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Sen. Lindsey Graham Dies At 71 After Sudden Illness. Sen. Lindsey Graham Dies at 71 After Sudden Illness; U.S. Targets Iranian Military Sites; Iran Foreign Minister Holds Call with Pakistani Counterpart; Remembering Senator Lindsey Graham. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired July 12, 2026 - 07:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[07:01:04]

RENE MARSH, CNN HOST: Well, it's Sunday, July 12th. Thanks so much for joining us this morning. I'm Rene Marsh in for Victor Blackwell.

Now we begin with breaking news. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has died. His office announced this morning that the longtime senator died from a brief and sudden illness, but did not give further details. Graham was elected to the House in 1994 and the Senate in 2002. He was running for his fifth term as senator in this fall's midterm elections.

President Trump paid tribute to Graham in a post on Truth Social saying, "Senator Graham, one of the greatest people and senators I have ever known, is dead. He was always working and was a true American patriot. Lindsey Graham will be greatly missed."

Lindsey Graham had just celebrated his 71st birthday last week. CNN's Brian Todd joins us now with the very latest on what we know so far. Brian?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rene, we do have some new information. This is coming from details that we're getting from the emergency dispatch audio. We're going to play that in just one second. What we can tell you at this hour is that Senator Graham's spokesperson said that the senator died after a, quote, "brief and sudden illness." The spokesperson is saying Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.

They are only saying from his side that he died of a brief and sudden illness. But here's what we can tell you. According to audio of the emergency dispatch, this is on Broadcastify. Broadcastify is an online platform for streaming live public safety communications.

According to audio of that emergency dispatch, emergency responders were dispatched to a Washington, D.C., address for Senator Graham at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday evening for a report of someone suffering from chest pains. The audio indicates that someone had called in from Baltimore and was on the way to that home at that time. The dispatcher said the caller believed that the door to the home was unlocked, but when emergency responders got there, they said it was deadbolted. That is according to the audio of the emergency dispatch on Broadcastify. The audio shows that about 25 minutes later they reported that CPR was in progress.

We can play for you about a 10-second clip that gives some additional detail. This is from the emergency response broadcast on Broadcastify. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: EMS six responds to engine seven medic seven on scene cardiac arrest. EMS six responds to engine seven medic seven with cardiac arrest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: And, again, we can just, you know, again reiterate that that call discusses cardiac arrest. We cannot confirm at this hour that Senator Graham actually died of cardiac arrest. That was a call discussing cardiac arrest, piecing it together. You can also -- we can also tell you that emergency responders were dispatched to the address for someone -- for Senator Graham at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday for a report of someone suffering from chest pains. That is according to audio of the emergency dispatch on the service Broadcastify.

The audio, again, indicates that someone had called in from Baltimore and was on the way to the home at that time at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. The dispatcher said the caller believed the door was unlocked, but emergency responders said it was deadbolted. That is according to that audio. And about 25 minutes later they reported that CPR was in progress.

We can also tell you that the governor of South Carolina, Henry McMaster, is empowered to appoint a temporary replacement for Senator Graham. We believe that Senator -- that Governor McMaster is, of course, dealing with that situation right now. Governor McMaster issued a statement posted on X saying, quote, "Peggy and I and our children are devastated. Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable, the fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America, and a loyal and steadfast friend. We grieve with Darline, his family, and his devoted staff. May God hold him gently in the palm of his hand. We shall not see his likes again."

That is a statement from Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina. Governor McMaster is empowered to appoint a temporary replacement for Senator Graham. That reference to Darline is a reference to Graham's younger sister, Darline. Rene?

[07:05:12]

MARSH: Brian Todd, thank you.

And for more, we are joined by CNN Presidential Historian Tim Naftali. He's a former director of the Nixon Presidential Library. Thanks so much for joining us this morning on this breaking news day, really shocking news surrounding the death of Senator Lindsey Graham.

I want, from your perspective, when historians look back at Graham's life and his career, what do you think will be that defining chapter of his public life?

