WEBVTT NOW, CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CANDIDATE CONTINUES. JOSH: WELCOME BACK. TONIGHT'S GUEST, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM OF SOUTH CAROLINA. LET'S GET RIGHT TO IT WITH OUR FIRST QUESTION FROM RUTH MASON. RUTH: WE ARE BOTH BABY BOOMERS. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BEEN CALLED PART OF THE SILVER TSUNAMI. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY? SEN. GRAHAM: GREAT QUESTION. WHEN I WAS 21, MY MOM DIED. WHEN I WAS 22, MY DAD DIED. WE HAD A LIQUOR STORE, A POOL ROOM. MY MOM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HODGKIN'S DISEASE AND MY DAD DIED A YEAR LATER. WE MOVED IN WITH AN AUNT AND NEVER MADE MORE THAN $25,000 A YEAR. IF IT WEREN'T FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY TOUGH. I'M 59 YEARS OLD AND I'M NOT MARRIED AND I DO NOT HAVE KIDS. WHAT WOULD I DO TO SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY? ALMOST ANYTHING. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE WAY YOU PREVENT IT FROM BEING WIPED OUT, YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE REAGAN AND O'NEILL. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE YOUNG PEOPLE ON AFTER 1964 HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR THEM. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN I WAS BORN IN 1955, THERE WERE 16 WORKERS FOR EVERY SOCIAL SECURITY --RECIPIENT. TODAY THERE ARE 3. IN 20 YEARS IT WILL BE TWO. MY COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE SHOULD BE LESS THAN PROMISED. TAKE THE MONEY YOU WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME AND GIVE IT TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT MORE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE GOING TO WORK A LITTLE BIT LONGER. IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE SOCIAL SECURITY. HERE IS THE REASON YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE IT. HALF OF TODAY'S SENIORS WOULD BE IN POVERTY WITHOUT A SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO OUTLIVE THEIR 401(K) PLANS. YOU ARE GOING TO NEED THAT CHECK IN THE 21ST CENTURY AS MUCH AS YOU DID IN THE 20TH CENTURY. MICHAEL IS TO GET REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS IN A ROOM AND DO SOMETHING LIKE SIMPSON'S GOALS. THE ONLY WAY CAN DO THAT IS TO HAVE A COMPROMISE. JOSH: THANK YOU. LET'S GET TO THE NEXT QUESTION. THIS ONE COMES FROM MIKE CASTALDO. MIKE? MIKE: THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR RECENT AMENDMENTS TO PROTECT OUR CLIMATE. REPUBLICANS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE CARE VERY DEEPLY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. AS PRESIDENT, HOW WOULD YOU PROTECT OUR ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMIC SECURITY. ? SEN. GRAHAM: ENERGY INDEPENDENCE OF BE THE GOAL OF MY PRESIDENCY. I WOULD HAVE BUILD THE PIPELINE FROM CANADA TO THE GULF COAST, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE USING FOSSIL FEELS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. BUYING OIL FROM CANADA IS LIKE BUYING OIL FROM YOUR COUSIN. THE MORE OIL YOU BUY FROM PEOPLE WHO HATE YOUR GUTS, THE WORSE OFF YOU ARE. WE'RE SITTING ON TOP OF OIL AND GAS DEPOSITS. LET US EXPECT THEM ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUNDLY AND BUILD THE PIPELINE. I WOULD LIKE TO BUILD MORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS. I WOULD LIKE ETHANOL, BIODIESEL, ANYTHING WE COULD GROW AND PRODUCE HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO INVEST IN TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD OPERATE THE ECONOMY WITH THE LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT. FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY POINTED VIEW, WHAT IS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY? I BELIEVE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY ARE THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE GENERATION EVER PRODUCED IN AMERICA. I EMBRACE CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER, WITH ONE CONDITION. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SOUND ECONOMY TO GET THERE. THIS IDEA OF CHOOSING BETWEEN THE ECONOMY AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS A FALSE CHOICE. THE EPA REGULATION CONTROLLING MISSIONS IS AN OVERREACH. THE STANDARD SET BY THE U.K. REGULATION CANNOT BE MET BY EXISTING TECHNOLOGY. I WOULD WORK WITH CONGRESS TO LOWER EMISSIONS BUT DO IT IN A WAY TO CREATE JOBS. AND THREE GOALS. BECOME ENERGY DEPENDENCE, HAVE THE CLEANEST AIR AND WATER OF ANY PLACE ON THE PLANET, AND GROW THE ECONOMY AND THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING OF TRANSFERRING FROM A CARBON-BASED ECONOMY TO LOWER CARBON ECONOMY. IF YOU DO NOT DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS PRO-BUSINESS, YOU'RE GOING TO FAIL. JOSH: D BY THE BUSINESS OF IT BEING MAN MADE? SEN. GRAHAM: I'M ONE OF FIVE REPUBLICANS THAT MACHINES IS INTO READING TO GREENHOUSE GASES. