Trump Campaigns in Palmetto State for Senate Runoff Amid Controversy Over National Secrecy

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Trump Campaigns in Palmetto State for Senate Runoff Amid Controversy Over National Secrecy
Photo: PBS NewsHour
politics· A press review of 10 outlets
  1. Trump was in the Palmetto State stumping for Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC), who is headed to a runoff primary election next week to replace her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The president was discussing how Democrats want to impeach him when the incident unfolded.

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    PBS NewsHour

    WATCH LIVE: Trump stumps for S.C. Sen. Darline Graham ahead of GOP runoff President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel to South Carolina on Friday to make a last-minute appeal for Sen. Darline Graham, his chosen candidate to replace her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, ahead of a Republican runoff next week.

    Fox News

    Trump was in Myrtle Beach to campaign for Darline Graham ahead of Tuesday's South Carolina Senate runoff, urging his supporters to turn out even though his own name won't be on the ballot.

    HuffPost

    Darline Graham had never contemplated elected office before her older brother Lindsey died suddenly last month, but Donald Trump on Friday told a few thousand of his followers in South Carolina that they needed to give her a full term in the U.S. Senate anyway.

    NBC News

    Trump and Scott on Friday rallied in South Carolina in support of Graham’s campaign, with the president telling voters, “She only knows how to put America first. ... You vote for her, you’re going to be very proud of that vote.”

    Politico

    ‘I’m on the ballot’: Trump lends a hand to struggling Darline Graham The president sought to paper over emerging cracks in Graham’s campaign to succeed her late brother.

    The Guardian US

    Beside Scott, Donald Trump has endorsed Graham – and he traveled to South Carolina on Friday to rally for her. The president also brushed off Graham’s answer on Friday. “I watched that,” he said. “I thought it was a very honest answer, actually.”

    Breitbart

    The president’s endorsement of Graham for a full six-year term did not secure her a majority of the vote in the initial primary, and some of Trump’s supporters at Friday’s rally told NBC News they still had reservations about her following a poor debate performance on Tuesday.

    Washington Times

    Soon after Ms. Graham was sworn in, Mr. Trump called on her to run for a full term and replace her brother on the November ballot.

    The Hill

    Scott says ‘there’s no doubt’ Darline Graham is qualified to be senator Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said Sunday that “there’s no doubt” his fellow South Carolina Republican Darline Graham is qualified to be a senator after her recent debate slip-up on an answer about national security. “Senator Scott, is Darline Graham qualified to be a U.S. senator?” NBC News’s Kristen Welker asked Scott on “Meet the Press.”…

  2. Questions about Graham’s performance revolved around her failure to answer a national security question about Taiwan and China, admitting that subject was not her strong point.

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    Washington Times

    Mr. Trump’s rally for Ms. Graham followed a debate gaffe this month in which she said she was “not that informed on national security” when asked a question about China and Taiwan.

    NBC News

    Asked about whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are important national security issues facing the U.S., Graham answered, “I’m just going to be honest here. I’m not, on national security, I’m not that informed on national security, so, but I do support the military.”

    HuffPost

    “I’m just gonna be honest here. I’m not that informed on national security, so...” Graham answered after being asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea were national security issues for the U.S.

    Washington Examiner

    Graham Nordone, who was appointed to replace her brother Lindsey after his death in July, told debate moderators on Tuesday that she is “not that informed on national security” when she was asked if Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States.

  3. She faces five-term Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., in Tuesday’s runoff. The winner will be a heavy favorite this fall against Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews in this red state.

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    HuffPost

    The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in November and, given South Carolina’s history in recent decades, is very likely to win the general election.

    Washington Examiner

    South Carolina voters head to the polls on Tuesday to decide whether Graham Nordone or Norman will take on Democrat Annie Andrews in November.

    Washington Times

    She faces five-term Rep. Ralph Norman, a staunch conservative and member of the House Freedom Caucus, in Tuesday’s GOP runoff election.

  4. “That person’s going home to mom,” Trump said as the crowd cheered. “Gonna get scolded because mom is voting for us.”

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    Fox News

    "That's all right. That person's going home to mom. Gonna get scolded because mom is voting for us. You know, mom is voting for us," Trump said before quickly continuing his speech.

  5. “I’m just going to be honest here. I’m not that informed on national security,” she said to gasps. “I’m not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise. But I do support the military.”

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    NBC News

    She added, “My brother was in the Air Force for 33 years, so I will do everything I can to support the military. My dad was in the Army. I’m not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise. But I do support the military.”

    The Guardian US

    “I’m just going to be honest here. I’m not that informed on national security,” she said during the debate. She added: “National security is not my thing.”

  6. Trump suggested the MAGA faithful also take that approach in other elections as well, saying, “We have to get Darline and other people elected.”

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    Breitbart

    Trump suggested the MAGA faithful also take that approach everywhere, saying, “We have to get Darline and other people elected,” according to coverage of the event by NBC News and other outlets.

  7. An hour later, the president punctuated the point again near the end of his remarks, telling voters to keep him in mind in the voting booth.

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    NBC News

    The president drove home the point near the end of his remarks about an hour later by telling supporters to think of him when they vote.

