SC Runoff Debate Shows Graham’s Inadequacy
Conservative Ralph Norman and establishment favorite Darline Graham debated last night, and it was a clear display of experience vs. inexperience. Norman was prepared and he was articulate. He didn’t make any mistakes. Graham was unprepared, showed how unqualified she is for the position, continually repeated herself, and was constantly looking at notes her staffers prepared for her. Norman faced the crowd, moderators, and cameras, never looking down. After watching this debate, how anyone can look at Darline Graham as a qualified candidate is beyond me.
As Republicans, the pair agreed on several topics, including what to do about gas prices, the economy, cutting out fraud, social security, healthcare, and the evil human being that is Anthony Fauci. The contrast between the two (as well as the snippiness) began with the topic of the Iran conflict. Graham, at this point, just started using the exact same verbiage President Trump does. She said Iran is the weakest it has been in 42 years, and they cannot get a nuclear weapon. She said she trusts President Trump. That isn’t enough of an answer – merely repeating what we have already heard. Norman said he is not for endless wars, and that Iran thinks they will outlast Trump. Graham then brought up the Big Beautiful Bill for the first of about half a dozen times, saying Norman was against it. He retorted by claiming he held out to get the waste out of it, and made the bill better, ultimately voting for it.
Repeating herself was a theme Graham employed during the debate. Her inability to form new ideas led her to repeat the same things over and over. Not only that, one of the things she repeated over and over again is that she trusts Trump. Okay, but elaborate. Say something else. Give us more than that. Show us you have an original idea. The last local article written in this blog was entitled “Senate Seats Are Not Family Heirlooms.” Darline had a chance to show us last night that she was there for a reason other than being the sister of Lindsey Graham, and she failed miserably. Aside from looking down at her notes constantly there was a page flipped over the front of the podium most of the time. It’s a bad look because it implies she was relying too much on her notes (which she was).
There were two very telling moments in which Graham showed exactly how unqualified she was. The first happened early in the debate, when she claimed that South Carolina has 50 million people. Just a little off. It’s about 5.5 million. The second, more than just a gaffe, was when the topic of Taiwan and the South China Sea came up. I suppose her handlers were not ready for this one and didn’t provide notes, because her answer to this was simply, “I’m not that informed on national security.” She then said she supported the military, a statement that is way too broad, and again showing her lack of knowledge on the subject. Do you support funding them? How much? Should there be boots on the ground overseas? None of this was addressed. How can you apply for a job and not know what you are responsible for? National security is of the utmost importance. If we don’t have that, we have nothing. And she couldn’t answer a question about it.
Other topics discussed were Israel, AI, China, farmland, immigration, and birthright citizenship, all topics they mostly agreed on. Graham positioned herself as the one pushing the Save America Act, accused Norman of illegal hiring practices, and took a shot at him saying she did more in 20 days than he did in 20 years. It all fell short. Norman pointed out how the same PACs funding the left and the DSA are funding her as well. That needs to be looked into, but we already know the PACs that were behind Lindsey and are now behind her are corrupt. In South Carolina, Lindsey Graham and Darline Graham are about as left as can get elected, so they throw support behind the best they can do. They do not like Norman’s clear conservative record. Make no mistake, if the Grahams lived in New York, they would be Democrats. The R is simply a means of pulling the wool over the eyes of the people while corrupt money gets these rinos elected.
The primary runoff is Tuesday, August 25.