Political strategist Steve Schmidt published a harsh assessment of the late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), describing him as a "parasitic sucker fish" and "the hollowest of hollow men." Graham died at age 71 over the weekend.
In his newsletter "The Warning," Schmidt, who previously worked on campaigns for George W. Bush and John McCain, characterized Graham as "an unprincipled man who betrayed his country for power and his decency for attention." He recalled Graham's earlier warnings about Donald Trump before the 2016 election, noting that Graham later became one of the former president's staunchest defenders.
Schmidt described Graham as "a pathetic man, a true cynic and a faithless servant of the Constitution" who "lacked a moral core." Schmidt concluded his remarks by stating, "I won’t mourn Lindsey Graham’s death, but rather the country he helped break. He was a most contemptible man."
In contrast, Donald Trump paid tribute to Graham, hailing him as "one of the greatest people" he has known.
A preliminary examination indicated that Graham's death was due to aortic dissection resulting from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.