South Carolina last night

In the race between Lindsey Graham and challenger Jaime Harrison, I understand why the Harrison campaign used this setup:

It was to protect Harrison from the possibility of Lindsey Graham being infected with and spreading Covid-19 like so many of his Republican compatriots in DC, but the optics of it are bad.  It looks like either Harrison is fragile or Harrison needs to be caged.  I don't have any suggestions for what they could have done that would have been better. Maybe a big sign on the divider that said, "Lindsey Graham has been exposed."

The candidates spoke from podiums 13 feet apart. Harrison’s podium was shielded on the side closest to Graham by a plexiglass partition, something the campaign said was used in accordance with federal recommendations that anyone in close contact with someone infected with COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days.

Both candidates say they tested negative Friday, but Graham has recently met with other Senate Republicans — several of whom have tested positive for the coronavirus — as well as with Trump, currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

Of his partition, Harrison said he was taking every precaution to keep himself and his loved ones safe.

“Its not just about me, it’s about the people in my life that I have to take care of, as well, my two boys, my wife, my grandma,” Harrison said.

  SF Gate

Asked later about the number of public officials recently contracting COVID, Graham reiterated a commitment to keep the economy and government working amid the pandemic and noting, “The virus is a problem that came out of China, not Trump Tower.”

And that matters how exactly?

Anyway, a lot of bad shit has come out of Trump Tower, including Russian mobsters, money laundering and Trump himself.

Officials with Harrison's campaign said they raised $340,000 during the debate and the hour that followed it. Graham's campaign said they “don't discuss those numbers.” The two men are next scheduled to debate Oct. 9.

They would if the numbers read the other way around.

Harrison accused Graham of flip flopping on his word and breaking the trust of his voters. Graham, the three-term GOP incumbent, warned South Carolinians they wouldn’t recognize their country if Democrats took control in Washington.

[...]

The two disagreed on Covid-19 response, the upcoming Supreme Court confirmation fight Graham will head, and police reform, among a host of other issues — including the flood of TV ads unleashed on the state, thanks to Harrison’s prodigious fundraising and the late involvement of super PACs from both parties in a race that is unexpectedly competitive.

[...]

Graham leaned heavily on his role as Judiciary Committee chairman in the upcoming confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett.

[...]

Harrison criticized Graham for pressing ahead given the infections — he stood with a plexiglass divider beside his lectern to separate from Graham, who tested negative for the virus earlier this week. Harrison said he did not blame Trump for the inception of the virus but blamed the administration and Congress for an inadequate response to it.

[...]

The two also clashed repeatedly over a host of other issues, including schools reopening during the pandemic, health care coverage and police brutality and the question of systemic racism in policing. Graham continually aimed to tie Harrison to the most liberal elements of the Democratic Party, but also said he had the “political scars” to prove his bipartisanship, referencing his poor reputation among conservatives in past elections where he faced primary challenges.

Harrison pushed back on the attacks linking him to more liberal elements in his party, saying clearly that he did not support defunding police and accused Graham of misleading viewers. Harrison, however, didn’t discuss his party or potential control of the chamber, but kept his focus in the debate squarely on Graham’s record in Washington and argued he had not delivered for the state.

Perfect.

Graham suggested Saturday his opponent could end up bringing in roughly $100 million for the cycle.

"Where the hell is all this money coming from...?" Graham said. "They hate me. This is not about Mr. Harrison. This is about liberals hating my guts because I stood up for [now-Supreme Court Justice Brett] Kavanaugh when they tried to destroy his life. This is about me helping Donald Trump.”

Of course it is, you pathetic whiner. But right now, Harrison is the man you're up against. He can run on your terrible performance, and unfortunately for you, you can't reciprocate.

[Harrison]He also questioned Graham’s word to voters in the state, pointing out that the Republican senator had previously said he would not move forward on a Supreme Court nomination in the final year of Trump’s term but is doing so now.

“I think the greatest heresy that you can do as a public servant is to betray the trust of the people that you took an oath to serve. And that's what you've done,” Harrison said. “Just be a man of it and stand up and say, ‘You know what, I changed my mind. I'm going to do something else.’"

  Politico

In the words of Joe Biden in the presidential debate: He doesn't know how.

Donate to Harrison's campaign here.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:  Look at this monkey...

UPDATE:

Graham is so outclassed by his opponent.  More clips.