  8. Friday night’s rally site, Myrtle Beach, is the hometown of Congressman Russell Fry, who finished third on Aug. 11 with 20% of the vote. Trump quickly talked Fry — who will still be running for reelection for his House seat in November — into endorsing Graham.

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    NBC News

    Also speaking at the rally Friday was Rep. Russell Fry, whose district includes Myrtle Beach and who finished third in the initial primary, with nearly 20% of the vote. He has since endorsed Graham, and his voters could prove important.

  9. “She will be somebody you’re going to be very proud. You vote for her, you’re going to be very proud of that vote,” he told a few thousand attendees at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

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    Washington Times

    “She only knows how to put America first. She will be somebody you’re gonna be very proud. You vote for her, you’re gonna be very proud of that vote,” Mr. Trump, who won the state by 18 percentage points in the last election, told thousands of supporters packed into the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

  10. Darline Graham, for her part, only spoke for roughly three minutes, after 44 minutes of Trump speaking.

  11. The rest of the event included Trump attacking Hillary Clinton and former President Joe Biden, claiming the U.S. controls the Strait of Hormuz, and calling “affordability” a scam.

From the margins

6 details only one outlet reported

Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.

  1. 01 Washington Examiner

    Three days later, on Friday, Trump campaigned with her in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

  2. 02 NBC News

    Asked how confident he is that Graham will win Tuesday’s primary runoff, Scott said, “Very confident,” adding that he waited several weeks before giving her his endorsement “to make sure that I felt like she was ready.”

  3. 03 The Guardian US

    Scott tried to assuage concerns about her experience on Sunday when he was asked about Graham’s qualifications – and whether a US senator should have an understanding of national security issues.

  4. 04 Fox News

    A protester stood up and interrupted Trump at approximately 7:28 p.m., before being escorted from the Myrtle Beach Convention Center by police and convention center staff, according to the White House pool report.

  5. 05 Washington Times

    The president’s endorsement and get-out-the-vote rally, held in one of the state’s most populated areas, will undoubtedly provide a last-minute jolt to Ms. Graham’s campaign as she races to win the seat held for decades by her late brother Lindsey Graham.

  6. 06 HuffPost

    In a possible portent of Tuesday’s runoff result, his message was not entirely welcomed by its intended recipients.

Assembled from 11 corroborated claims drawn from 10 independent outlets. Every passage above is taken verbatim — Dorothy doesn't paraphrase or summarize.

Fact Corroboration

Which sources independently confirm the same facts. Hover a claim to see its sources, or a source to see what it corroborates.

Coverage by Perspective

Left
4
Lean-Left
7
Center
1
Lean-Right
6
Right
2

Source Similarity

Connections show how similarly each outlet covered this story. Thicker lines = more similar framing.

Sources (10)

  • huffpost
  • pbs
  • breitbart
  • foxnews
  • thehill
  • nbc
  • guardian
  • politico
  • washexaminer
  • washtimes

Original Articles (20)

Lean Right Graham Nordone leans on Trump to rescue Senate bid after debate gaffe — Washington Examiner
Lean Right Trump pleads with GOP voters to show up for midterm elections: ‘Pretend I’m on the ballot’ — Washington Examiner
Lean Right Darline Graham Nordone follows Trump strategy with ads on SAVE America Act and transgender athletes — Washington Examiner
Lean Right Trump rally security ejects protester wearing ‘kill your local pedophile’ shirt — Washington Examiner
Lean Left Tim Scott calls support for Darline Graham an ‘easy choice’ despite her debate flub — NBC News
Lean Left Tim Scott says ‘without question’ Darline Graham is qualified for Senate — NBC News
Lean Left Trump tries new midterm message to supporters: ‘Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot’ — NBC News
Lean Left Trump’s super fans are torn on Darline Graham ahead of key GOP Senate contest — NBC News
Lean Right Scott says ‘there’s no doubt’ Darline Graham is qualified to be senator — The Hill
Lean Left Tim Scott defends Darline Graham’s ‘national security is not my thing’ comment — The Guardian US
Right VIDEO: Trump Tells Supporters at Rally to 'Pretend' He's on the November Ballot — Breitbart
Right Trump fires back after protester interrupts Myrtle Beach rally for Graham: 'Mom is voting for us' — Fox News
Center WATCH LIVE: Trump stumps for S.C. Sen. Darline Graham ahead of GOP runoff — PBS NewsHour
Lean Right Is Trump enough? Darline Graham embraces president's endorsement in South Carolina's Senate runoff — Washington Times
Left Trump Puts His Rule-By-Fear Control Of Republican Party On The Line In South Carolina — HuffPost
Left Nancy Mace Shreds Darline Graham Over Shocking Debate Answer: 'Jesus, I Can't Even' — HuffPost
Left Trump Can't Help But Mention He Got More Votes Than Lindsey Graham — Right In Front Of His Sister — HuffPost
Left Trump Tells South Carolinians To Vote For Lindsey Graham’s Sister As A Favor To Him — HuffPost
Lean Left ‘I’m on the ballot’: Trump lends a hand to struggling Darline Graham — Politico
Lean Left Trump’s biggest political event so far isn’t in a battleground state — Politico