Graham won’t endorse Gingrich, but believes he can beat Obama

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday he won’t endorse Newt Gingrich for president but would back him if he wins the nomination. 

“I’m not going to endorse him but I think he can beat President Obama and I would certainly support him as president if he won the nomination,” Graham said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I think we’re in a good spot to win this election, it’s our election to lose,” he said.

“We can’t stand four more years of the policies that are in place now,” Graham added. “I don’t see people being better off” under four more years of Obama, he said.

{mosads}Graham said he didn’t have plans to endorse any Republican candidate in this year’s contest after backing Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in 2008. 

He said he supported McCain because “we had a close relationship” and noted that he doesn’t have that bond with members of this field but hopes Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) does well. 

Graham acknowledged that Gingrich has established himself as Republican front-runner,” mainly because he is remaining calm when attacks come his way and he has “matured as a person and reattached himself to his faith.”

It was in Graham’s office that the coup started in 1997 to oust Gingrich as speaker. 

“So obviously the guy doesn’t hold grudges, he’s a different person,” Graham said. 

“Newt is a guy who can hold a room, a very smart fella and he and President Clinton did some good things together — welfare reform and balancing the budget,” he said. 

“Good things got done and he had troubles, too.”

Asked on ABC’s “This Week” if he would endorse Gingrich, presidential contender and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman sidestepped the question, saying only: “We’re going to be the nominee.”