CNN’s Dana Bash called out Sen. Lindsey Graham Sunday on his hypocrisy, having recently cheered on Donald Trump’s reelection ambition even though the South Carolina Republican made an impassioned speech in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, saying “count me out” of supporting Trump.
“Why now do you think Trump has the character to be president again?” Bash asked Graham, who has expressed that he supports the former president’s 2024 run rather than speculated Republican nominee Ron DeSantis, on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“I think he was a consequential president,” Graham told Bash. “If you compare his policies to what’s going on today, I think he’s got a hell of a story to say.”
The clip showcased an earnest speech from Graham recorded late the night of Jan. 6, 2021 on the Senate floor.
“Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey,” the senator said in response to the riots. “I hate it to end this way. Oh my God, I hate it. From my point of view, he’s been a consequential president, but today, first thing you’ll see. All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough.”
Graham clarified to Bash that his disapproval was surrounding Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, a claim that the Republican senator does not believe and suggested that Trump leave that notion in the past if he wants to run in 2024.
“If he runs for president, talking about 2020 is not what people want to hear. He likes hearing it, but people want to hear about, how can you secure a broken border…?” he said.
Bash grilled Graham on if his message was, “Donald Trump, please stop saying the 2020 election was stolen.”
“I’m telling President Trump, if you wanna be president in 2024, focus on solving the problems Americans are living with,” Graham replied.