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, I think there have been a few chapters of Senator Graham's life that will define his long public career. When he was in the House at the very beginning of his congressional career, he was a House manager for the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

And at that time, even though he was a new member of the House, he gained national prominence in making certain arguments about impeachment and why a crime wasn't necessary to remove a president. It depended on their character and whether they brought honor to the office.

When he replaced Strom Thurmond in the Senate, Lindsey Graham gained in national recognition as Republicans gained control of the Senate. Lindsey Graham was famous for reaching across the aisle. He worked with Senator Ted Kennedy on immigration reform. He was known to -- he spoke of the importance of bipartisanship, although he was very clear about his own conservative values.

In foreign policy, he was an advocate of a strong American presence and a strong American involvement in international affairs. He was viewed as a neoconservative in the George W. Bush era. He was a strong advocate for Israel, but also a strong advocate for NATO and in most recent years for Ukraine.

He was in 2008, but well before then, a very close ally of Republican nominee, Senator John McCain. Indeed, they were considered very close friends. And so he was associated with Senator McCain's views of foreign policy and also with Senator McCain's willingness to work with Democrats.

The next phase is the phase, of course, that is most recent, which is where Senator Graham became close to Donald Trump, President Trump. And at times seemed to be contradicting, if only in spirit, but perhaps in act, some of the commitments that he had shown to the ideas of John McCain and also to the bipartisanship that had shaped some of his actions in the first couple of decades of his time in Washington.

In most recent years, despite the friendship, the clear friendship with Donald Trump, Senator Graham has continued to support NATO and has viewed the plight of Ukrainians as something that is a concern of American international security. And he has viewed -- and continued to view Russia as a threat.

So when looking at his career, one sees a man with conservative values who represents in the big transformation, political transformation of the South. Lindsey Graham replaced a Democrat when he was elected in the -- to the House from South Carolina and replaced Strom Thurmond.

Strom Thurmond had started his career as a Democrat running against Harry Truman for the nomination of the Democratic Party in 1948. He switched to the Republican Party, but Lindsey Graham had been elected as a Republican. So Graham's career indicated was part of the shift to a solid South or somewhat solid South now for the Republican Party.

And though he showed a desire for bipartisanship throughout most of his career, in recent years, he has seemed more partisan as he got closer to Donald Trump.

[07:10:07]

MARSH: Yes. And his evolution on all of the things that you laid out certainly is a part of his legacy as well. Tim Naftali, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

And we have more breaking news coverage on the death of Senator Lindsey Graham. Coming up, Graham's work on the world stage and the tributes pouring in from international leaders after the break.

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[07:15:10]

MARSH: Well, this morning we are seeing reaction to the sudden death of South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham was known for his advocacy and strong support for Israel. And just hours after news broke of his death, several Israeli leaders have expressed their sadness at his passing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted this in part on social media, quote, "Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend."

Well, for reaction in Israel, we turn now to Jerusalem Bureau Chief Oren Liebermann. Oren, 2 o'clock in the afternoon there. What are you hearing from people as far as reaction to the shocking news?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Rene, Israel sees the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham as a huge loss. He was a passionate advocate for Israel, a staunch supporter of Israel. And he was hawkish on Iran as well as Israel's other adversaries in the region. And that made him Israel's great ally in Washington.

He would advocate for Israel to have more funding when it came to missile defense. He was a big proponent of that. And then he visited often, and not only since October 7, 2023, for decades here, likely going back to when he became a senator in 2002.

He would visit Israel. He would hold press conferences here. He would meet not only the media but also officials. Of course, he would meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others repeatedly. He made it a point to be very openly and publicly pro-Israel. And that's why Israeli officials, not just from the coalition, not just from Netanyahu's side, but also from the opposition, view his passing as a huge loss.

You saw some of the statement there from Netanyahu. Let me read you just a couple of other statements. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and one of Netanyahu's key challengers in the upcoming election said, quote, "I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of my friend Senator Lindsey Graham. America has lost a devoted patriot, and Israel has lost one of its greatest friends."

Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a statement, "Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest supporters of the state of Israel, has passed away. For years he stood by our side, even when it required courage and even when it involved significant criticism." And then former Prime Minister Yair Lapid said, "Lindsey had unwavering moral clarity, a deep devotion of the people of Israel and a clear vision for a secure and peaceful Middle East."

Even when there was a break between Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, some sort of division on how to handle a regional issue, Graham had Israel's ear, and he would be able to go to Trump and advocate Israel's position or at least try to sway Trump's thinking when it came to some of these issues. And, of course, crucially, especially at this time, that was on Iran.

He openly expressed skepticism that Iran was negotiating in good intent and that it would stick to the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding or that that 60-day negotiation window would ever lead to a final agreement. Israel, and specifically Netanyahu, have had those same doubts about Iran. And for Israel, it was frankly critical to have somebody in Washington, to have Graham, who was so close to Trump, advocating caution on the MOU, on Iran, and frankly advocating for, if necessary, a return to strikes, a return to the joint U.S.- Israeli military campaign.

And that's just one of the many reasons that Israel viewed Graham as such an important ally in Washington. And at this point, it's unclear who will take that place. According to an Israeli source, Netanyahu is considering going to the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, whenever that's scheduled here in the coming days. That, too, may also give him a chance to meet Trump.

The two, in their last known phone call or publicly acknowledged phone call, had talked about meeting in the near future, although a date hadn't been scheduled yet, so perhaps that happens around the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham. Rene?

MARSH: Oren, thank you.

And Senator Graham's final foreign trip was actually to Ukraine, another place that he was a fierce advocate for Ukraine. And on Friday, he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And in a social media post, Zelenskyy commented on Graham's relentless diplomatic work to support Ukraine in its battle against Russia.

Now, CNN's International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson, he joins us now with more on this part of Graham's legacy. Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, and it's a legacy that's so important, not just to Ukraine, but to Ukraine's European partners, who were so concerned about President Trump's sort of MAGA-based, more isolationist vision of the United States' future on the global stage, on foreign policy issues like Ukraine, like confronting President Putin. That they saw Lindsey Graham as somebody that was a kindred spirit, the sort of old-school republicanism on foreign policy, as you will, willing to intervene.

[07:20:03]

Maybe they didn't back him on all the interventions like Iran and things like that. But when it came to Ukraine, you get a sense of that from what we've heard from the NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, mourning the passing of Lindsey Graham, but saying that he was, you know, strongly believed in the NATO alliance and that he was working on trying to bring an end to the war.

And that is something that we've heard from President Zelenskyy. You know, President Zelenskyy has talked about the 10 times that the senator visited, Lindsey Graham visited Ukraine during Russia's war there since 2022. So a phenomenal high number of visits. And remembering, these visits are not easy.

You're going into an active war zone. You're going into Kyiv, a city that is under active and almost daily attack by Russia. It's not somewhere you can fly into. So the transport, the getting there is difficult and takes a long time. So not an easy thing to do. And that, to the Ukrainians, was hugely important.

President Zelenskyy saying that Senator Graham was there whenever the country needed him. And they needed him because he could communicate, as Oren was saying, for Netanyahu in the White House, that he could communicate with President Trump. And that was the value to the Europeans as well.

Go back to remembering that moment when President Trump had the horrible falling out of President Zelenskyy early last year. The Europeans responded by forming the Coalition of the Willing. It was Lindsey Graham that was a U.S. representative on that Coalition of the Willing because he understood the importance of standing with Ukraine.

So on this latest trip, he spoke about his latest efforts to try to get an end to the war. This is what he said.

