‘Just shut up!’ Lindsey Graham clashes with member of the public at South Carolina presidential forum on US support for Ukraine: ‘If you believe in families, stand up for families everywhere’
- Senator Lindsey Graham slammed an audience member who called him a ‘warmonger’ and ‘not a real conservative’
- He told the attendee at a conservative forum in South Carolina on Saturday to “shut up”, “get out of here” and “get elected” if he wants to get on stage and speak.
- The attack came in response to Graham’s support for the US sending financial aid and arms to Ukraine in its war with Russia
Lindsey Graham slammed a member of the public while saying those who support family values should also support the United States which is sending billions in aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
A man in the audience at the Palmetto Family Matters Conservative Forum in Charleston, South Carolina, told Senator Graham he was “not a real conservative” and accused him of being a “warmonger” during his two separate explosions.
The combative senator refused to let the participant in the first presidential forum in his home country overshadow his high-profile discussion where he defended support for Ukraine despite other Republicans calling for the cancellation of the “blank check “.
“He was a guy,” Graham told DailyMail.com after his remarks, clearly uninterested in the clash.
“I think the guy is a weirdo,” he added. “I thought most people agreed with what I said.”
GOP Senator Lindsey Graham told an audience member to ‘shut up’ after arguing over his staunch support for Ukraine at a conservative presidential forum in South Carolina on Saturday
Graham told a combative participant at the forum on Saturday: “Get out of here!” If you want to speak, go run and get elected’
Graham was asked by the MC and forum moderator to speak on the hot topic of the GOP’s wavering support for sending financial and arms aid to Ukraine.
“Do you believe in family values? How would you like this to happen to your family? he added to the crowd of a few hundred gathered at the Charleston Area Convention Center.
‘It is!’ an audience member shouted towards the stage where Graham was seated.
‘Just shut up. Get out of here!’ Graham replied, clearly frustrated after a few outbursts from the same individual.
“If you want to speak, run and get elected. So here’s the deal, if Putin –,” he continued, before being interrupted again.
“You are not a real curator!” cried the obstinate spectator.
“I’m really conservative. If you believe in family, stand up for families everywhere, right? Don’t you think that God created us all in his image. If Putin gets away with it, there’s Taiwan.
“What was Putin accused of yesterday?” The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against the President of Russia for kidnapping children from Ukraine and sending them to Russia,” the senator said.
Graham is the only non-first-term senator to have endorsed former President Donald Trump’s third bid for the White House so far.
Graham said that supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia is “standing[ing] for families around the world. Pictured: Apartments pictured on March 18, 2023 in Donestsk, Ukraine collapsed during Russia’s year-long invasion of the Eastern European country
He stood with Trump when he visited the state capital of Columbia earlier this year during his first major public campaign through the early states of New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Trump did not attend the forum on Saturday despite being invited.
When Graham was announced onstage Saturday, the attendee who obviously has a problem with the senator shouted, “You’re a warmonger.”
‘Warmonger? You’re at the wrong meeting, Graham chuckled, but quickly moved on.
Graham was only the second speaker on Saturday – following remarks by Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana.
Following the senator’s remarks, several other discussions and speeches took place, including from former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who plans to run for the White House.
The event ends with remarks from previously announced presidential candidates Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina and Trump-era ambassador to the United Nations; and biotech multi-millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy.