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STOP IT IN A WAY THAT DESTROYS THE ECONOMY. WE HAVE TO PROTECT JOB GROWTH IN THIS COUNTRY AND MOVE THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD TO A CLEANER, SAFER ENVIRONMENT. CLIMATE CHANGE, I THINK, ISRAEL. REAL. -- IS REAL. JOSH: THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM ALLY. ALLY: WHEN I GRADUATE, I WILL BE FACED WITH DEBT AND WITHOUT THE PROMISE OF A JOB. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE JOBS THAT THEY CAN PAY BACK THEIR STUDENT LOANS? SEN. GRAHAM: WHAT IS SO HARD ABOUT CREATING A JOB IN AMERICA RIGHT NOW? YOU HAVE A BUSINESS, SHOULD I HIRE 10 MORE PEOPLE? WHAT IS MY HEALTH CARE COST GOING TO BE? IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, HE WILL LESS LIKELY TO HIRE THEM. IF YOU ARE A MANUFACTURER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WILL IT INCREASE MY POWER COST? BY HOW MUCH AND SHOULD I ADD NEW PEOPLE? WHAT WILL MY TAX BE NEXT YEAR? THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL GET A JOB IN AMERICA IS IF SOMEBODY OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT CREATES IT, UNLESS YOU WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF. I BELIEVE IS THAT ECONOMIC CERTAINTY IN THIS COUNTRY WILL CREATE BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES. ENERGY INDEPENDENCE IS ONE WAY TO CREATE JOBS IN AMERICA. IF WE BUILD MORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS THERE WOULD BE MORE JOBS THAT PAY WELL. THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO ON THE ENERGY INDEPENDENT SIDE THAT WOULD CREATE JOBS. IT IS SO OPPRESSIVE RIGHT NOW, MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE NEXT SHOE DROPS. I WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT WAS FOR A REFORM THAT BALANCES A SAFE WORKPLACE AND A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT WITH THE NEED TO GROW THE ECONOMY. TAX POLICY AND REGULATORY POLICY REALLY DOES MATTER. IF YOU DO NOT FIX THE RETIREMENT OF THE BABY BOOMERS AND COME UP WITH AN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM SO PEOPLE CAN HIRE WORKERS THEY CAN'T FIND HERE AT HOME, A LOT OF BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO FAIL. MONEY SPENT TO GO TO COLLEGE IS A WISE INVESTMENT. IT MAKES YOU MORE EMPLOYABLE DOWN THE ROAD. I'M SORRY YOU HAD TO BORROW SOME MUCH MONEY, BUT IT WILL PAY OFF. JOSH: THANK YOU. LET'S SWITCH IT UP NOW AND GO TO A SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION. THIS ONE IS FROM FACEBOOK. ARE YOU ON FACEBOOK? SEN. GRAHAM: ABSOLUTELY. JOSH: BILL LADD ASKS -- HOW WILL YOU STRIVE TO KEEP CHURCH AND STATE SEPARATE? SEN. GRAHAM: AT THE END OF THE DAY, I RESPECT THE FACT THAT WE ARE A RELIGIOUS NATION. WE ARE A NATION WHERE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT A PARTICULAR STYLE OF RELIGION. YOU CAN BE AGNOSTIC, LIBERTARIAN, A BAPTIST LIKE ME. THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF LEGISLATION TRYING TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND AT THE SAME TIME NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST SAME-SEX COUPLES IS A VERY COMPLICATED ENDEAVOR FOR A DEMOCRACY. HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRAY AT A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME? JOSH: YOU CAN RAISE HER HAND OR NOT RAISE YOUR HAND. SEN. GRAHAM: HOW MANY BELIEVE YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OFFER PRAYER AT A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME? ESTABLISHING A RELIGION IS PROHIBITED BY THE CONSTITUTION. CONGRESS SHALL NOT ESTABLISH A PARTICULAR RELIGION. BUT FREEDOM TO EXERCISE YOUR RELIGION IS GUARANTEED BY THE CONSTITUTION. THERE'S LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT. FOR 200 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. THE ONE THING I WILL NOT TOLERATE IS A NATIONAL RELIGION, EVEN THOUGH I AM A CHRISTIAN. BECAUSE THAT IS COUNTER TO WHAT WE ARE AS A PEOPLE. YOU SEE HOW A RELIGION IS PLAYING OUT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE STRENGTH OF THIS NATION IS THAT PEOPLE CAN WORSHIP GOD ON THEIR OWN TERMS, FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND THE EXERCISE CLAUSE AS PART OF WHO WE ARE. WE BENEFITED AS A SOCIETY BY HAVING A WALL BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE. LET'S KEEP THE WALL IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY IN THE GOVERNMENT CAN TELL YOU WHAT TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. AS THE SAME TIME, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN GOD, YOU ARE NOT THE