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SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: We've reached agreement with the White House on a version of the Russian sanctions bill that they will support. It means it's going to become law. So when I get back to Washington, I'm going to go with Senator Blumenthal, to the Republican and Democratic leader to see if we can find time to move this Russian sanctions package that would give tools to President Trump to help end this war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: And ending the war is exactly what the European partners wanted. And of course, Europeans also have been pressuring President Trump to put more sanctions on Russia to bring the economic impact on Russia. Another kind of important point that Lindsey Graham made during that visit to Kyiv was pointing out that China's support for President Putin was key and vital to keeping the war going.

He was all about putting more pressure on China to end that support as well. So he got the big global picture in the same way that the United States' international allies did that oftentimes it was perceived President Trump didn't.

MARSH: Nic Robertson, thank you so much for that perspective.

And stick with CNN, we'll have more on our breaking news on the coverage of the death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham right after this break. Reaction from Capitol Hill where he was a strong voice for President Trump's agenda.

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[07:27:57]

MARSH: We are continuing to follow the breaking news out of Washington. Longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has died from a, quote, "brief and sudden illness." His office announced this earlier this morning. Graham served as a senator for South Carolina for more than two decades. Initial 911 audio revealed emergency personnel respond to a call for chest pains at Graham's home in D.C. around 8:30 in the evening. EMS reported that CPR was in progress about 25 minutes later.

Senator Graham had a brief run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2015 when he was a critic of Donald Trump. But that changed after Trump took office in 2017. Graham quickly became a vocal ally. By Trump's second term, Graham became one of Trump's most trusted voices in the Senate.

And Senator Graham was also known as a foreign policy hawk. He fiercely defended U.S. support for Israel and Ukraine. In fact, he had just returned from Kyiv where he met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on Friday. Lindsey Graham turned 71 just last week.

With us now is CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju. Manu, you know, you have been on Capitol Hill for decades and you have known Lindsey Graham for decades. From your perspective, what will be his lasting legacy?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it will be profound. He was a towering figure in the United States Senate and in Republican politics, an influential voice not just on foreign policy. Of course, he has been a longtime interventionist, and the interventionist wing of the Republican Party has not shifted away from that stance throughout his very long career, but also on the domestic front as well.

He plays such a key role on so many issues and was the person that really drove the debate on Capitol Hill on some of those critical issues. I mean, just even back when he was a member of the House, he was one of the impeachment managers for the Clinton impeachment trial, the Bill Clinton impeachment trial. That really put him on the map nationally. [07:30:10]

Then ultimately, he ran for the United States Senate, won the United States Senate seat. He was a longtime ally of the late Senator John McCain, as well as the late Senator Joe Lieberman. They were referred to as the three amigos on Capitol Hill because they often broke ranks with their own party. They cut bipartisan deals. Lindsey Graham, a dealmaker on immigration, a supporter of comprehensive immigration reform, an issue that got him so much trouble from the right flank of his party, facing a Tea Party threat that threatened his career back in the 2014 primary.

He ultimately fended that off by some shrewd and deft maneuvering, defending his bipartisan deal making, even on issues like climate change, things that were not within the GOP orthodoxy. And you mentioned him being a staunch critic of Donald Trump when he ran for president back in 2016. That presidential race did not go over for him. But he warned Republicans about backing Donald Trump, warning that it would destroy the party.

Ultimately, he decided that he made the wrong calculation there, siding with Donald Trump time and time again, aligning himself, becoming a frequent golf partner of Trump's, defending him on some of the more controversial issues throughout Trump's 10 years here in public life.

Ultimately, something that his departure, people will remember in these later years of him being that stalwart ally of Donald Trump. But he did break with his party. He warned his party time and time again that it was time to cut deals with Democrats. That happened during the Obama years as well.

Remember, he voted for the two Supreme Court justices that Barack Obama put on the Supreme Court. But he also played a critical role in getting Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to the Supreme Court during those very contentious hearings on Capitol Hill, playing a role that really won him over with the right flank of his party. People had been skeptical of those bipartisan deals over the years.

So, he leaves a very profound, complex legacy on the Hill, where he played such a mighty role on some of these key issues that really have affected Americans' lives and people around the world, given his role on the international front as well.

