NYT: Lindsey Graham 'Slammed Back Home' for Being a RINO

The New York Times Caucus blog reported moments ago that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has been censured by the local Republican Party in his home state "for many of the positions he has taken that do not represent the wishes of the people of South Carolina."

In essence, he's getting slammed for being what conservatives call a RINO -- Republican in name only.

As the Times' Bernie Becker reported:

The executive committee of the Charleston County Republican Party voted unanimously on Monday to rebuke Mr. Graham “for many of the positions he has taken that do not represent the wishes of the people of South Carolina, such as: passing a ‘cap and trade’ energy bill, bailing out banks and granting amnesty for illegal aliens.”

Lin Bennett, the chairwoman of the local party, told the Charleston Post and Courier that party leaders were “fed up.”

“The feeling is if you’re not going to uphold the platform, then why bother to run as a Republican?” she said. Ms. Bennett also said that about 50 members of the executive committee voted on the censure, according to the Post and Courier. But the move closely follows the fallout from the November elections, where conservatives pushed hard against centrist Republicans over candidates who don’t adhere to a narrow base of core principles.

Like that line? "But the move closely follows the fallout from the November elections, where conservatives pushed hard against centrist Republicans over candidates who don’t adhere to a narrow base of core principles."

Wow! I guess it's a terrible thing now for citizens to hold their politicians to core principles.

Of course, this goes hand in hand with the media's view of why Dede Scozzafava was forced to pull out of last week's election in New York's 23rd Congressional district.

The fault is with conservatives who want elected officials to share their core principles RATHER than the officials themselves who are leaving the reservation or never possessed such values in the first place.

Ironically, you wouldn't imagine the New York Times chastizing the teeming hordes of liberals who would never consider voting for a Democrat -- regardless of his or her other positions! -- if he or she wasn't pro-abortion. 

But what the Times really missed here is that the full resolution was by no means as "narrow" as Becker implied:

Whereas, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (SC) and John Kerry (MA) have called for a bipartisan bill dealing with “climate change” via a “Cap & Trade” energy bill;

Whereas, the basis of Cap & Trade – global warming caused by carbon emissions – is still in doubt as evidenced by the past decade of cooling temperatures;

Whereas, the people of South Carolina can ill afford the job-killing Cap & Trade bill’s ripple effects on our state’s economy and on personal energy bills;

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham supported TARP and has shown a willingness to discuss nationalizing U.S. banking institutions;

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has shown a condescending attitude toward his constituents by calling them “bigots” when they oppose his stance on amnesty for illegal aliens;

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has stated on many occasions that his primary concern is to “be relevant”;

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham continues to hold the Republican Party hostage and undermines Republican leadership and party solidarity for his own benefit by joining the “Gang of 10″ and the “Gang of 14″;

Whereas, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham – in the name of bipartisanship – continues to weaken the Republican brand and tarnish the ideals of freedom, rule of law, and fiscal conservatism.

Therefore, let it be resolved: The Charleston County Republican Party Executive Committee respectfully requests, with sincere sadness that the South Carolina Republican Party withdraw their resolution commending U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and that the Charleston Country Republican Party censure U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham for many of the positions he has taken that do not represent the wishes of the people of Charleston County SC, such as: passing a “Cap & Trade” energy bill, bailing out banks, and granting amnesty for illegal aliens.

Seems like the Charleston County Republican Party has quite a lengthy list of grievances with their senator which were by no means indicative of what the Times called a narrow base of core principles.

Color me unsurprised.