Don't count Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., among top Republicans whistling cheerfully about former President Donald Trump's debate performance Tuesday night against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Graham, speaking to reporters in the post-debate spin room, admitted he vented at the TV because he didn't like Trump's response after Harris criticized his record, called the debate a "missed opportunity" for Trump and advised the former president to better defend his record if a second debate occurs, Politico reported Wednesday.
"She said, 'We inherited a mess,'" Graham said. "I was yelling and screaming, 'No you didn't – you inherited low gas prices, a secure border, a vaccine for COVID, you inherited the biggest Mideast change of my lifetime, the Abraham Accords, and now everything is to [expletive].'"
Asked what Trump should do if there is a second debate, Graham said, "Tighten up."
"What I was hoping for was: 'When I left we had the most secure border in 40 years, mortgage rates were below 3 percent, gas was $1.87, the Abraham Accords, energy independent, you screwed it all up,'" Graham said.
Graham called the debate a "missed opportunity," because Trump "had a chance to lay it all out."
"The central theme is 'a nation in decline and if you could have done it, why haven't you done it?'" said Graham, according to Politico.
Trump, however, did touch on those themes in his closing remarks.
"I told him: 'Your closing was great. If you do another debate, just effectively prosecute what you had and where we're at,'" Graham said, according to Politico.
When asked if he would call Trump to reinforce his message, Graham said, "Yes."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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