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President Donald Trump said Sunday that the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation hearing was the South Carolina Republican’s “finest moment,” as the president remembered the senator following Graham’s sudden death Saturday.
“I think his finest moment was his defense of Brett Kavanaugh, who’s a terrific guy,” Trump told CNN’s “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper during a phone interview.
Trump recalled the senator’s fiery denunciation of Senate Democrats during Kavanaugh’s September 2018 appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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“And was treated very, very unfairly by the Democrats, very unfairly. I’ve never seen anything like it. Maybe the worst I’ve ever seen anyone treated. That includes me. Well, maybe not me, but it includes just about everybody,” Trump said.
Christine Blasey Ford testified during the hearing that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh denied the allegation. Graham used his questioning time to accuse Democrats of trying to destroy the nominee’s life and keep the Supreme Court seat open.
“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,” Graham said.
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Graham then told Kavanaugh that the confirmation fight was “the most unethical sham” he had witnessed during his political career.
“When you see Sotomayor and Kagan, tell them that Lindsey said hello because I voted for them,” Graham said. “I would never do to them what you’ve done to this guy. This is the most unethical sham since I’ve been in politics. And if you really wanted to know the truth, you sure as hell wouldn’t have done what you’ve done to this guy.”
Trump said Graham’s intervention helped change the course of the confirmation battle.
“It was an incredible display, and he did it from the heart. He felt strongly about Brett, and he did it from the heart, and it turned that whole thing around. He was really amazing,” Trump said.
The president ranked the exchange among the greatest moments in the chamber’s history and urged that it be shown again.
“I think it was a top 10, maybe a top five moment in the history of the Senate,” Trump said. “That was a — that was one they should replay.”
The Senate confirmed Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in a 50-48 vote on Oct. 6, 2018. He remains an associate justice.
Trump also described Graham as a gifted senator who could negotiate with Democrats in ways other Republicans could not.
“There was no better advocate. He was a fantastic advocate in the Senate, and he could do things that other people, he was, he was able to. If I had a really big problem with a certain Democrat, he could work it out, you know. That’s something most Republicans can’t do,” Trump said.
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Graham died Saturday evening after a “brief and sudden illness,” his office announced early Sunday. He was 71. His office did not disclose additional details about the illness.
Trump said Graham called him Saturday night after returning from a trip to Ukraine, potentially being one of the late senator’s final phone calls before his death.
“He was full of vim and vigor. He was tired. He said, I’m tired because it’s a long trip, but other than that, he was, he was fine,” Trump said.
