Yahoo News Live: Sen. Lindsey Graham: ‘The more wine I drank, the better the debate got’
Republican presidential candidate and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham joined Yahoo News and Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga on “Yahoo News Live” to react to the fourth GOP debate. Graham was sidelined from the Fox Business Network debate last night after not qualifying based on his standing in national polls, but watched with a glass of wine in hand. He told Golodryga, “The more wine I drank, the better the debate got.”
Graham’s take on the candidates on Tuesday: “What was missing was leadership. What can you do working together as a country?” He also didn’t see much substance in terms of foreign policy. Regarding the moderators’ performance compared to the previous CNBC debate: “I thought it was pretty good. I don’t mind being challenged, but I think it was a little more civil discourse.”
As for calling out specific candidates, Graham said of former Gov. Jeb Bush: “Jeb did much better. He gets most improved.”
On Donald Trump chiding Carly Fiorina for interrupting Sen. Rand Paul’s answer, Graham told Golodryga, “I don’t think there’s sexism, but I could tell you this. I don’t think he would say that about anybody else.”
Graham disagreed with Ben Carson’s take on President Obama sending special ops forces to Syria: “Fifty people are not going to make a difference. … How do you destroy a terrorist army of 30 to 40 thousand? Fifty people doesn’t cut it.”
On Carson telling Yahoo News National Correspondent Hunter Walker that he will no longer answer questions about his life story, Graham said, “He may want to be done, but he’s not.”
Finally, as far as the future of Graham’s candidacy goes and whether he will be on the next debate stage: “The only way I’ll get into the debate is to get my poll numbers up, and I hate this idea of nationalizing the race.”
