'Get This Guy Out of Here': Lindsey Graham Loses It on Newsmax Reporter Asking About Rep. Rashida Tlaib Condemning Israel
Oct. 23 2023, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham exploded on a Newsmax reporter who asked him about Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib blaming Israel for an airstrike that devastated a Gazan hospital during his visit to the Jewish state over the weekend, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Before Graham's overseas trip, Tlaib spoke out in support of hundreds of Jewish pro-Palestinian protestors gathered at the Capitol in Washington D.C., where they demanded an Israeli ceasefire amid ongoing airstrikes on Gaza in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Graham traveled to Israel as part of a bipartisan senate delegation to offer support following the Hamas attacks, which killed over 1,400 Israelis.
Newsmax's Daniel Cohen introduced himself to the senator as the network's Jerusalem correspondent and thanked him for making the journey before he dived into his line of questioning.
"I want to say thank you for being here. My family lives here. I made Aliyah two years ago. So this is personal," the Jerusalem correspondent began.
"I know many people were sent from the United States and there is international press from around the world. And I heard every single one of you voicing your support for Israel fervently, stridently, and I heard that. And I received that into my heart," Cohen continued.
"And so on behalf of my family and people, I’m an American and an Israeli citizen, I say thank you. But it starts at home. And I’d like to ask any Democrat senator here that would like to speak to Rashida Tlaib. She still has a tweet up condemning Israel for a hospital attack," Cohen asked Graham, who was not pleased with the question.
Graham fired back, "Uhh, stop. No."
As Cohen protested, Graham interrupted the reporter, "Stop!"
"It’s a fair question Senator Graham," the Newsmax reported shot back.
"We are here together not to talk about the problems at home, which are many," The Republican responded.
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Cohen repeated himself, "It’s a fair question senator."
"I have got my own view of what to say," Graham replied. "You’re not going to screw this up."
As Cohen snapped back, "I’m not trying to screw it up," Graham appeared to have enough and demanded, "Get this guy out of here" as he pointed towards the exit.
Refusing to accept Graham's deflection, Cohen insisted, "I live here. I’m an Israeli. I want an answer to the question."
Graham quipped back at the reporter, "I’m an American," to which Cohen said, "And I am, too."
"And I believe in free speech. I don’t believe what the squad has to say at all. But I came here with Democrats and Republicans to let everybody in the world know, don’t judge every Democrat by the Squad and don’t judge every Republican by some of the things you hear," Graham told the reporter. "Or about the House, they’ll get their act together."
"But we need to do our job. We need to do our job in the Senate," the Republican added. "We need to pass a bill that will help Israel help Ukraine. That’s at least what I think. I think the House will show up. And I’m sorry, my friend. I probably shouldn’t have said it, but my nerves are raw right now."