Lindsey Graham has died

[lakercub]

Source: NBC News

Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after ‘brief and sudden illness’

Graham had just returned from Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/sen-lindsey-graham-dies-71-brief-sudden-illness-rcna552722

---

Woah...just NBC so far

[WheelWalker]

1. BBC and Washington Post also reporting

[SouthBayDem]

6. Oddly, none of South Carolina's biggest newspapers

The State (Columbia), The Post & Courier (Charleston), or The Sun News (Myrtle Beach). They probably don't have anyone staffing their websites at 2am ET. (I also checked the Charlotte Observer, which serves an area bordering SC - nothing there either.)

I saw a tweet from NewsWire_US around 11pm PT, and immediately thought that was a joke. But then I did a Google News search, and it had NBC's story up.

ABC and CBS now have stories online.

[Bengus81]

117. Wait a minute...Scott Jennings said he talked to him just an hour ago

[Godot51]

121. Probable cardiac arrest...

I was unaware that he had a heart...

[riversedge]

2. whow. Graham was only 71 yr old. just whow. My his family and friends find peace.

[SouthBayDem]

11. In contrast, his predecessor lived to 100.

Strom Thurmond passed just under half a year after retiring.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

185. I remember watching them push him in a wheelchair to make votes once in a while...

... eom.

[Karasu]

19. Even with American life spans having decreased significantly in recent years due to anti-science policy and economic

stress, 71 is pretty damn early. I wonder what the actual cause was.

[LeftInTX]

42. Probably heart attack. Sometimes people who are healthy have them.

Happened to my friends husband a few months ago. Relatively young and healthy. My neighbor is about 74 he just had a massive stroke. Not overweight or anything.

[BComplex]

61. I'd guess it had something to do with his liver.

He liked to party.

[LeftInTX]

75. EMS was called to his home for cardiac arrest this evening.

Don't think it was his liver.

[BComplex]

87. I'll take cardiac arrest!

I'll take whatever, as long as it's permanent.

[NH Ethylene]

164. Cardiac arrest just means his heart stopped.

It doesn't indicate why it stopped.

But who cares?

[LymphocyteLover]

130. that's my thinking... acute liver failure?

[Miguelito Loveless]

105. I wouldn't describe Graham as healthy,

He seemed to have a serious drinking problem.

[Blue_Roses]

177. I had a stroke

a year ago. Mine was totally unexpected, but thankfully got to the ER. It caused some weakness on my left side, but physical therapy has helped restore some of that. My doctor told me that stress is the biggest contributing factor for strokes.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

187. That's why I am glad, even happy at times, that my P.A. Rx'd me anti-anxiety pills...

... just have to remember that I don't always have to be the, "tough guy", and can relax and be happy sometimes.

[mackdaddy]

190. My Guess is DVT Blood Clot from Flying.

He had just landed back in the US from a flight from Ukraine.

He was an actual supporter of Ukraine over Russia, one of the only things he got right.

Seinfeld voice: "That's a shame."

[OneCrazyDiamond]

169. It rebounded.

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/29/nx-s1-5689902/us-life-expectancy-rises

[LeftInTX]

37. Isn't he really close with his sister?

[bocephus864]

182. Isn't he really close with his sister?

Yes, I went to high school with his sister. He always took good care of her.

[Nittersing]

124. Yeah, that surprised me too. I'm 72 and he looked a hell of a lot older than me. nt

[Jim__]

4. Wow! That's a shocker!

[oasis]

5. Overload of negativity finally caught up with him.

[Karasu]

9. Overload of hypocrisy, more than anything.

[oasis]

23. True that. I remember how he tried to trick Pres.

Bill Clinton into “coming clean” during his impeachment proceedings back in the 90s. Rep.Graham was one of the impeachment managers.
I could see right through him way back then.

[Captain Zero]

71. Maybe he shoved that drone up his arse

Before he departed he was shown holding a Ukrainian drone. He seemed to really admire it.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

191. Then I guess the wings got to him...

...eom.

[BidenRocks]

7. Wrong one!

One small step for peace.

