Lindsey Graham’s fierce defense during the 2018 Kavanaugh hearings is one of those moments that will stick in memory: blunt, unapologetic, and aimed squarely at Democrats who tried to derail a confirmation with unproven accusations.
Sen. Lindsey Graham passed away suddenly last night, and for many on the right his legacy will include that unforgettable Senate floor moment in 2018. He dropped a verbal sledgehammer on the Democrats who, in his view, weaponized allegations to block a conservative nominee. That hearing was ugly, raw, and very revealing about how politics operates when power is the only goal.
The context matters. Brett Kavanaugh faced serious accusations that set off one of the nastiest confirmation fights in recent memory, and Graham made clear he saw the process as a setup. He argued the allegations were being held back and used as a political cudgel to stall and score points, not to seek truth. Kavanaugh ultimately joined the Supreme Court, but the fight left scars on Senate norms and on public trust.
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What made Graham’s intervention so striking was its tone and its target. He called out people he had worked with and even voted for, saying the tactics were beyond the pale. His rhetoric was blunt: this was not about justice, it was about power. That directness resonated with conservatives who felt the process had been hijacked.
Are you aware that at 9:23 on the night of July the 9th, the day you were nominated to the Supreme Court by President Trump, Senator Schumer said 23-minutes after your nomination, “I will oppose Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination with everything I have, I have (sic) a bipartisan — and I hope a bipartisan majority will do the same. The stakes are simply too high for anything less.” Well, if you weren’t aware of it, you are now.
Did you meet with Senator Dianne Feinstein on August 20th?
KAVANAUGH:
I did meet with Senator Feinstein…
GRAHAM:
Did you know that her staff had already recommended a lawyer to Dr. Ford?
KAVANAUGH:
… I did not know that.
GRAHAM:
Did you know that her and her staff had this — allegations for over 20 days?
KAVANAUGH:
I did not know that at the time.
GRAHAM:
If you wanted a FBI investigation, you could have come to us. What you want to do is destroy this guy’s life, hold this seat open and hope you win in 2020. You’ve said that, not me. You’ve got nothing to apologize for.
When you see Sotomayor and Kagan, tell them that Lindsey said hello because I voted for them. I would
