Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Pistol-Packin' Senator   [W. Thomas Smith Jr.]

BAGHDAD — Enjoyed lunch today at the U.S. Embassy with Maj. Armando Hernandez, an Army press officer with Multi-National Force—Iraq. Great guy: Fascinating conversation about the role of the reporter in war.

As we were leaving the dining facility, I bumped into Col. Lindsey Graham (yes, the South Carolina senator): I say "colonel" because Graham — an Air Force Reserve JAG officer — was dressed in his desert khaki uniform, and — here's the fun part — armed with a 9mm Beretta pistol in a shoulder holster.

Giving me that good ol' Capitol Hill handshake and arm-squeeze, he said, "Tom, we're winning this thing out here." He also said he had a special Iraq story for NRO when I get back to the states.

Hernandez was like, "Wow, what are the odds of that? Sen. Graham out here with a weapon?"

Back at the media center, I attended the afternoon press conference with Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner.

I'll have the transcript in a few.

Editor’s note: Please see this note.

08/15 07:27 AMShare