Senator Graham: The "John McCain of South Carolina?"

I'm sending the following letter to my Senator:

The Honorable Lindsey Graham
United States Senate
290 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510


Saturday, May 21, 2005

Dear Senator Graham:

You ran for office on a platform of supporting President Bush, including his constitutional authority to appoint judges to the federal bench.

I am alarmed by stories in the press suggesting you may be developing a compromise to appease Senate Democrats that would undermine the President and his constitutional power to appoint.

Even your opponent, Mr. Sanders, claimed to respect the President’s prerogative in this manner.

As you know, this fight over judicial nominations is merely a prelude to a confrontation over a nomination by President Bush to the Supreme Court. Appeasing Senate Democrats now will embolden them at that crucial time. Reports are that Democrats would promise not to filibuster a Supreme Court nomination unless there were “extraordinary circumstances.� With Senators like Boxer, Kennedy and Reid still struggling with the meaning of the word “is� you can imagine how easily they might redefine those circumstances.

Senator, I respect the work you are doing on behalf of our state. However, I would not want you to become known as the John McCain of South Carolina. I strongly urge you to fully support the President’s constitutional authority to nominate judges and perform your duty to advise and consent by voting FOR confirmation of the President’s appointees.