Audio has surfaced of Senator Lindsey Graham suggesting Joe Biden was the “best person” to lead the country after the January 6th riot at the Capitol.
The news comes from another audiotape released by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns for their new book titled, “This Will Not Pass.”
Graham’s comments suggest those in attendance at the Capitol that day do not represent the Republican Party and that Biden would unify the nation and make us stronger. That didn’t exactly pan out.
“We will actually come out of this thing stronger. Moments like this reset. It’ll take a while. People will calm down,” Graham (R-SC) can be heard remarking.
“People will [say] ‘I don’t want to be associated with that.’ This is a group within a group,” he added.
Not a great look for Lindsey Graham. pic.twitter.com/5YGMPpmrup
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) May 11, 2022
RELATED: Report: Lindsey Graham Threatened To Remove Trump With 25th Amendment On January 6
Lindsey Graham Loves Him Some Biden
As the audio continues, it’s quite clear that Lindsey Graham, at that moment in time, is relieved that Biden will be entering the White House soon.
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“Biden will be better, right?” asks a prodding Martin.
“Totally, he’ll be maybe the best person to have, right?” Graham replied. “I mean, how mad can you get at Joe Biden?”
Totally.
In another audiotape released by the reporters, Graham places blame for the January 6 riot squarely on former President Trump’s shoulders saying he “misjudged the passion” of his supporters.
“He plays the TV game and he went too far here,” the Republican senator said. “That rally didn’t help, talking about primarying Liz [Cheney]. He created a sense of revenge.”
Lindsey Graham on Trump after Jan. 6 attacks: “He plays the TV game and he went too far here… He created a sense of revenge.”
Also says President Biden was the “best person to have” after the January 6 insurrection. https://t.co/FXFmFcTnzT
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) May 11, 2022
Graham’s prediction was a total flop. Biden, it turns out, is pretty easy to get mad at, especially if you’re looking in your wallet these days. And he certainly hasn’t united the country in any way, shape, or form.
A Quinnipiac poll from January indicates a plurality of Americans – 49% – believe President Biden is doing more to divide the country than unite it.
Curiously not included in this #poll headline:
– Biden approval at 33%
– Over 50% disapprove of Biden on economy, foreign policy, COVID
– 70% say economy is not good
– A plurality, 49%, say Biden is doing more to divide the country
– GOP up on 2022 ballothttps://t.co/xveQOQr5Lt— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) January 12, 2022
RELATED: Trump Rips Lindsey Graham – ‘Lindsey’s A Nice Guy, But He’s A RINO’
Graham Threatened Trump With 25th Amendment
Look, I’m willing to give the man his due. If not for a fiery response by Graham during the nomination process, Brett Kavanaugh might not be a Supreme Court justice and we wouldn’t see liberals foaming at the mouth over Roe v. Wade right now.
That said, Lindsey Graham’s response to the January 6 riot differed very little from the media’s at the time and is downright AOC-esque in retrospect.
I’m half expecting to hear audio of the Senator claiming Ted Cruz is guilty of attempted murder.
As The Political Insider covered in March, research from the same book indicated Graham had threatened the White House with the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office during the Capitol riot.
Graham reportedly told then-White House counsel Pat Cipollone that if Trump didn’t denounce the rioters more aggressively “we’ll be asking you for the 25th Amendment.”
NEW: Lindsey GRAHAM threatened Trump with the 25th Amendment while the 1/6 siege was in progress@mikeallen w/first look at THIS WILL NOT PASS by @jmartNYT & me 👉 https://t.co/lrhdPa2TMl
Much more to come on Trump, Biden … everybody
Order it: https://t.co/TSjYPNqafo
— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) March 16, 2022
Graham also apparently urged police officers to use their guns during the riot, pressing them to “take back the Senate!”
Graham, according to one report, was livid that senators had been forced to flee their chambers due to protesters that had entered the Capitol.
“What are you doing? Take back the Senate! You’ve got guns. Use them,” he told police personnel. “We give you guns for a reason … Use them.”
Capitol Police officer Lieutenant Michael Byrd did use his gun during the riot, shooting unarmed Air Force veteran Ashley Babbitt as she attempted to climb through broken glass into the chamber.
Lindsey Graham told police to ‘use’ their guns against Jan. 6 rioters: ‘Take back the Senate!’https://t.co/BPreUKinWR
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 1, 2021
Graham also diverged from Trump more recently on the topic of granting pardons to individuals involved in non-violent actions during the Capitol riot.
“No, I don’t want to send any signal that it was OK to defile the Capitol,” Graham said in response to Trump making the suggestion. “I think it’s inappropriate … I don’t want to do anything that would make this more likely in the future.”
“I think it is inappropriate” — Lindsey Graham on Trump promising pardons to those convicted of crimes connected to the January 6 attack on Congress (Graham then tries to bothsides it by bringing up Kamala Harris) pic.twitter.com/Hr6Sgz8RPp
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 30, 2022
President Trump responded by calling Graham a ‘RINO’ and insisting he is “wrong” for opposing pardons.
“Well, Lindsey Graham’s wrong. I mean, Lindsey’s a nice guy, but he’s a RINO. Lindsey’s wrong,” Trump said in an interview.
President Trump Responding To @LindseyGrahamSC Calling Pardoning Jan 6 Political Prisoners “Inappropriate”
“Well, Lindsey Graham is wrong. I mean Lindsey is a nice guy, but he’s a RINO.”
“Lindsey Graham doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.”pic.twitter.com/XPD27l3Y5Z
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) February 2, 2022
RINO, of course, is an acronym for ‘Republican In Name Only,’ used frequently amongst conservatives for those GOP leaders who lack the intestinal fortitude to actually stand up for their professed values.
“Lindsey Graham doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about if he says that,” Trump added.
A statement from Graham’s office on the new audio indicates Biden is a changed man and that is why the senator’s prediction of him being a unifier fell flat.
“The Joe Biden we see as president is not the one we saw in the Senate,” a spokesman for Lindsey Graham said. “He’s pursued a far left agenda as President.”
There was absolutely every indication in the world during the campaign that Biden was morphing into the radical left-wing extremist he’s become.
That Graham thought it might be otherwise is baffling.
