of the lawmaker successful the Senate's chambers connected July 13, 2026. (Pool)

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One of my favourite interactions with Lindsey came successful 2022 astatine the Edward M. Kennedy Institute successful Boston, wherever an nonstop replica of the U.S. Senate enclosure had been erected. There I hosted a statement betwixt Bernie Sanders and Lindsey Graham, who were fierce ideological rivals, but who shared that communal chord of civility and respect.

I retrieve good Lindsey’s opening remarks: "This spot is awesome!" helium declared, looking astir the legislature enclosure replica. He explained, "We’re present to grant Ted and Orrin—Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch, who were large friends. They fought similar tigers, but they could enactment together. And I person a antithetic instrumentality connected things than Bernie, but I similar Bernie." I was struck by Lindsey’s notation to Kennedy and Hatch. They were lions successful the senate, and Lindsey was too, each belonging to an epoch erstwhile legislative disputes did not transportation implicit into idiosyncratic grudge matches. 

People similar Lindsey were moving toward a instrumentality to that idea, and the statement with Sanders was a measurement successful that direction. The statement displayed their differences, but besides astonishing areas of commonality, specified arsenic connected weapon control. At the end, they were some smiling, and they agreed that the statement had been fun.

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Lindsey was a large believer successful getting along, nary substance what it took. During his short-lived run for president successful 2015, helium noted approvingly however Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill met unneurotic regularly for drinks astatine the White House, adjacent though they were connected other sides. "That’s the archetypal happening I’m going to bash arsenic president," helium promised. "We’re going to portion more."

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Those who knew Lindsey understood that 1 of his large loves was golf. I played with him galore times. 

Was helium a bully golfer? Not particularly. But helium was highly amusive to play with. He recognized the value of the crippled arsenic a societal bonding activity. He’d marque you consciousness bully to beryllium with him. Which is 1 of the astir important qualities of a play partner, a friend, and a statesman.

It’s a large crushed we’ll miss having him successful our lives.

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