Senator Lindsey Graham He died suddenly at the age of 71 just one day before his first appearance on NBC's. Meet the media.
“As we reflect on the life and legacy of Senator Linsey Graham, we here Meet the media We want to express our deepest condolences to his friends, family and colleagues,” Meet the media the president Kristen Welker said the Sunday, July 12, episode of the NBC show. “Senator Graham was not only playing on Capitol Hill but also on this radio station.”
He continued, “He was scheduled to appear on the show this morning as it would have been his 64th appearance. Senator Graham was one of the most frequent guests on the show, second only to his dear friend, the late Senator. John McCain.”
The South Carolina senator's office confirmed early Sunday that Graham died last night at the age of 71 after battling a “short and sudden illness.”
“On Saturday night, July 11, Senator Lindsey Graham passed away after a brief and sudden illness,” the late politician's spokesman said in a statement marked X. “Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and requests privacy during this incredibly difficult time.”
The president Donald Trump called to Meet the media' Sunday's show after the senator's death, detailing what may have been the last phone call the politician made before he died.
“So, what makes it unknown is that I got a call last night something in the evening – maybe seven o'clock – and he called and said, 'We are all ready for the Save America Act,'” said the president, 80, referring to his controversial ballot bill that many experts argued would make it more difficult for American citizens to vote.
“He was pushing the Save America Act like crazy,” the president continued. “He came back, said he had just arrived in Ukraine, and I said, 'That's a long journey.' He sounded a little tired, but perfect, but a little tired – he had a right to be, he was a worker. He was truly a worker. But he sounded good, actually. But he actually said he was tired.”
Trump added, “But he wanted to pass the Save America Act, and I said, “Well, we're going to do it, Lindsey. We will do it. See you soon.' We might meet today, and then that was it. And so it was, in time… it wouldn't be too long. It might be his last call, I don't know for sure.”
During Sunday's tribute, Welker elaborated on Graham's last appearance on the show, sharing that the show gave him a picture that used to hang in the green room.
“When he last appeared on the show last May, we presented him with a picture that was hanging before Meet the media green room at a joint viewing with Senator McCain in 2017,” explained Welker. “It was a perfect moment for a senator who understood the power of this program.”
He concluded by saying, “Senator Graham was often visited because he believed in the idea that democracy is strengthened when we continue the conversation even when we disagree.”