[littlemissmartypants]

26. Getting close though. 🤞

[BlueMTexpat]

178. My reaction too!

I was SOOOO disappointed.

[SoFlaBro]

8. PINE BOX! Praise Jesus, God, Allah, Yaweh, and all the space babies!! Rest in PISS, Lady Graham.

[Trueblue1968]

10. Praise. The. Lord.

[Gymbo]

12. Ding Dong

The witch is dead.

[dalton99a]

13. Good for him.

[EuterpeThelo]

14. Bye, Felicia.

That is all.

[JohnnyRingo]

15. War has lost it's best friend.

My sympathies to the family as well.
South Carolina will never find another one like him. Thank Goodness.

[HappyLarge]

39. Having lived for 3 miserable years in South Carolina,

I can definitively say “Yes they can!” And will.

[LeftInTX]

44. They're find someone worse!

[BComplex]

62. True that! eom

[Callie1979]

116. He WAS a very strong supporter of Ukraine's fight for freedom.

If I was a conspiracy theorist like the MAGA cult I'd say Putin had him taken out.

[Bengus81]

119. Yet would kiss the ass of his Fuhrer who cut Ukraine off

Hypocrite like all good Republicans..........

[LymphocyteLover]

128. exactly

[MuirHero]

155. Standing up for Ukraine is the only good thing he did.

Agree that the timing of Graham's "cardiac arrest" soon after his visit to Ukraine raises some suspicions that he may have been exposed to some kind of chemical agent. Putin certainly would have a motive and so would Iran. They are experts at this sort of thing. They need to do a complete tox screen as part of an autopsy.

[OnlinePoker]

157. Or it could just be the flight itself.

There's an elevated risk of cardiac issues due to prolonged sitting during flights. If he already had underlying issues, the flight to and from Ukraine might have pushed him over the edge.

[yardwork]

161. I was thinking that, too.

[blubunyip]

183. Agree

-- seems he'd be on the hit list. They'll call it cardiac arrest. Tox screen won't be public probably.

Lindsay Graham

[Bayard]

186. That's what I'm thinking

He drank the tea.

[BaronChocula]

16. How bout that

So anyway...

[BigmanPigman]

17. I am SO glad I checked into DU before bed....pleasant dreams for me tonight!

If death comes in "threes"...Turtle, Lindseed and next the fucking moron. Fingers crossed.

I hope Iran nails that muther!!!

Rest in hell with Mitch, asshole!

?is=g72hlXgUixrFFUaW

[littlemissmartypants]

22. I've been wondering all week who our number three could be.

The blessed universe always eventually provides.

[BigmanPigman]

28. I have sparklers left over from my birthday and July 4th

I think this occasion needs to be celebrated. I already got out the noisemakers.

[BidenRocks]

80. Randolph Mantooth doesn't count?

[SouthBayDem]

40. Don't get too excited

South Carolina's governor is Republican. So get ready for someone worse to take that seat - whether as interim senator or winning the upcoming general.

The top primary challenger to Graham had endorsements from (gag) Gregory Bovino, Joe Kent, and Michael Flynn. Shady cast of characters.

Maybe I'm too cynical. Would Annie Andrews have an easier contest against a non-incumbent (similar to Talarico in TX or Turek in IA)?

[BigmanPigman]

49. That is likely the case but you just know tRump is scared shitless

about Satan tapping him on his shoulder indicating he is next, and soon.

[BComplex]

63. From your lips to Gawd's ears!!

Wouldn't that just be the best thing in the world!!

[wnylib]

84. I think that Trump is on his way, with one foot in Hell already.

All his trips to Walter Reed and his obvious physical and mental decline.

[3Hotdogs]

114. Mental decline? Da fuck you talkin'? His 4th annual physical included an I.Q. test. He aced it --- scored 100!

[Aristus]

139. "Doggy, horsey, kitty, man!"

[Dem_in_Nebr.]

140. 100 is Normal IQ!!

So He didn't "ace" the test!