ENEMY. WE DO NOT HAVE TO DRIVE GOD OUT OF THE PUBLIC SQUARE. WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT BALANCE. JOSH: BACK TO THE STUDIO AUDIENCE. UP NEXT, LARA QUIROGA . . LARA: I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS ON THE ROLE INTERNATIONAL AID SHOULD PLAY IN FOREIGN POLICY. DESPITE POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS, IT COMPRISES ONLY 1% OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET AID D.C. IT IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES AND ALLIES AROUND THE WORLD? SEN. GRAHAM: 1% OF YOUR FEDERAL BUDGET GOES TO FOREIGN ASSISTANCE. THAT INCLUDES RUNNING THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND OUR AID TO ISRAEL. THROUGH PROGRAMS CREATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERED WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WE HAVE TAKEN SOME OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS AND PUT AIDS ON THE RUN IN AFRICA AND SAVED CHILDREN FROM DEATH. BUILDING A SCHOOL IN AFGHANISTAN DOES MORE DAMAGE TO THE TALIBAN AND THEN SOLDIERS. THERE ARE ROADS THAT NEED TO BE BUILT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. AFTER LAST NIGHT, I CAN ASSURE YOU THERE ARE ROADS THAT NEED TO BE BUILT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. HERE'S MY VIEW OF DEFEATING RADICAL ISLAM. YOU HAVE TO DO MORE THAN KILL THE TERRORISTS. YOU HAVE TO BUILD UP OTHER PEOPLE IN THE REGION. IF YOU DON'T, YOU FEEL AS A NATION. THE GOOD NEWS, MOST FATHERS IN THE REGION DO NOT WANT TO TURN THEIR DAUGHTERS OVER TO ISIS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DEFEND THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT SOME OF US BEING OVER THERE DOING THE FIGHTING. I CAN PROMISE YOU THIS. THE WAY TO DESTROY RADICAL ISLAM OVER TIME IS TO CREATE CAPACITY IN THE COUNTRIES WHERE THEY ARE SIDE DO THE FIGHTING --WHERE THEY RESIDE. A SMALL SCHOOLHOUSE THAT YOU WOULD NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO FOR 30 MINUTES COULD DO MORE DAMAGE TO THIS IDEOLOGY THAN A BOMB BEING DROPPED ON THEIR HEADS. YOU HELP PEOPLE IN THE REGION BUILD BETTER AND STRONGER SOCIETIES. YOU ALLOW MOTHERS'VOICES TO BE HEARD. ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISSING PIECES IS THE ABILITY OF MOTHERS TO SPEAK UP. ON SEPTEMBER 10, IT WAS ILLEGAL FOR TROUT TO GO TO SCHOOL IN AFGHANISTAN -- FOR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL IN AFGHANISTAN. I AM KNOWN AS A -- FOREIGN ASSISTANCE, AMERICAN BUSINESSES BEING INVOLVED OVERSEAS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN IGNORE THE WORLD, AND IT WILL COME BACK TO BITE YOU, REMEMBER 9/11. WE DO NOT HAVE ONE DOLLAR OF AID IN AFGHANISTAN, ONE SOLDIER IN AFGHANISTAN, AND THEY ATTACKED US ANYWAY. THE PEOPLE TRIED TO KILL US AND DESTROY THE REGION ARE MOTIVATED BY RELIGIOUS IDEOLOGY THAT HAS NO PLACE FOR ANYONE IN THIS ROOM. THEY ARE TRYING TO PURIFY THEIR RELIGION AND DESTROY ALL OTHER RELIGIONS, CHRISTIANITY IS BEING SLAUGHTERED IN THIS REGION. IT IS IN OUR NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO ESE GUYS. IT WILL WORK IN THE MIDDLE EAST BUT IT WILL REQUIRE PATIENCE AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS -- THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD. JOSH: TIME IS FLYING. WE'RE GOING TO WRAP UP WITH THE QUESTION FROM TWITTER. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO REMOVE THE INFLUENCE OF BIG MONEY IN POLITICS? SEN. GRAHAM: YOU NEED A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. BASICALLY, NO LONGER APPLY -- YOU GOING TO GET SICK OF WATCHING TV IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. NEXT PRESIDENT NEEDS TO FIND LATEST CREATE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO LIMIT THE ROLE OF SUPER PACKS. THERE'S GOING TO BE A HUNDRED GOING DOLLARS -- THERE GOING TO BE $100 MILLION SPENT. YOU DON'T KNOW THEIR AGENDA. EVENTUALLY, WE WILL DESTROY AMERICAN POLITICS WITH SO MUCH MONEY IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. THEY ARE GOING TO TURN YOU OFF FROM WANTING TO VOTE. JOSH: I PROMISE WE ARE NOT RUNNING OFF A COMMISSION BASED SALARY. ARE YOU GOING TO PUT YOUR MONEY IN THIS? SEN. GRAHAM: I'M GOING TO PUT MONEY IN ADVERTISING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. JOSH: COMING UP IN OUR NEXT CONVERSATION SERIES, FORMER TEXAS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR RICK PERRY WILL BE ON THE PROGRAM. AND WHILE WE'RE SIGNING OFF ON TELEVISION TONIGHT, THIS CONVERSATION WITH SENATOR GRAHAM CONTINUES ONLINE AND ON OUR MOBILE APP. THERE, YOU'LL FIND A FULL 30 MORE MINUTES OF QUESTIONS FROM OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE. ALL OF IT IS COMMERCIAL FREE. BUT FOR NOW THANKS FOR WATCHING. , HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. ♪