Lindsey Graham, McCain's 'Mini-Me'

Why the South Carolina senator is proud to be belittled by GOP candidate
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 9, 2008 1:42 PM CDT
Lindsey Graham, McCain's 'Mini-Me'
Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., center, listens as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, answers a question.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Sen. Lindsey Graham must be getting something special from his friendship with John McCain, Politico writes, because he's willing to be dubbed Mac’s “mini-me” in the press—and called “little jerk” by the candidate himself. Of course, it's worth it for the first-term South Carolina Republican, who gets a spot in the sun—and what one colleague calls “almost a father-son relationship.”

McCain, 71, and Graham, 52, travel and vacation together, and the younger man stuck with his mentor not only on maverick immigration and judgeship stances, but also when McCain’s presidential fortunes turned sharply downward last year. As to the insulting nickname, Graham says, “If John’s not belittling you, you’re in trouble.” (More John McCain stories.)

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