GRAHAM OUT – AT 9:56 A.M. ET:  Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has pulled out of the GOP presidential race.  From CNN:

Senator Lindsey Graham is ending his presidential campaign, he told CNN during an exclusive interview airing Monday.

"I'm going to suspend my campaign. I'm not going to suspend my desire to help the country," the South Carolina senator said in a wide-ranging and candid discussion in which he acknowledged: "I've hit a wall here."

He made the official announcement in an email to supporters and Youtube video posted Monday morning.

Graham is known for his quick wit and famous for his one-liners (just ask Princess Buttercup about his retort from the last debate), but he was sober, serious and emotional as he described his decision to leave the race just weeks before the voting begins.

One thing is clear: Graham still wants his voice heard on the direction his party is headed, especially with regard to the Middle East.

"Here's what I predict. I think the nominee of our party is going to adopt my plan when it comes time to articulate how to destroy ISIL," he said. "We've fallen short here, but the fight continues. To those who are doing the fighting, I want to be your voice. To those in the Republican Party who want to win, check my plan out. Hillary, if you get to be President, I'll help you where I can. I hope you're not. But if you are, I'll be there to help you win a war we can't afford to lose."

Graham's decision -- which leaves a field of 12 main GOP candidates (CNN had 13 at its last Republican debate, including Graham) -- comes just days after the CNN Republican Presidential Debate in Las Vegas, where he was widely viewed as dominating the undercard debate.

COMMENT:  Graham has been controversial in the Republican Party.  Some consider him a RINO (Republican in name only) because of his willingness to compromise with the other side.  But on foreign and defense policy I think he's been superb, and his voice will be missed.  He has a clear view of who are enemies are and why they must be decisively defeated. 

We don't have to agree with someone on every issue to realize his value on the most critical issues.  I hope Graham, despite disagreement on some things, continues to be an active voice on national security.

December 21, 2015