RENE MARSH, CNN ANCHOR: And, Manu, I mean, you really got to know him very well. I mean, tell us more. What was Senator Graham like on Capitol Hill during your interactions with him?

RAJU: He was very witty. He was very someone who was quick with a good quote. He didn't always want to talk to the press. Sometimes he was very clear. He did not want anything to do with talking to reporters. He was busy. He was oftentimes on his phone walking through the halls of the Capitol.

But when he wanted to talk, he would let loose. He was not afraid to dive very into his views. If he had a controversial position on something, he would defend that controversial position. He was someone who reporters like myself would often stake out, as you can see there on your screen, because knowing that he had something to say about something very critical, he could help drive the debate on a number of issues.

I mean, reporters would stake out a key position in the Senate basement, knowing that he was going to leave his office and walk to the Senate floor through that position that became known as the Russell basement stakeout location. I started covering him there on Capitol Hill because he would go by there and stop and talk to reporters there.

So, he was someone frequently to speak to, a towering figure, a person that a lot of people on Capitol Hill will miss. And you're hearing that outpouring of shock and concern and people remembering him at this moment after his sudden death overnight.

MARSH: Thank you, Manu. And I know you're going to have a lot more on this. Be sure to catch Manu at the top of the hour for "Inside Politics Sunday" for much more on the passing of Lindsey Graham.

We're also watching the breaking news in the war with Iran as the U.S. targets Iranian military sites in their latest strikes.

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[07:35:00]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

MARSH: Well, taking a live look at the traffic in the Strait of Hormuz right now. The Joint Maritime Information Center says it's open to two-way traffic. That's despite Iran's claim it is closed. But the security threat level in the waterway remains severe.

And in recent hours, U.S. Central Command shared new video of strikes the U.S. military says it carried out on 140 Iranian military targets. The U.S. is blaming the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for an attack on a merchant ship in the Strait.

CNN's Nada Bashir joins me now. Nada, what are we hearing or learning about the latest with these strikes this morning?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the third round of U.S. strikes targeting Iran that we have seen in recent days. And this comes, of course, after the Iranian regime confirmed that it would be shutting the Strait of Hormuz down once again to the key shipping access route.

And, of course, we've been learning more from the U.S. military as well. We've heard from the U.S. Central Command saying that they hit around 140 targets in Iran. That includes missile and drone sites, naval capabilities. That also includes ammunition storage facilities in Iran, as well as communication networks and coastal surveillance locations. Now, of course, the Strait of Hormuz continues to be a key stumbling block in efforts to mediate some sort of peaceful resolution between the U.S. and Iran. Iran has accused vessels of traveling through the Strait of Hormuz through an unauthorized route.

[07:40:00]

So, not using that corridor outlined by the Iranian regime along its coastal front, but rather using a corridor closer to the coast of Oman.

But, of course, this also comes as Iran and Oman carry out bilateral talks. We saw on Saturday Iran's foreign minister meeting with his Omani counterpart, Bashar al-Assad. where, according to sources, discussions were had focusing on trying to establish some sort of equal control mechanism over the Strait of Hormuz to allow for two separate passage routes, including, of course, the Iranian corridor, but also through the coast of Oman as well.

It's unclear at this stage whether there has been any firm resolution from those talks or whether that will be supported and championed by allies and neighbors in the Gulf region and, of course, the United States as well. And what we have seen in response to U.S. attacks on Iran just in the last 24 hours is, of course, retaliatory strikes by the IRGC as well, targeting U.S. allies in the Gulf, targeting military assets in the Gulf.

We've heard from some of those Gulf nations saying that interceptions were carried out in the early hours of Sunday morning, that there were detected threats from Iran as well. And there are real fears that this could certainly destabilize those efforts to restart mediation efforts. We know that Iranian officials have made contact with officials in Pakistan, again, a key mediator in that initial memorandum of understanding.

But at this stage, we are hearing very stark rhetoric from both the U.S., the Trump administration and the Iranian regime. And there are fears that this could certainly destabilize those efforts to mediate a renewed peace agreement.

