Sen Graham: Cruz Is A Disruptive Influence Who Threw Republicans ‘Under The Bus’ With Govt Shutdown

“Beyond crazy. Insane on foreign policy, he has no idea what he is talking about. His domestic agenda is a bunch of gibberish. He is saying things that have no chance of becoming reality. He has an 81% disapproval rating with Hispanics. So if you want to make Hillary Clinton president, elect Donald Trump. His numbers with young women are terrible, he has through the roof negatives with Hispanics, we’ll get creamed in my view.”

–Graham on why Hillary beats Trump

Senator Lindsey Graham joined Kilmeade & Friends to explain why he feels Donald Trump will not beat Hillary Clinton for president, why Sen Cruz is the most disruptive influence in the Senate, why he is supporting Jeb Bush for president, who the only other candidate besides Cruz & Trump he would have a hard time supporting if they were the GOP presidential nominee and his thoughts on the prisoner swap with Iran.

Watch here:

If Trump wins the GOP nominee

(GRAHAM) I can just tell you this, that means Hillary Clinton is president. The only thing I know for sure

(BRIAN) You don’t think Donald Trump could beat Hillary?

(GRAHAM) No, not even close

(BRIAN) The woman who is struggling with a socialist?

(GRAHAM) Not even close. Dishonest beats crazy.

(BRIAN) You look at Trump as crazy?

(GRAHAM) Beyond crazy. Insane on foreign policy, he has no idea what he is talking about. His domestic agenda is a bunch of gibberish. He is saying things that have no chance of becoming reality. He has an 81% disapproval rating with Hispanics…So if you want to make Hillary Clinton president, elect Donald Trump. His numbers with young women are terrible, he has through the roof negatives with Hispanics, we’ll get creamed in my view.

Graham on Trump-Cruz feud

(GRAHAM) I think its taking us away from how to defend the nation. Number one, Ted Cruz was born in Canada, I have no doubt he is eligible to run for president of the United States. I have no doubt he would be an idealog in the eyes of most Americans. He has been a senator. He has been the most disruptive influence in the senate, he hasn’t passed anything meaningful. His idea to shut down the government to get Barack Obama to repeal Obamacare made no sense to me, it hurt the Republican party.

(BRIAN) But people say he stood up for principle

(GRAHAM) No, I think he stood up for Ted and threw the Republican party under the bus. When I said Ted, this is no the way to repeal Obamacare, do you think Bush would have signed a bill repealing the Bush tax cuts had the democrats had done this?

(BRIAN) No

(GRAHAM) Ok, we would have said you are a bunch of nuts to try to make the president repeal a law that was passed because you don’t like it, by shutting the government down. Well, Ted’s idea of shutting the government down to get Barack Obama to sign a bill that would repeal the signature issue was stupid, he used it to raise money, it hurt the Republican Party and here is what I hate most about what he did, he accused me and others who disagreed with the tactic, of being for Obamacare. Remember the Sandy Hook shooting? He was going to filibuster a debate on gun control. We won every vote on the floor. The worst thing the republican party could have done is saying we don’t want a debate. No, I don’t think he is ready to be president, I don’t think he is mature enough, I think he is all over the board on foreign policy. He is more of a libertarian than he is a Ronald Reagan conservative, he changes with the wind. I don’t dislike him as a person but they will cream him, almost anybody else can win.

(BRIAN) Do you think he is the most disliked person in the senate as was indicated on this show from Rand Paul?

(GRAHAM) I don’t dislike him, I think he is the least respected. I think what he does is get ahead at other peoples expense. When he accused me of being for Obamacare because I did not agree with his tactics of repealing Obamacare, that was very offensive. I have never been for Obamacare but I had people in South Carolina saying why are you voting for Obamacare? I said, what are you talking about? Well, you weren’t with Cruz.

(BRIAN) And you were up for election

(GRAHAM) Yeah. You know it really pissed me off. It’s ok to disagree on tactics but to accuse your college of being for Obamacare when you know they are not. Because they don’t agree with your tactics is a bridge too far for me.

(BRIAN) Besides Trump & Cruz, is there anybody else you would have trouble supporting?

(GRAHAM) Rand Paul

(BRIAN) Do you think Rand Paul made the right decision not to show up in the second tier debate?

(GRAHAM) I can’t say.

(BRIAN) Did you ever get tempted to say the same thing?


(GRAHAM) I was frustrated but no, I just took the opportunity. I understand his frustration. I hate the process that uses national polling the way it has so I am sympathetic to Rand. I don’t dislike Rand but he is a libertarian at a time when we need somebody who is a Ronald Reagan type conservative.