[NH Ethylene]

166. Yeah but he doesn't know that!

[patricia92243]

111. The old saying is that things happen in threes - first Lindsay, second McConnel, third ....

[COL Mustard]

68. What's Nikki Haley doing these days?

Asking for a friend.

[SouthBayDem]

95. Cushy think tank job

Wikipedia says: "On April 15, 2024, the Hudson Institute announced Haley would join the think tank as the next Walter P. Stern Chair."

She probably enjoys that a lot more than elected office. Plus, SC's governor isn't risking losing his Homeland Security advisory seat by appointing someone who'd vote like John Cornyn or Bill Cassidy.

[littlemissmartypants]

18. So, my weekend plans haven't changed and life in America is slowly improving.

I love that for us.

[ToxMarz]

20. Is this real? Keep looking for 'theonion' link.

[LeftInTX]

33. It's real. That's what I thought when I saw it my YouTube sidebar. (You know how YouTube has all these

fake celebrity stories) But it's Agenda Free TV

[fujiyamasan]

67. Just saw it on the NYT site

No details yet

[wnylib]

77. It's real. I just heard it on BBC.

[BigmanPigman]

98. It's on CNN, MS NOW and liberal podcasts

like Adam Mockler and Jack Cocchiarella...

?is=gdvvtRG1kuGvPke6

?is=kOx7sJ_vo_I2vtoq

[malaise]

189. Rec. Rec. Rec

Speaks for me

[BigDemVoter]

21. What an odious piece of SHIT.

[BaronChocula]

24. The SC white nationalists are chomping at the bit for an appointment

I wonder what young up and coming pigs are knocking over that trough.

[generalbetrayus]

25. Only say good about the dead.

Lindsay Graham is dead. Good.

[The Grand Illuminist]

60. Play Tip The Casket

nt

[Peppertoo]

27. Was not expecting that

[JoseBalow]

29. Adios, fucko

[Raine]

30. R-I-P ... nt

[LeftInTX]

31. Just saw that on my YouTube sidebar. At first I thought it was a joke, but it was Agenda Free TV.

[BumRushDaShow]

32. CNN & NYT reporting as well

Was wondering why breaking alerts were blowing up on my phone and assumed it was Iran stuff.

[calimary]

34. Just saw that on NBC News.

[Journeyman]

35. Let's hope this doesn't make it harder for Annie Andrews to win that Senate seat . . .

[LeftInTX]

51. I just checked. He was up for re-election.

The GOP will nominate someone. Odds are it will be someone worse than if there was a primary. But I don't can't imagine SC flipping.
Why didn't this happen to........the concerned one....

[Escape]

154. Maybe his replacement...

won't be so easily manipulated with Kompromat.

Lindsay occasionally challenged Trump on one issue or another, but would then quickly fell back in line. Trump may not be able to blackmail the next SC Senator.

[Brother Buzz]

36. Boy howdy the pranksters are having a field day over at Wikipedia

I’m surprised they haven’t shut down the edits.

One entry told us he was the marmalade shartcannon’s personal masseur (it disappeared real quick)

Another listed him as First Lady of the United States

Was a time I used to dig into the edits for entertainment, but I’ve lost the skill.

If anyone has the skill to dig into it, I guarantee you’d have a blast

[LeftInTX]

53. Didn't see anything, but they have him past tense pretty well.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

38. Well that's surprising news.

[riversedge]

43. It certainly is to me also.

[Beacool]

41. I first saw it on the Daily Mail.

I checked several sites, including this one, nut no one else had reported it yet. I'm actually shocked. I thought if any senator was going to die right now, it would be McConnell.

[BComplex]

70. Exactly! Thune is going to have a headache for a few weeks!

Two birds, one stone! I just feel bad that they're keeping Mitch on life support so they can cheat and count his vote.

(I don't really know that...I just suspect.)

[Katcat]

174. Maybe

He’s already dead and they’re coveting it up?

[AllyCat]

45. And guardian.

(Do not speak ill of the dead)

(Zips mouth)

[C Moon]

46. Is hell collecting on their debts? Wow!

[Betty Boom]

47. My money is on pulmonary embolism

He flies a lot. Just returned from another trip from what I hear.