MARSH: Nada Bashir, thank you for that. And after President Trump declared that ceasefire agreement with Iran to be over, global oil prices started rising again.

I want to go to Tom Kloza. He's the chief energy advisor for Gulf Oil. Tom, you have been in this space for decades now, and I'm interested in your perspective. I mean, Americans are seeing gas prices tick up. How much of this is directly tied to the Iran conflict and the war in Ukraine? And really, how much higher do you think that these gas prices could go in the near-term?

TOM KLOZA, CHIEF ENERGY ADVISER, GULF OIL: Well, I don't suspect we're going to see a spike in gas prices anytime soon, although we may go up back above four dollars here on the loss of some of the crude departures from the Persian Gulf. You know, we've got our eyes focused on the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf and the Iran war. But what's happening in the Ukraine- Russia war is really having more of an impact on U.S. gasoline prices. Overnight, another 5 percent of Russian refining was knocked out by Ukrainian drones. And, you know, that together with the loss of refining in the Persian Gulf, with the loss of refining or messy operations in South America has made it so that there's plenty of crude oil for the moment, but there's not plenty of gasoline and there's particularly not plenty of diesel fuel.

MARSH: And I hear you because you're what you're saying is it sounds like you're saying the Russia-Ukraine war and that conflict is the bigger driver of gas prices right now, despite our focus on the Strait of Hormuz. But I'm wondering, you know, when does that change?

I mean, we don't really know when things will be resolved in the Strait of Hormuz. We know that Iran said that the Strait is closed and we're clearly not any closer to peace in that region. Is there a deadline for, you know, the uncertainty for the Strait of Hormuz over the next month or two, if that is not opened and a deal is not settled for safe passing for ships through the Strait of Hormuz? Could that then become a significant driver of gas prices? Again, I understand the Russia-Ukraine is the driver right now, but when might that change for the Strait?

KLOZA: Well, the back half of the summer is going to be pretty critical to watch. We've got plenty of crude oil at the moment, not necessarily three months from now, is that there have been a lot of releases from the strategic petroleum reserves by the U.S. and by some foreign countries. Those run out in about 30 days. And that could mean that -- you know, and again, it's up against August's worldwide demand, when demand for all fuels is about as high as it's ever been.

So, we do have to worry about that later this summer. And we also have to worry about a hurricane season in August and September.

MARSH: Yes, I was going to ask you about that.

KLOZA: We cannot afford to lose any refined -- yes. We can't afford to lose any refined products manufacturing in the U.S. Gulf.

[07:45:00]

And, you know, more than half of U.S. refined products comes from the Gulf of Mexico and usually on the coasts.

MARSH: Yes. I mean, to your point about hurricane season, I mean, it's -- we're mid-July now. I know people like you, you're thinking about a major hurricane and the Gulf hitting maybe refining capacity. Are we essentially one disruption away from more severe gas prices considering we've got these two unresolved conflicts going on that are already taxing the supply?

KLOZA: Yes. We're always one disruption away. You know, on the West Coast of the United States, you're one refinery event away from $6 and $7 and $8 gasoline. And the rest of the world, we're a -- you know, an event or if, you know, it's hard to determine how much oil is leaving the Persian Gulf region because you've got propaganda on both sides. But we know it's nowhere near what it used to be. And we also know that it can be compromised.

I'm more worried about Iranian attacks on infrastructure in the region that could cripple some refineries and some logistics terminals, you know, down the road. For now, there's plenty of crude oil. There's not plenty of gasoline and there's --

MARSH: Tom Kloza, thank you so much for joining us this morning. We're going to take a quick break. Then we will continue our breaking news coverage of the death of Senator Lindsey Graham at the age of 71. Stick with CNN.

