Republican
Lindsey Graham hints at 2016 announcement
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[May 18, 2015]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican
Senator Lindsey Graham, who has said there is better than a 90 percent
chance he will run for president, will give a "very important update" on
Monday morning about 2016, according to media reports on Sunday.
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The South Carolina lawmaker was quoted by MSNBC as telling
supporters in an email: "As an announcement draws near, I need to
know you stand with me.” The Washington Post quoted him as saying in
the email he would appear on the "CBS This Morning" program at 8
a.m. on Monday.
"Tomorrow morning I will be giving a very important update on my
2016 plans and I want to make sure you are able to hear it," the
Washington Post quoted him as saying.
Graham is a prominent critic of President Barack Obama's foreign
policy and a close ally of fellow Republican Senator John McCain.
He was warmly received at the Iowa Republican Party’s forum for 2016
White House hopefuls on Saturday in Des Moines with a mix of jokes
and plain talk about America’s national security.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/May/18/images/ads/current/napa_bch1-3108.png) “I’m thinking about running for president. You get a house and a car
and a plane. It’s a pretty good gig,” he said.
While other Republicans in the 2016 field have made clear they would
not have invaded Iraq given what is now known about U.S.
intelligence failures, Graham offered a strong defense of
then-President George W. Bush.
He said Bush acted based on intelligence at the time that said Iraq
possessed weapons of mass destruction, and that he did the world a
favor by toppling then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
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If Graham enters the race, he would join fellow Senators Ted Cruz,
Rand Paul and Marco Rubio among declared candidates for the 2016
Republican presidential nomination. Former Arkansas Governor Mike
Huckabee, former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Officer Carly
Fiorina and retired physician Ben Carson have also announced their
candidacies.
Neither Graham nor his representative could immediately be reached
for comment.
(Reporting by Peter Cooney; Additional reporting by Steve Holland;
Editing by Andrew Hay and Eric Walsh)
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