"Anything from a federal military issue to a passport issue to a letter of recommendation for a kid trying to go to the military, you go to two people in South Carolina.
You go to [Congressman] Jim Clyburn or you go to Lindsey Graham.
We're going to miss him for that, truly," observed Bakari Sellers, a political commentator and former state representative.
Sellers noted Graham's approachable demeanor and distinct personal style. "He never had his shirt buttoned all the way up.
His tie was always hanging down. He would always ask me about my dad and be like, 'You running against Clyburn yet?'
, and then he would laugh and walk away.
He was always a funny type of individual who kept his pulse on the heartbeat of South Carolina," recalled Sellers.
Political observers credit Graham's initial success to his deep understanding of communication and media dynamics.
"He very quickly figured out, even as a House member, that media could compensate for a lack of institutional power in some situations.
This was a man who was willing to sit down on the Sunday morning talkshows, any Sunday. 'Christmas Eve?
Fine, I'll be there. Thanksgiving weekend?
I'll be there.'
He told me, I've learned that it's one way to get my message out and gain credibility," said Danielle Vinson, a politics professor at Furman University.
Vinson emphasized that Graham's charismatic personality made him highly accessible. "He was so quotable – that part was just his personality.
