This post was originally published on this site.
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Within the space of about 36 hours, two men who couldn’t be more opposite in almost every way – and both bearing the name “Graham” – exited the political stage. One, Graham Platner, had been exposed as a Nazi-loving sexual predator whose “everyman oyster farmer” persona was as phony as the left’s “Joe Biden is as sharp as a tack” narrative.
The other, Lindsey Graham, used his Southern charm and wit to disarm even his more hostile opponents. For example, he and Donald Trump started as the bitterest of political enemies when they both ran for president in 2016 and ended up such close allies that the president described the senator as “family” following his passing this past weekend.
“He’s a tough one to lose. He was great — he was unique in every way… I just can’t believe it. He was like a member of the family to me. It’s very tough, actually. He was such an advocate.”
It’s one of life’s weird coincidences that the two Grahams grabbed so many of the headlines over the course of a few days for such vastly different reasons – Platner finally brought down under the weight of his own degeneracy, and Lindsey departing this earthly plane having honorably just told President Trump, “We’re all set for the SAVE America Act.”
“He called, and he said, ‘We’re all set for the SAVE America Act.’ He was pushing the SAVE America Act like crazy. He got back, said he just landed from Ukraine. I said, ‘That’s a long trip to make.’ He said he sounded a little tired, but perfect, but a little bit tired,” Trump said.
Believe it or not, Graham and Graham actually had some similarities. Both were military veterans – Platner served around eight years in the Marines and the Army reserves, while Lindsey retired as a colonel after serving 33 years in that U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve – and both were candidates for the U.S. Senate in 2026.
And that’s about it. The two men otherwise took vastly different paths in life.
READ MORE: Breaking: Graham Platner Officially Ends Senate Run on Vulgar Note – ‘F**k ICE. Free Palestine.’
Best Way to Honor Lindsey Graham: Pass the SAVE America Act Now
Graham Platner, of course, was a manufactured candidate whose thin veil of “everyman runs for office” was quickly pierced when stories started emerging last summer of Nazi tattoos, alcoholism, and inappropriate behavior towards women. And it only got worse from there – racist Reddit posts surfaced, as did increasingly serious accusations from past romantic partners that this Graham wasn’t just a jerk, he was an out-and-out abuser and serial cheater.
The man who proclaimed he “had never been near wealth,” as it turned out, spent time at ritzy private schools as a teen, was gifted $200,000 by his parents for the purchase of his first house, and operated an oyster farm whose scant customer base included his mother. His whole fabricated “man’s man” biography was a sham. It was an obvious case of “fakery in the bakery” (credit to my friend Denise for that saying).
Platner’s fellow Democrats happily joined in the gaslighting of voters because they were that desperate to seem normal to male voters and strip away Susan Collins’ Senate seat. Elizabeth Warren said he was her “kind of man” (gag), and Ro Khanna debased himself when he stood by Platner despite the mounting accusations that Platner was an abuser of women.
By comparison, Lindsey Graham was born into a poor family and didn’t have to create a fictional bio because his real one was that impressive. He adopted and raised his younger sister when both of his parents died, served as a JAG in the Air Force, was elected to the House, and then to Senate.
His resume was everything Graham Platner wasn’t and could never be. Just listen to the short eulogy given by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster as he named Lindsey’s sister to be his interim Senate replacement: “Lindsey Graham recognized the greatness of America, the seriousness of his work, and also the value of human and lighthearted spirit. He understood the hopes, dreams, and needs of his state and delivered for his state every time.”
A quick gander around the RedState website will tell you that we didn’t always agree with the senior senator from South Carolina on these pages; he particularly frustrated conservatives on things like immigration and foreign involvement, but he also infuriated liberals and regularly bewildered nearly everyone paying attention. But, no serious person could argue that he lacked courage, conviction, patriotism, or a willingness to enter the arena – qualities far out of reach for the Graham Platners of the world.
There are Grahams, and then there are Grahams.
One Graham spent the past year being packaged by Democrats as the future of American politics, only to watch his carefully constructed image collapse beneath an avalanche of scandals and a deeply disturbing allegations. The other Graham spent more than three decades serving his country in uniform and another three decades representing the people of South Carolina in Washington, D.C. He died shortly after returning from yet another overseas mission on America’s behalf.
Lindsey Graham went out in a blaze of glory, while Graham Platner takes his rightful place on the ash heap of history.
As we bid a fond and hearty good riddance to Platner – may we never see his hirsute face again – we also wish Lindsey godspeed and a peaceful eternal rest.
