Sen. Jim Banks Calls-In

**Nigel** (0:00)
You're listening to The Hammer and Nigel Show. My name is Nigel Jason Hammer, right over there. We'll go to the hotline and bring on Republican Senator Jim Banks from the great state of Indiana. Mr. Banks, before we get started here, just kind of wondering your thoughts on Lindsay Graham, the senator passing away suddenly over the weekend. Where were you when you heard and your relationship with your longtime friend and colleague?

**Jim Banks** (0:24)
Well, I woke up on Sunday like most people did to the news and it was just shocking. Lindsay is one of a kind. And in the Senate, there's probably like a famous senator for every generation. He was like our famous senator, the most well-known of my colleagues. And it was a privilege and a lot of fun to serve with him. I met him when I was serving in Afghanistan about 12 years ago. He came over to our base to do his two weeks of annual training with the Air Force Reserves and always got a kick out of him from that point. So many funny stories being around him, even from that point when we were both in uniform, all the way to the point of becoming a congressman and a senator. And he was very effective. His relationship with President Trump was very, very significant and helpful to both of them. So I'll miss serving with them. My dad sort of summed it up though. My dad is a MAGA Republican, retired union factory worker.
And he told me over the weekend, he's like, you know, I really like that guy. And I'm like, well, dad, why, why is you, why is you really like him? I'm surprised because Lindsay Graham was known for, his voting record over the years wasn't exactly like a MAGA voting record, but President, he and President Trump were quite a combo and a duo. But I'm like, dad, why is you, like him? And I think it went back to his moment in the Kavanaugh hearing. Yes. And how Lindsay Graham fought for Kavanaugh. But I think what my dad was really drawn to was he, what he thought about Lindsay was like he, my dad said this, he actually cared. That was my dad's quote. He actually cared. And I've reflected on that a lot because we have way too many politicians in Washington, DC who just come here every week. They don't really care. They don't really fight for anything. And I'm talking about a lot of Republicans that are just milk toast senators and representatives who come to Washington as Republicans. And they don't really fight for anything. And I think what Hoosiers want more than anything is they want their two senators and their congressmen and congresswomen to come to Washington and fight for them. And I think that was the sense that my dad had, that Lindsay Graham was always fighting. And he had so much passion and you saw that on camera a lot. But what most people never saw, I've told you guys this before, we have these daily Republican senator lunches. And it's like a nursing home lunch. I mean, bad food, all these old senators. We literally have jello at these lunches. And what most people don't see are these private lunches and the conversations that we have among senators. And some of these conversations, you really want to beat your head against the wall. It's so frustrating on some of these issues. But Lindsay Graham always owned the room. He was always passionate, just as passionate in those private lunches, fighting for President Trump and his agenda in that private room, that private meeting with no cameras on, as you would see him on Hannity every night. Or when you see him in the committee hearing rooms. So that's something that I came to appreciate about him. I have so many funny stories about him. It would be fun to tell you and your listeners about him. He was so funny.
When I told him I was going on the banking committee, he said, Jim, I'd rather go to be in Gitmo than be on the banking committee.
And just like one-liners like that, he was just like every day he was full of him. And I'll miss laughing with him and appreciate the service that he paid to our country. His sister has taken his place. I've been getting to know her. She looks a lot like him and she's been around the Senate.
She's obviously mourning the loss of her brother. She was very close to him. But I think she's going to fill his shoes and do a good job in the seat for South Carolina for the rest of the year. And then you have a bunch of Republicans who are going to vote to run in the campaign to replace them here in the upcoming special election for, replace his name on the ballot. He was up for election this year for a full six year term.