NBC to Sen. Graham: GOP Criticism of Iran Deal Just ‘Fantasy’?

Citing Obama administration talking points word for word on Wednesday’s Today, co-hosts Willie Geist and Savannah Guthrie grilled Republican Senator and presidential candidate Lindsey Graham on GOP opposition to the Iran nuclear deal. Geist, filling in for Matt Lauer, began: “Secretary Kerry…said yesterday opponents of this deal have proposed no viable alternative….What makes you think that a President Lindsey Graham would have any more luck than President Obama with Iran?”

Graham replied: “I would tell the Iranians, ‘You’re not going to get a penny as long as you are you’re the largest state sponsor of terrorism’….I would make sure that you would never leave inspections – take inspections away as long as they were the largest state sponsor of terrorism.”

Guthrie then used Kerry’s words to lecture Graham: “Secretary Kerry says that sounds good, that’s a good soundbite, but ultimately it’s fantasy. You look at someone like Ronald Reagan, did a nuclear deal with the Soviets, didn’t require them to renounce Communism.” Graham hit back: “Oh, please….You know what’s a fantasy is to believe that the Ayatollah was building a power plant, not a bomb. A fantasy is to believe that this deal would not lead to a nuclear arms race in the Mideast. A fantasy is to believe that when they chant ‘Death to Israel’ they’re just kidding.”

More From MRC Newsbusters: