Lindsey Graham was a consequential senator. If there was an important issue, he was right there on top of it. But thats not the whole story. The essence of his character, the shaping of his background, the joy he found in people and in the political process, and the joy he brought to those around him, is the big story.
Over the years I had an opportunity to see Lindsey at work on many occasions, and to hear his passion for the issues. He could be the most entertaining person at any dinner table, but his wit was matched by a razor-sharp mind that was always considering how to solve the next problem. He never stopped working. The night he died hed just returned from Kyiv, Ukraine where hed met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Lindseys love for people shined through. He had a special appeal and was socially gifted. Maybe that came from his early years hanging out in the back room of his parents bar, where he learned the fine art of schmoozing. People from every walk of life crossed his path, and he was interested in them all.
Lindsey also learned early in life the meaning of commitment. His mother died when he was 20, followed by his father months later. Lindsey became the legal guardian for his 13-year-old sister Darline, who once called him “a brother, a father and a mother rolled into one.” He raised her to adulthood, and they have always been extremely close. With Lindseys death, Darline has been appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to finish her brothers term, which expires at the beginning of 2027.
Lindseys death on July 11 at the age of 71 capped a Congressional career that began in 1992 in the South Carolina House, then the U.S. House for eight years, and the U.S. Senate since 2003. From 1995-2015 he simultaneously served in the Air Force Reserves. His passing brought a flood of tributes, including tearful memories from his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Their disputes melted away as they recalled their friend. What struck me most was how so many of them had stories about Lindseys passion for finding common ground so he could get things done.
I often observed that Lindsey loved to make a deal. He could work with anybody and threw himself into the most challenging public issues, laboring alongside people with whom he differed on other issues. He never let the differences get in the wayâalthough he never pulled his punches when he disagreed, and he did passionately disagree with the left on many occasions.
Yet those same people summoned up sincere praise for him in the days following his death. Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin spoke with obvious fondness when he recalled emotionally, “Lindsey, for many years, was the only Republican willing to co-sponsor <a href="https://f