[Captain Zero]

78. Bury him face down for when

All his rent boys visit the grave.

[Rhiannon12866]

113. Ukraine

[Blue_Roses]

181. He doesn't look

too good there. His face is puffy and he looks tired.

[onenote]

125. Apparently it was cardiac arrest.

Hope you didn't put too much money on pulmonary embolism

[Betty Boom]

126. Severe pulmonary embolism can cause cardiac arrest.

When I said pulmonary embolism in the context of him having traveled, I was thinking of a blood clot traveling to his heart. Deep vein thrombosis.

But it could’ve been just a simple heart attack

[onenote]

132. Point taken. I wonder if we'll ever actually know.

[nilram]

48. Not opening the champagne yet

[LeftInTX]

55. nothing to celebrate

[LuvLoogie]

50. It was trump.

He did it.

Trump killed him

slowly but surely.

Dumbass.

[LuvLoogie]

52. My conspiracy theory

trump sent Lindsay to poison Zelensky. Lindsay failed or refused to do the deed.
Then Putin or trump took Lindsay down.

[BComplex]

74. LOL!!

[thinkingagain]

151. Add to that theory😊

The big P told Lindsay to make sure he went and saw Vance when he got home

With or without the conspiracy,
Vance visiting the pope, etc. and than they pass away.
if Lindsey did go and see Vance after his return trip
Well…

[yaesu]

54. Hell is getting full of fascist pigs, will need a new ballroom soon. Nt

[sfdennis1]

56. About 2 weeks late....

That HORRIBLE closeted backstabbing f@%got traitor should have croaked during Pride to really give the gays more reason to celebrate…but still, a win is a win, so….Rest in Piss, sweetie

[paulkienitz]

57. Seriously? Oh jeez, conspiracy theories incoming...

...and I wouldn't be all that surprised if maybe one of them turned out to be true?

[aggiesal]

58. 1st McConnell, now Graham. Who's next? n/t

[cstanleytech]

59. If I had the money I'd love to visit the site of his grave just to show my .......... respects 😗

[Trueblue Texan]

158. Just to pour out your respects? Nt

[COL Mustard]

64. NYT also reporting

Condolences to his family and friends, 71 isn’t that old nowadays.

I’ll reserve my snarky comment for a later time.

[Figarosmom]

65. Well the last time

I saw him his face looked really puffy. I bet he was sick and didn't know it. But he's been looking puffy and pasty for a while.

[LeftInTX]

76. I just saw an image of him and noticed that right away.

[LeftInTX]

81. Maybe Trump will get the hint and retire...(I wish)

[Aviation Pro]

66. Well, bye

[C Moon]

97. I love that!

[RockRaven]

69. Oh.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

72. Tidying up hell for Trump I hope

[ToxMarz]

73. So do Republicans really control the Senate at this point

I mean like MAGAt Trump sycophants.

Graham gone.
McConnell supposedly gone.
Massie, Cassidy, Cornyn gone primaried out by an assault from Trump.

Do they have enough der leader troglodyte votes left. I'm guessing no in a lot of cases

[onenote]

131. Pretty much, yes.

There have been over 60 Senate roll call votes since Cassidy and Cornyn lost their primaries and I can only find one or two where Graham and McConnell not being available to vote would have made any difference -- both involving war power resolutions. Even after losing their primaries, Cornyn and Cassidy have consistently voted with the rest of the repub caucus.

[BeyondGeography]

79. Not that I was fond of him

But he was actually good behind the scenes in the gutless formerly publicly reasonable R on certain issues manner on Ukraine. He will be most likely be replaced by a full-on go ahead and invade Greenland Magat who isn’t.

That’s all I’ve got.

[SunSeeker]

88. Mitch McConnell outlived him?

[unblock]

92. Unclear

[Skittles]

103. depends on how you define "life"

[Bengus81]

115. I doubt that. That's my theory and I'm stickin' to it

[aeromanKC]

89. Ding Dong!!

[buzzycrumbhunger]

91. Damn.

And now we just wait for The Big Beautiful Obit. Good news always comes in threes, right? 😄

[usonian]

93. Dang! So late in the day.

It's too late
To celebrate

But come tomorrow
Some new sorrow
May befall the
Son of a Bitch Mitch

And we may say "addio"
To Satan's favorite trio
When he takes the bastards back
To join Jeff Epstein on the rack.

