The last journey of Lindsey Graham
Columbia, S.C.: Sen. Lindsey Graham returned for the last time Wednesday to South Carolina, where powerful friends remembered him as someone who never stopped working
Columbia, S.C.: Sen. Lindsey Graham returned for the last time Wednesday to South Carolina, where powerful friends remembered him as someone who never stopped working for the state he loved.After Graham was eulogized Tuesday in the nation's capital as an indefatigable dealmaker by the president, vice president and others, mourners in Columbia recalled him as the son of pool hall owners who "was born with a plastic fork in his mouth," as former Rep. Trey Gowdy put it.Also Read: Lindsey Graham's funeral to be attended by Trump, Netanyahu, Zelenskiy as Washington bids farewell to key allyThe Republican seemed to know every mayor and small-town police chief and the location of every Chick-fil-A in South Carolina, and made sure GOP candidates had money to run in legislative and local elections across the state."Lindsey Graham understood the hopes and dreams and needs of his state and delivered every time," said Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who ended his remarks by telling Graham he loved him.Friends recall his humor, work ethic and love of peopleGraham died suddenly on July 11 at his home in Washington, likely of an aortic tear, according to preliminary findings. He had just returned from a whirlwind trip to a NATO summit in Turkey, where he celebrated his 71st birthday, and a visit to Ukraine as he negotiated punishing sanctions against Russia. Senators voted late Tuesday to advance the package as a final gesture for their colleague.Wednesday's funeral was at First Baptist, the giant downtown church where his predecessor Republican Sen.
Strom Thurmond was eulogized 23 years ago.One of Graham's many friends in Congress, Gowdy said the senator rose to power through humor, genuine caring for all people and a relentless work ethic. He joked the governor should change the name of the state capital of Columbia to honor Graham, even though his friend wouldn't want it.Also Read: Lindsey Graham may be dead, but his ‘bunker-buster’ looms over India"It wasn't the trapping of office he cared about. It was the work," Gowdy said.Graham also remembered for peacemaking and unpopular votesGowdy spoke for nearly 30 minutes. He remembered a man who knew who he was, cast unpopular votes because they were the right thing to do, loved kids even though he was never married or a father - one joking bit of advice Graham gave youngsters was to "never do for yourself what someone else will do for you" - and was the least pretentious person in politics."He was the worst at carrying a grudge," Gowdy related, drawing laughter from the crowd. "I had to keep a list of who we were mad at because he could not remember who had done what."People who thought Graham was a warmonger were wrong, Gowdy said. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "Lindsey liked war.""Blessed be the peacemakers. He was on a trip that turned out to be his last trip trying to broker peace in a war where hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives," Gowdy said.Democratic U.S. Rep.
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