Tales from the Trail

During the presidential campaign last year, Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham was a frequent tormentor of Democrat Barack Obama and his running mate, Joe Biden.

Graham, a close friend of Republican candidate John McCain, would ridicule Biden as “Joe the Biden” and lampooned his loquacious ways — “He’s the sound-bite machine that keeps on giving,” Graham would say. “Keep it up, Joe!”

And Graham frequently had this to say about Obama himself: “You’ve seen his book, ‘The Audacity of Hope?’ He’s got a sequel coming out: ‘The Times I Stood Up To The Left.’ It’s a short read.”

So it is worth noting that not only did Graham travel this past week with Biden on a trip to Kuwait, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, but he joined Biden in briefing Obama about their journey on Wednesday.

As reporters listened, Graham and Biden spoke at length. Obama, seated between them, waited patiently for his turn.

After his role as McCain’s attack dog during the campaign, Graham appeared ready to work with Obama.

“The campaign is over; I am disappointed in the outcome, but like every American, I’m excited about what awaits our country in the future,” Graham said.

He said he found that some leaders of the countries they visited were surprised that a bipartisan U.S. delegation would visit so soon after the contentious election.

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (Graham joins Obama, Biden in Washington DC)