[cab67]

94. I used to really respect Graham.

Back when he was John McCain's extra-hawkish sidekick, I sensed a certain level of decency about him.

But then McCain died and they had to re-home Graham, and he started following a far more malign superior.

[tanyev]

118. He was initially critical of Trump--until a sudden 180 after a golf trip to Mar a Lago.

[QueerDuck]

163. They found the negatives... and the receipts...

... people say.

[thesquanderer]

184. And now he may be finding out the cost of selling his soul. (n/t)

[valleyrogue]

129. I never did. I have a long memory.

He was a total ass in the phony Clinton impeachment trial.

[Grim Chieftain]

96. Seems the grim reaper's aim is just a little bit off

The old adage is that death come in threes, so we'll see.

[Blue Owl]

173. Two outta three ain't bad....

But go ahead Mr. Reaper, and treat yo self — make it a hat trick!!!

[Buddyzbuddy]

99. I was home all night, I swear. I have witnesses.

[AZJonnie]

100. I'd hate to start up any CT's but the phrase "after a brief and sudden illness" is often used as cover

For causes like suicide, overdose, accidental death from auto-erotic asphyxiation, those kinds of things.

I'd have never wished the man dead, but I'm reading his obituary with some amusement.

[Grim Chieftain]

102. Agree, the wording is weird

"Brief and sudden". Okay, so which is it - brief or sudden?

[BumRushDaShow]

108. Not necessarily

Heart attacks (which some sources are attributing this as) usually happen that way. Many survive one (or several), but others don't. He apparently had just returned from Ukraine.

[Frasier Balzov]

101. Malignant syncophancy.

To both his credit and his disgrace, he never hid his condition.

[NBachers]

104. I step away for a few hours and look what happens. Well, this gets the ball rolling . . .

[Deminpenn]

106. That was unexpected, but condolences to his family

nt

[Blumancru]

107. Well, this is not the senatorial death announcement I expected to hear this morning.

Nope. Didn’t have this on my bingo card at all.

[eringer]

109. Death Becomes Him

The Iranian Fatwa begins.

[gfwzig]

110. hoping for a trifecta

[Vinca]

112. I don't know if I'll be able to stomach the hagiography on this one. It's already starting on CNN.

There was a pre-Trump Lindsey and a Trump fanboy Lindsey. I didn't like either, but he took on the nasty characteristics of his beloved in his later years. Sadly, now South Carolina has a chance to put a much young Trump zealot into office.

[mwb970]

120. Wrong guy! Damn.

[lastlib]

122. R I H, Lindsey!

you worthless lying Putin-licking traitorous GONazi sonofab****!

(*R I H -- Rot In Hell)

I guess I should only speak good of the dead. He's dead--good!

[Stuckinthebush]

123. Thinking of a quote from either Bette Davis or Moms Mabley right now

and I'll add...may his family and friends find peace.

[valleyrogue]

127. He was the same age I am.

I was no fan of his, never forgetting he was one of the persecutors of Bill Clinton over the sham impeachment, but I am not a grave dancer. It is South Carolina, so they could run anybody with an “R” in front of him or her and it will remain red.

[Multichromatic]

133. Are we sure? Maybe he's just mostly dead?

[paleotn]

134. Wow. That's a shock...

And a wonderful way to start a bright, sunny Sunday.

Don't wish ill you say? There are some that are so low and so incredibly vile it's beyond the capacity of any decent human not to smile and have an extra skip in their step upon hearing of their demise. If those decent humans are honest with themselves anyway.

[flvegan]

136. Oh no!

Anyway.

[Crowman2009]

137. Time to crank up the tiny violin orchestra!

Who is going to cheerlead servicemembers into an early grave now?

Now I shall attempt to greave lazily: please....no....wait....come back.

