Months after being shouted down by Trump supporters in an airport for relenting in his defense of Trump's election lies, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is once again facing the wrath of his own base—this time, for having the audacity to encourage vaccinations against the deadliest pandemic in American history.
The vaccines, which have been proven safe and effective, and policies mandating them for certain sectors of employment and patronization have been the subject of widespread vilification on the right. Conspiracy theories that the vaccines are microchipped, magnetized, or even the mark of the beast have become mainstream in some right-wing circles.
Efforts to encourage vaccinations—mandatory or otherwise—have been compared to historical atrocities and decried as federal oversteps.
At a recent event, Graham spoke against vaccine mandates, but encouraged the Republicans in attendance to get vaccinated. They responded with shouts of objection and conspiracy theories.
Watch below.
Lin Wood posted a video of Lindsey Graham getting heckled and harassed this weekend when he tried to encourage people to get vaccinated. Lindsey looks like he\u2019s in a hostage video.pic.twitter.com/Rr9YoCa37V— Ron Filipkowski (@Ron Filipkowski) 1633395723
Graham simply said:
"If you haven't had the vaccine you ought to think about getting it because if you're my age—"
The crowd responded with shouts and boos.
He then said:
"I didn't tell you to get it, you ought to think about it."
Graham later pointed out that 92 percent of those in South Carolina hospitals with COVID were unvaccinated, to which the crowd responded "Not true!" As another man lamented the possibility of being fired for his refusal to be vaccinated, Graham shrugged.
No one felt sorry for the Senator, even in the face of nonsense.
What an incredibly nonsensical argument @LindseyGrahamSC It is obvious that you pander to whomever screams at you the loudest. You bend with the wind and stand for NOTHING! Like a tree with a very shallow root system, eventually YOU WILL FALL!https://twitter.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— PeriwinkleRose is Fully Vaxxed & Masks! (@PeriwinkleRose is Fully Vaxxed & Masks!) 1633442496
Two Faced Lady Linslie got what deserves.https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— Bob Frank (@Bob Frank) 1633396167
If you are a lifelong Republican politician you either support the Big Lie and shut up about vaccinations, or you retire. Lindsay just seems to be particularly adept at occasionally showing signs of a backbone, then quickly rushing to debase himself.https://twitter.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— Bill Christeson (@Bill Christeson) 1633455599
What tryimg to put a genie back into a bottle looks like. I'm here for it all.https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— Unpopular Opinion (@Unpopular Opinion) 1633397173
Lindsay realizing he's been killing off this voters now can't convince them not to diehttps://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— Rebecca Dante (@Rebecca Dante) 1633433836
Reminds me of a Senator who called," *hoax*" waaay too many times.\nNow the #MAGAts won't believe him. https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— Steve Perry (@Steve Perry) 1633399666
Some say GOP Senators like Graham can no longer control the base they helped radicalize.
They have created a monster they cannot control.https://twitter.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— Pet Czar \ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f\ud83c\udf83\ud83d\udc7b\ud83c\udf41 (@Pet Czar \ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f\ud83c\udf83\ud83d\udc7b\ud83c\udf41) 1633453575
Republican messaging about the vaccine worked too well. Now they can't undo it, and their supporters are dying at about 4-5 times the rate that the rest of us are.\n\nhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/red-covid-coronavirus-deaths-are-highest-in-counties-with-the-largest-share-of-trump-voters-report/ar-AAOSLJU\u00a0\u2026https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— Dawn Johnson \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf4\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddf0 (@Dawn Johnson \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf4\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddf0) 1633434062
These stupid morons.\nThey're gonna lose control of the cult. Trump doesn't care. This could get ugly.https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1445192526584025088\u00a0\u2026— Chase Thompson Pheznt Huntr in ND (@Chase Thompson Pheznt Huntr in ND) 1633400627
@RepClayHiggins/X