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[07:50:00]

MARSH: We return to our breaking news out of Washington. Longtime Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, has died. His office announced overnight that the senator died from a brief and sudden illness. 911 dispatch audio obtained by CNN reveals emergency personnel responded to a call for cardiac arrest at Graham's home in D.C. on Saturday evening. Graham had just celebrated his 71st birthday just last week.

Now, with me now is CNN political analyst and Republican strategist, Brad Todd. Brad, good morning. Thank you so much for joining us on this breaking news day.

BRIAN TODD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST AND CO- FOUNDER, ON MESSAGE INC.: Good morning.

MARSH: Such sad news, shocking news. I know that you have known Senator Graham for a number of years. You first met him back in 1995. Tell me about that relationship and what you will remember most about him.

TODD: Yes. So, I was a press secretary on Capitol Hill in 1995 when Senator Graham was first elected to the House. And, you know, that was the Republican takeover. Republicans hadn't held a chamber, held the U.S. House in 40 years. So, he was part of that that class that took over.

I was working on the Hill for another freshman member of Congress who became kind of an ally and a comrade of Senator Graham's. And, you know, there was a conservative band of -- I think they would probably have called themselves guerrillas or rogues in that time who were trying to pull Speaker Newt Gingrich a little bit further in the conservative direction. And he was part of that of that cabal, if you will.

And so, I got to know him then in his very early days as a House member. And then, of course, have -- you know, having worked in Republican campaigns and especially on the Senate side over the last 20 years, I've been doing this for 30 something years, but I've done a lot of Senate races. And so, you, of course, interact with Senator Graham.

And the reason is, is Senator Graham is a 24-hour senator. He just never stops doing the job or never stopped doing the job. And that's that he almost did the work of three people because of that.

MARSH: Yes. I mean, speaking of his impact, I mean, what do you see as his greatest impact on the Republican Party?

TODD: Well, you know, first off, he's a compromiser, and I say that in a positive way. I mean, the Senate is fundamentally set up to accomplish anything only with a lot of compromise and work across the aisle. That's pretty hard to come by these days. But Senator Graham never quit trying to do it.

Every meaningful effort to bring Republicans and Democrats together on a given issue. And of course, this happens a lot of times well outside the eye of cable news. There are things that pass Congress that are not controversial in the end. Well, the reason they're not controversial in the end is because people like Lindsey Graham did the hard work in the back rooms ahead of time to make them pass. You know, that's just the nature of how he was. He was open to learning and being an expert on a lot of different areas.

You know, he was -- everyone's talked this morning on CNN here about his foreign policy impact. And certainly, you know, Israel and Ukraine have had no better friend than Senator Lindsey Graham. But he also was involved on a lot of other issues, that's vetting judicial nominees and working on thorny privacy issues. He chaired the Judiciary Committee, which is part of the intellectual property issues come to be settled in this Internet age.

Well, Senator Graham was deeply involved in that and in the middle of those things. And all the matters about our legal system and the complicated matters like antitrust measures that come up, he was deep involved in those too. They didn't make the headlines or Twitter, but he was a man who was pretty broad and pretty deep in his policy expertise.

[07:55:00]

MARSH: Yes, I mean, we heard the president say he was always working. You said 24-hour senator.

TODD: Always was.

MARSH: Yes. And then you talk about his foreign policy and his experience and also his effectiveness. I just wonder, with someone like that gone and as a Republican yourself, I mean, how do you feel the void will be filled? Is there anyone that fills that void?

TODD: You can't fill what he did. You can't do it because no one works 24 hours a day. I mean, the American government was Lindsey's spouse and child. It was his hobby. It was his passion. It was his advocation. So, if you as an individual could think of how you react to your spouse and your child and your hobby, then roll all that up with your job. That's what it is. You can't replace him. Others will take the reins. Tom Cotton will become the voice on foreign policy affairs, I think, and Dave McCormick that Lindsey filled those two. But you can't replace him.

MARSH: Thank you so much, Brad Todd. Thank you for joining us. And thank you for joining us for CNN This Morning. Inside Politics Sunday with Manu Raju is up next.

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[08:00:00]