The regulars gave him the nickname Stinkball because he would occasionally sneak swigs of their beers. He would also take quick puffs of their left-behind cigarettes when his parents weren’t looking.
The bar operated during a heavily segregated era in the American South. Black customers were expected to drink their beverages completely off the premises after purchasing them from the family.
Lindsey Graham shares a laugh with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell as the two leave a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill. The candid moment captures a lighter side of the veteran senator amid the daily pace of congressional life. | Source: Getty Images
His father later desegregated the tavern in the early 1970s, causing white customers to flee instantly. However, his father refused to tolerate racial hostility and once knocked a white customer unconscious for using slurs.
Despite the rough environment, Graham lived a normal childhood filled with Little League, Cub Scouts, and rabbit hunting. He even brought pigs’ feet to school to make his classmates envious.
He was not a star student, earning average grades and scoring an 800 on his SAT. His classmates openly laughed when he blurted out to his teacher that he wanted to be the governor one day.
Standing alongside Sens. Hillary Clinton and Patrick Leahy, Lindsey Graham speaks during a bipartisan news conference focused on health care for National Guard and Reserve members. The event reflected his willingness to work across party lines on issues affecting military service members. | Source: Getty Images
He played four sports but suffered an embarrassing football blunder as a backup holder. He fumbled a snap, threw a random pass that scored, but the local newspaper mistakenly credited the quarterback instead.
