Ahead of late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s memorial services, communications experts weighed in on a “classy” tribute offered by Monica Lewinsky.
Following the sudden death of Graham earlier this month, many had shared opinions and anecdotes about the longtime politician from either side of the aisle. Tuesday, as a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol marked the start of two days of services, a renewed focus assessed Lewinsky’s reminder of how the senator “worked tirelessly” in a way that was “healing” for her.
As news spread of the death the morning after Graham was rushed to the hospital, Lewinsky took to social media and posted, “I’ve disagreed with many (many) of Lindsey Graham’s choices and beliefs, but he was also — as one of the house managers on the ’98 impeachment — the one who worked tirelessly to prove there was a smear campaign against me from inside the [White House]. RIP.”
Responding to multiple replies insisting he hadn’t done it for, including one that described Graham as a “vile, cruel war mongering f*ckstick who caused immense pain and suffering for millions of people,” Lewinsky wrote, “[I] know he didn’t do it for me. [I] didn’t whitewash his history. [But] those actions were healing for me (and my family)… thanks for sharing your opinion.”
I’ve disagreed with many (many) of Lindsey Graham’s choices and beliefs, but he was also — as one of the house managers on the ‘98 impeachment — the one who worked tirelessly to prove there was a smear campaign against me from inside the WH. RIP.
— Monica Lewinsky (she/her) (@MonicaLewinsky) July 12, 2026
i know he didn’t do it for me. i didn’t whitewash his history. but those actions were healing for me (and my family)… thanks for sharing your opinion.
— Monica Lewinsky (she/her) (@MonicaLewinsky) July 12, 2026
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Kronus Communications founder Adrienne Uthe assessed of Lewinsky, “She’s not suddenly a Lindsey Graham fan — she’s just honest enough to say he did one thing that mattered to her, and she’s not going to let political disagreement erase that. It works in her favor, and it’s the kind of nuance that actually means something.”
Contending the tribute “fits her clearly identified personal philosophy to a tee,” Uthe added, “There’s no performance to it — it reads like: ‘Hey, he wasn’t perfect, I disagreed with most of what he did, but he did this one thing for me and I appreciated it.’ That’s it. It’s classy, and it’s a stand-up thing to highlight in someone’s death.”
As a member of the House impeachment trial, Graham reminded that conviction of a crime was not the threshold for impeachment, “Impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham in 1999: “A president doesn’t even have to be convicted of a crime to be impeached. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office”pic.twitter.com/KXp0L4jYGe
— PoliticsVideoChannel (@politvidchannel) September 24, 2019
Similar to Uthe, The Source PR founder Holly Baird remarked, “Lewinsky’s advocacy has centered on fairness, empathy, and the lasting impact of public treatment. Acknowledging someone she disagreed with politically for treating her fairly is consistent with those broader themes and reflects the principles she has consistently emphasized throughout her public life.”
“The statement reflects the idea that personal gratitude and political disagreement can coexist,” added the crisis management expert.
Nearly three decades after becoming a household name during the impeachment trial of then-President Bill Clinton, Lewinsky has gone on to host her “Reclaiming” podcast and, during the 2024 presidential campaign, took part in a get-out-the-vote effort reminding voters, “that you’ve got the power.”
As former White House spokesperson Alexandra LaManna put it, “By speaking openly about her own experience, she has helped change the way we think about public shaming, power imbalances, and being defined by the worst moment of your life.”
“So when she thanks Lindsey Graham for standing up for her at a time when almost no one else did,” LaManna told Fox News Digital, “it doesn’t read as politics — it reads as someone recognizing decency where she found it, even in a complicated story.”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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