?is=cqUW2Gf6Lyj3uhcn

[GreenWave]

138. Happy days are here again! Too much T butt kissing proved fatal.

[Jarqui]

141. To paraphrase Thumper from 1942 Bambi ...

"if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all"

[Joinfortmill]

142. If I was a Republican, I'd be worried...

Looks like the Universe is pissed.

[Tim S]

143. Poppers *can* be fatal to an aged cardio-vascular system.

Maybe his death can spur the appropriate PSAs?

[SergeStorms]

144. Well, there's some extra room.....

up Trump's ass now, for anyone who's interested. Maybe Stephen Miller can fit Katie up there now so they can be together a little more often.

Thoughts and prayers.

[Baitball Blogger]

146. The kindest thing that comes to mind, is that it usually comes in threes.

Somewhere they said that he died after a brief illness. Would be interesting to learn what it was, because it would be karmic if it was something that our government's health organization once monitored and kept in check.

And, why is Zelensky's words so kind, regarding Lindsey?

[The Wizard]

147. He never saw a war

he didn't want others to fight.

[Ilsa]

148. Seems like the news is barely covering it.

I was watching MSNow for 30 minutes before they covered it. It wasn't even running a breaking news crawl.

[azureblue]

149. good things happen in threes?

Mitch, Lindsey and xxxxx?
The GOP is freaking out.....

[The Wizard]

150. To whom did he

bequeath his dress collection? Asking for a friend.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

152. Lindsey's dead?

Meanwhile, back on the farm.................
RIP Lindsey and the P doesn't stand for Peace.

[Blue Owl]

153. Wham Bam thank you Graham

[LetMyPeopleVote]

156. Death comes in threes

Remember death comes in threes. Mitch, Lindsay and ?

— juhneenhow she/her (@juhneenhowe.bsky.social) 2026-07-12T07:37:49.600Z

Link to tweet

Death always comes in threes..
1) Mitch McConnell
2) Lindsey Graham

Could number 3 be

3) Senile Satan 🙏

— Sharon 🫶🏻💙🦋🍿🐸🚫👑 (@sharonsf.bsky.social) 2026-07-12T09:56:29.855Z

[prerev]

159. A man of weak character

He modeled his politics on a weather vane.

[Mysterian]

160. And I flushed my poop down the toilet this morning

Same kind of situation.

[doc03]

162. Its sad when you die and the one thing they remember you for is

being in favor of every war.

[Hudly]

165. Lennon said it best

Well, you were caught with your hands in the kill
And you still got to swallow your pill
As you slip and you slide down the hill
On the blood of the people you killed

Bring on the Lucie

[OhioTim]

167. Graham Once Said...

"Trump will destroy America"

[the_liberal_grandpa]

168. The repubs senate advantage is disappearing

Farewell Lady Lindsey.

Didn't he just win his primary?
I wonder who will replace him on the ballot?

Can't wait for the sordid details of his secret life to be exposed.

[Blue Owl]

171. In the best way possible

[PufPuf23]

170. Acute moral failure is the cause of death.

Saw that Graham had passed last night before went to sleep and thought it was fake internet detritus.

Never realized that I am older than Graham, 73 vs. 71.

[Clouds Passing]

172. No tears

[AZLD4Candidate]

175. Not shedding one tear. Fuck him and everyone who looks like him.

If that makes me a bad person, I don't care.

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

176. My unofficial diagnosis: His red-state, southern diet did him in!

[Dave Bowman]

179. I really hope that hell exists.

[Zorro]

180. He just made the world a better place

[Grins]

188. What "sudden illness?"

From the link:

A top staffer to Graham told NBC News …. that there was no indication the lawmaker was feeling unwell prior to his death.

So….?

[FakeNoose]

192. Well maybe Putin had something to do with his sudden illness

He just had a meeting with Putin in the last couple of days. Maybe Pootie gave him some innocent looking cough drops, or a bottle of homemade schaps? I don't know, but this sounds a little fishy.

Lindsay wasn't sick, he spoke to Chump on the phone last night. Then he died.