Graham: ‘Your opponent right now, Mr. Trump, is yourself’

In a week of campaign chaos during which Republican nominee Donald Trump insisted the GOP never has been more united, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham has a question: “What would disunity look like?”

Speaking on CNN from Clemson, the S.C. Republican Thursday said his party’s candidate is aiming his fire at everyone except the person who matters.

“The polls should be a wake-up call to Mr. Trump. He's losing to someone who people believe is a liar,” said Graham.

“Focus on your opponent, and your opponent is not John McCain, Kelly Ayotte or Paul Ryan,” he said. “Your opponent right now, Mr. Trump, is yourself.”

Graham called Trump’s refusal this week to endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and U.S. Sen. McCain, R-Ariz., “pretty shortsighted” since their wins would boost him on the ballot.

“I’ve said all along he can’t take criticism,” said Graham, who ended his own presidential bid last December. “If you really want to be president of the United States, this is the best chance you’ll ever get, Mr. Trump.

“At the end of the day, he doesn’t have discipline; he's thin-skinned. This isn't a real estate deal where you can bully your way into a good deal.’

Graham announced in May that he would not vote for Trump – or Clinton – in November’s presidential election. However, he appeared more subdued on Thursday, refusing to be baited into his famous zingers about the business mogul when asked whether Trump is crazy or whether he trusts him with the nuclear codes.

“No, I don’t think that Mr. Trump, if he was president of the United States, would just wake up one day and start a nuclear war,” Graham said, after pausing for a few seconds.

He often addressed Trump directly.

“The reason you’re doing so poorly is that you’ve scared people. They don’t think you’ve got the temperament, the judgment for the job,” he said. “Your campaign strategy is not working.”

Trump keeps lashing out at the wrong people, Graham said, like the bereaved parents of the late U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan, insisting on hitting back after they denounced his comments about Muslims from the Democratic National Convention stage.

“He can beat Hillary Clinton, but he can’t beat Mr. Khan,” Graham said. “Mr. Khan is going to have the support of the American people because his son gave his life for our country.”

If Trump could only get on message, he could make this race competitive, Graham said.

“Hillary Clinton’s not trusted, people don’t want to vote for her, but what Mr. Trump is doing is basically focusing on everything except the big thing – which is the election for president,” he said.

Graham said his main concerns about Trump continued to revolve around national security issues.

“He does not, in my view, know who our enemies are and who our friends are,” Graham said.

“Here’s my problem: I don’t think he understands how to win this war any better than President Obama,” the senator said, challenging Trump to prove otherwise. “Show me that I’m wrong.”

This story was originally published August 4, 2016 at 6:08 PM.