Big donor (switched support from Graham to Dem) posts explanation on FB.

[blm]

Dick Wilkerson
17 hrs
Some of you have seen in news reports that I have endorsed Jaime Harrison for the U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina against Lindsey Graham. Reactions have varied from support (most people) to threats to never buy Michelin tires (I suppose these people don’t know that I retired 8 years ago but seem to want to punish the outstanding working people at the company I love). Most of you who know me realize that I hardly ever make political comments on Facebook, but with the publication of my endorsement, I feel like giving my friends an explanation.

I supported Lindsey Graham until 2017. I saw him as a moderate Republican who could work across the aisle to get positive change made. But I started having real misgivings about him when he failed to mount any significant defense when Donald Trump attacked his best friend, John McCain. I asked myself, “What is the character of a man who will not defend his best friend? If he won’t defend John McCain, why would I expect him to defend any of us in South Carolina?” My conclusion was that he was more interested in currying favor, than honoring the memory of a true American hero whom he had described as his best friend. I was extremely disappointed.

Then, the willingness to work across the aisle seemed to vanish. I do not want to say that this was the fault of all Republicans. I see it as a reflection of both parties, but Lindsey was leading the way. His criticism of the behavior of the President morphed into blind defense.

Finally, he supported tax change which disproportionately favored the more wealthy of us while providing comparatively small benefit to working people. Recently, he tried to block the PPP because he felt that it provided unemployment benefits that were too high for the working people who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 crisis. So it apparently, it is okay to share government dollars with those of us who don’t truly need the money, but deny any small windfall to working people who have lost their jobs. These two actions tell me who is important to him, and I don’t agree with his direction.

Lindsey used to be criticized by the more conservative people in the Republican Party for being a RINO. They felt that his moderate stance on issues until 2017 was inappropriate. He is no longer that person and that is why I decided two years ago to end my support. I wrote to him and let him know that I no longer recognized him as the man I once supported.

In 2019, I was excited when I learned that Jaime Harrison was going to run for the Senate. I had known Jaime for years and had been impressed with his intelligence, his genuine warmth and concern for all people, and his moderate stance on the issues that confront us. I had seen him work effectively with people from both parties. I believe that we need people like Jaime who will get us to listen to each other and craft the best decisions for all of us and stop the bitter win/lose that is dividing us. Democrats, Republicans, Independents are all citizens of our great country. We are at out best when we respect each other, listen to each other, and work together to find solutions. Jaime can help us get there and that is why I strongly endorse him.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. I truly believe

Harrison has a shot. Have given donations to him twice as an out of stater. Guy has an amazing 'who I am story'.

[Stuart G]

2. Thank You for posting this..

[captain queeg]

3. Don't know Jaime but I hate Lyndsey so this is good.

[wishstar]

4. Jaime must have some big donors to be able to run his TV ad during evening news every day

My ABC affiliate that covers western NC where I live plus Greenville/Spartanburg upstate of SC runs his excellent positive ads every day.

During primary season Graham was running a negative ad against Jaime, but for several weeks now the only ads I see are Jaime's.

[lagomorph777]

11. Leningrad Lindsey running out of Roubles?

Maybe he needs to have a chat with Uncle Vlad.

[theaocp]

5. What a douchebag.

Then, the willingness to work across the aisle seemed to vanish. I do not want to say that this was the fault of all Republicans. I see it as a reflection of both parties, but Lindsey was leading the way.

Give your money and then fuck off. Scumbag.

[Aristus]

8. Yeah, I caught that, too.

I fucking hate 'both-siders'. If it doesn't hurt your balls straddling the fence all the time, it must be because you don't have any...

[Neema]

9. I wish I could like this post. Perfectly said.

[flying_wahini]

10. Ouch! LOL!

[Pacifist Patriot]

18. Stealing!

[jaxexpat]

19. If more fences were made of barbed wire,

There would be less fence straddling.

[NNadir]

17. This reminds me of what Winston Churchill, as strong an anticommunist as there was, said when...

...Hitler invaded the Soviet Union.

"If Hitler invaded Hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons!"

Lindsay Graham is a poor excuse for a human being, a stain on the credibility of the US Senate, a rabid supporter of the criminal in the White House, a racist "kook" as Graham had it before surrendering any integrity he had, and he chose to do an about face to worship a godless. incompetent, ignorant pussy grabbing, corrupt, uneducated buffoon.

In this case, the enemy of our enemy who supports a friend should be a friend, I think.

[C_U_L8R]

6. What is the character of a man who will not defend his best friend?

Exactly.

[CatWoman]

16. I always knew his stabbing McCain in the heart would come back to haunt him

[MLAA]

7. Excellent, and a very thoughtful explanation of his endorsement.

I think this will resonate with others.

[Wounded Bear]

12. Lindsey was a moderate? Who knew...

Thanks for your support, I guess.

[Grins]

13. That "work across the aisle" crap...

“(Graham’s) willingness to work across the aisle seemed to vanish.”

If you hadn’t noticed, Mr. Wilkerson, that all ended in the early 90’s with Newt Gingrich, and became a raging, uncontrolled GOP policy inferno at 12:05PM on 20 January 2009.

Surprised you missed that...

[Pluvious]

14. Events like these give me hope n/t

[TlalocW]

15. I've long said that Graham is like Chester from the Warner Brothers cartoon of the 40s

Of the two dogs, Spike and Chester, who torment Sylvester. Graham needs an alpha dog to attach himself to to feel manly about himself. His first choice, McCain, was... okay, but when he died, Graham didn't have anyone else so he went bouncing to Donald (Want to chase cars, Donald? Huh? Huh? Do ya? Huh?).

In the the cartoon, Spike keeps getting his ass handed to him by a panther or leopard that escaped from a zoo, thinking each time they had cornered Sylvester, finally resulting in Spike being scared, and Chester manhandling Sylvester, making him the alpha dog. That won't happen with Lindsay.

TlalocW