Former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) has called on Sen. Lindsey Graham to ditch former President Donald Trump after the South Carolina Republican was ruthlessly booed at a Trump rally over the weekend and that the ex-president came to his defense only reluctantly.
“I don’t think humiliation is a strong enough word,” McCaskill said in Wednesday’s “Morning Joe” while discussing Graham’s rally appearance in South Carolina on Saturday.
But “the humiliation here is not what the crowd did, it’s what Donald Trump did,” added the former senator, political analyst for MSNBC and NBC.
Trump treated Graham “like he was a lump of dirt under his shoe,” McCaskill said.
Graham first criticized Trump ahead of the 2016 election but has become one of his biggest advocates. However, he dismissed Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen, and supporters of the 2024 candidate allegedly chanted “traitor” at him at the recent rally. Trump said he liked Graham, then added, “It’s half and half.”
McCaskill sent a direct message to Graham during his television appearance.
“Lindsey, it’s not working,” she said. “You cannot put aside your convictions and your character to support this man. It will not work.”
“So, Lindsey, find yourself right now. Use this as a teachable moment,” McCaskill added. You must be Lindsey, not some embarrassing sycophant leeching to this man’s side, I’d say this man’s behind.
It’s “just beyond sad and depressing,” she said.
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