Sen. Lindsey Graham is learning the hard way that private conversations don’t alway stay private.
In a private gathering several weeks ago — as confirmed by his campaign — the South Carolina Republican made unfiltered jokes about white men, the “f—ed up” government and Baptists.
Graham, who is expected to win his re-election next week against Democrat Brad Hutto, joked in font of an all-male group at the Hibernian Society in Charleston that “white men who are in male-only clubs are going to do great in my presidency,” according to an audio recording provided to CNN.
Two separate South Carolina Democrats received the audio snippets from an anonymous Gmail address. They then passed them on to CNN.
The Republican also cracked jokes about Baptists, saying “they’re the ones who drink and don’t admit it.”
After Graham’s campaign confirmed the comments, he told CNN the Hibernian Society encourages speakers “to be earthy, to make fun of yourself, to make fun of them. Then you say something serious and sit down. And if you talk over 20 minutes, they throw something at you.”
Graham, who is also eyeing a 2016 presidential run, told the club’s men “I’m trying to help you with your tax status. I’m sorry the government’s so f—ed up,” before making the comment about white men doing well if he were president.
Graham said he was making fun of the society’s all-male makeup, hoping his comments do not reflect poorly on the “great guys” in the club.
