Reply #10: Bob Graham we hardly knew ye [View All]

[madfloridian]

http://www.miamiherald.com/418/story/126320.html

The article quotes Graham: ``I was able to apply caveat emptor. Most of my colleagues could not.''

With 3,475 American lives lost and counting, Graham has the grace not to gloat.

''There's no happiness in this tragic situation,'' Graham said.

Back in 2003, he was ridiculed as a conspiracy theorist. Most Americans believed that Saddam Hussein was involved in the Sept. 11 attacks. Graham -- a three-term senator and two-term governor who had never lost an election -- came in last in virtually every poll.

''It was immensely frustrating for us on the campaign trail that America was not ready to listen to him,'' Toothaker said. ``Some time in the last year, I started to see a shift. Some of my Republican friends even bought his book.''

Graham stays busy these days running two policy centers on public service, serving on four corporate boards and doting on 11 grandchildren. He is called for advice by Gov. Charlie Crist and for commentary by national media. A Washington Post blogger listed him as Florida's prize endorsement for a Democratic presidential candidate.
Asked about the field, Graham joked that he had an '' Al Gore answer,'' referring to the ex-vice president's response to questions about running again for president. ''I have not endorsed anyone, and I don't see the likelihood of endorsing anyone, but I reserve the right to do so in the future,'' he said.

Glad to see Bob getting credit due now. Maybe someday others who were speaking out then will get credit as well.