Graham sees a more likely
candidate
By Lee Bandy
SouthCarolina Insider
(3/31/08) U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham pooh-poohs talk about him or
any other South Carolinian being picked as the running mate for
presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain.
Gov. Mark Sanford and U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of Greenville have been
mentioned along with Graham in stories speculating about individuals
who might be selected.
“I don’ see any of us in South Carolina bringing a
whole lot of value to the ticket,” Graham said in an interview
with The State newspaper.
More likely, he said, would be a choice boosting national security
credentials or one from a region that could win McCain more votes.
Graham, a Republican from Seneca, is a close political ally of
McCain. The Arizona senator hardly goes anywhere without the South
Carolinian at his side.
The two recently visited Iraq.
Graham says the Iraqis are moving closer to establishing a national
government. They are setting aside sectarian differences in preparation
for October elections, he said.
The key is a proposal to divide oil revenues among all regions
of the country.
Graham attributed the turnaround to the “surge” strategy
of adding more troops in Iraq just more than a year ago.
Since then, he noted, U.S. and Iraqi forces have regained control
of some regions of the country.
The recent flare-up in Basra between Iraqi forces and Shiite militias
was dismissed by the Bush administration as something to be expected
as the various factions seek an advantage in the upcoming election.
Bush praised the Iraqi government for leading the fighting.
In his wide-ranging interview with The State, Graham also said
he supports a national energy bill pending in the U.S. Senate.
The measure was introduced by McCain.
Graham said it would help the United States to move toward clean
energy sources.
The legislation gives more incentives to nuclear power. |
