John McCain's former campaign manager slams 'tragically corrupted' Lindsey Graham

When the last loud and proud #NeverTrump Republican in the U.S. Senate, John McCain, passed away, his longtime friend Se. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) gave a speech in which he discussed the fact that he'd never taken on a big fight without his close friend.

Since McCain's passing—and despite the disrespect he was shown by Donald Trump—Graham has become increasingly close to the president.

At Thursdays confirmation hearings for Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Graham delivered an impassioned plea to his fellow Republicans to confirm the accused rapist, despite the lack of a full investigation into his alleged crimes.

McCain's former campaign manager, Steve Schmidt, did not hold back when asked about Graham's turn to Trump on MSNBC.

"Since the death of John McCain I think you can draw a line to the dizzyingly fast degree to which he has become an unquestioning Trump supporter," host Brian Williams said to Schmidt. "What do you think is the motivation here?"

"He's corrupted by ambition, corrupted by politics," Schmidt said. "This country could use a statesman right now and Lindsey Graham, for a long time, was on a path, that he could be that person... and to see him corrupted by the Trump era, to see him become sycophantic, to see him become dishonest and angry and sneering—it's just tragic. Certainly not the person I once knew."

In politics, people disappoint you, Schmidt said. But this was worse than normal.

"He is a profound disappointment," Schmidt said.

Watch below.