Trump forced Lindsey Graham to endure 'ritual humiliation': Morning Joe panel

Panelists on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" mocked Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for enduring "ritualistic humiliation" by Donald Trump at a campaign rally.

The South Carolina Republican was booed by Trump supporters at a rally in his home state, and the former president offered a tepid defense of Graham by saying he helped draw "liberal" support for his re-election and promised to "get him straight," an apparent allusion to rumors the senator is gay.

"With friends like these, I mean, Lindsey Graham is someone who has, by many accounts, sullied his reputation over and over by his robust defense of Donald Trump," said fill-in host Jonathan Lemire. "Yes, he broke with him occasionally on foreign policy issues. Yes, he briefly did the night of Jan. 6 before coming running back. He is still one of Trump's staunchest defenders, and, man, Donald Trump gave him little to no support or cover right there."

"Yeah, that was what we call ritualistic humiliation, I believe," said guest Sam Stein, the deputy managing editor for Politico.

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"Tough to watch," Lemire agreed.

"In his home state, it's brutal," Stein said. "To a degree, Graham invites this stuff. I was recalling how a couple weeks ago, Lindsey Graham had gone to some conventions, like, if you can't support a 14-week abortion ban federally, you don't deserve to be president. Trump has refused to support the ban, but Graham is supporting Trump for president. Lindsey invites this kind of stuff occasionally. That said, this is about Trump. I was, you know, not impressed, because I sort of expect this stuff at that juncture, but that rally over the weekend, you said it, the show of force is what to call it. They call themselves a city of 3,000, estimated 50,000 people showed up. This is in the home state of two other Republican presidential nominees, Tim Scott and Nikki Haley."

"This comes at a time when Trump, you know, in all respects, should be at a political crossroads," Stein added. "He is referencing this indictment he is facing, yet, he is using that to his political benefit. It's just -- it was a remarkable moment that really does underscore this weird place that we're in politically, in which this man who is under incredible pressure and scrutiny and legal problems is well on his way to securing the party's nomination. There's very little in the foreseeable future that could trip him up."

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