Known for years as protégé, and close ally of the fellow late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., emerged Thursday as the chief point man for Judge Brett Kavanaugh's embattled nomination to the Supreme Court.
In short order, he appeared as less the lineal heir to the maverick McCain and more a trusted ally to President Donald Trump on key Senate maters — such as judicial nominations.
During the lunch break in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, Graham told a gaggle of reporters Kavanaugh's accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford "can't remember how she got there or how she left [referring to where she was allegedly assaulted by the nominee while in high school] — that's important for me. He says he didn't do it. I'm looking for corroboration."
Graham added "[t]his is not an emotional decision. This is a factual decision."
Citing his background as a lawyer and prosecutor in the military, Graham said to "my Democratic friends: If this is the new norm, you'd better, you'd better watch out for your nominees" — a not-too-veiled threat that a future Republican Senate would deploy the same manner of opposition Kavanaugh is facing to nominees of a future Democratic president."
Asked if he plans to vote on the nomination Friday, Judiciary Committee Member Graham replied: "I intend to."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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