Lindsey Graham Remembered as ‘American Original’

Summary

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WSJ What’s News – PM Edition

Episode: “Lindsey Graham Remembered as ‘American Original’”
Date: July 28, 2026
Host: Alex Osola
Duration: ~13 minutes

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the national remembrance of Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away earlier this month. The program covers the outpouring of tributes from political leaders, Graham’s wide-reaching influence in U.S. politics and foreign affairs, and personal reflections from both friends and former rivals. The episode also highlights top economic news, including a key Medicare policy change, the Fed’s unpredictable policy meeting, corporate earnings reports, and a look at how Gen Z and Millennials are using spreadsheets to improve their dating lives.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Honoring Senator Lindsey Graham (00:34–03:12)

- Washington Ceremony and Personal Tributes

• Leaders from across the U.S. and the world, including top lawmakers and Vice President J.D. Vance, gather to honor Lindsey Graham at the Capitol Rotunda and later at Washington National Cathedral.

• A special mention is made of Graham’s military service as Air Force members carry his casket.

• Graham is remembered for his bipartisan influence:

  • “For more than 30 years, nothing of consequence happened in this Capitol without Lindsey Graham knowing about it.” – Speaker C (00:36)
  • Vice President J.D. Vance: “I choose to remember Lindsey Graham as a man who could disagree with you without being disagreeable.” (02:01)

• Foreign dignitaries, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, attend the funeral, underscoring Graham’s global impact.

- President Trump’s Eulogy

• Trump acknowledges their former rivalry, recalling a memorable campaign moment:

  • “Today we gather in the deepest gratitude and profoundest sorrow to honor a beloved friend, a devoted brother, a respected statesman, a giant of the United States Senate, and a true American original who left us much too soon.” – President Trump (02:23)
  • Trump humorously revisits his 2016 campaign stunt: “I remember the number 202-228-0292. If anybody wants to give it a shot…” (02:56)
  • Reflecting on their relationship: “In a way, we became great friends and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years. It was not easy.” (03:06)

• After funeral services in Washington, Graham’s body is transported to South Carolina for burial.

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2. Major Political and Economic News

- End of Medicare Drug Plan Subsidy (03:12–04:17)

• The Trump administration announces plans to end a Medicare Part D drug plan subsidy, potentially raising premiums for millions:
  • Roughly 25 million people use plans affected by the subsidy.
  • KFF estimates average premiums may increase by $11–$20/month for nearly half of plan holders.
  • The official reasoning: the subsidy allegedly incentivized insurers to raise rates unnecessarily.

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3. Markets and the Fed’s High-Stakes Decision (04:52–07:32)

- Market Snapshot

• Stocks closed mixed: Dow up 1%, Nasdaq down 0.2%, S&P up 0.2%.
• Brent crude falls 4.8% amid talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

- The Fed’s Unpredictable July Meeting

• WSJ’s Nick Timiraos highlights uncertainty:

  • “Normally markets have had this sort of comfort blanket... Kevin Warsh hasn't done that quite as much... This will be his second policy meeting as chairman.” – Nick Timiraos (05:38)

• Factors fueling unpredictability:

  • Lack of clear communication from new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh.
  • Recent inflation reports “much cooler than expected” (06:40), making a hike less compelling.
  • New shipping bottlenecks and higher energy prices due to Middle East unrest.
  • Robust demand from AI-driven markets sustaining high asset prices.

• The policy decision and, most importantly, Warsh’s rationale will offer insight into future moves.

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4. Corporate Earnings Highlights (07:32–09:57)

• Boeing: Q2 loss, continued cost overruns on new Air Force One ($280 million new charges); “We continue to see exceptional demand and market conditions...” – CEO Kelly Ortberg.
  • Boeing stock rose 4.8%.
• PayPal: Raises profit outlook, says company’s “open and objective” to new deal opportunities after a takeover offer; stock up 4%.
• UPS: Revenue outlook raised, but profits fell due to fuel costs and layoffs; stock down 6.5%.
• Coca-Cola: 5% increase in volume, World Cup marketing successful; stock up 5%.
• Visa: Cutting 2,600 jobs; stock up just over 1%.

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5. Gen Z and Millennial Dating by Spreadsheet (09:57–12:38)

- The Trend

• Journal’s Molly Reinman explains how young singles use spreadsheets to track personal criteria beyond superficial app metrics.
  • Instead of “just a feeling,” they rate compatibility on values, goals, and lifestyle metrics.
  • Example: “He made me talk to his mom on the second date. That was weird.”
  • “The goal is...to sort of create order and make sure that they're sticking to their priorities and aren't sort of wasting their time with the wrong person.” – Molly Reinman (10:51)

- Generational Divide

• Younger users see the benefit in vetting amidst overwhelming online options, while older generations see it as odd or clinical.
  • “I think a lot of the people that have negative things to say are on the older side...they obviously came of age dating in a very, very different world than we did.” – Molly Reinman (11:55)

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Memorable Quotes

• “I choose to remember Lindsey Graham as a man who could disagree with you without being disagreeable.” – Vice President J.D. Vance (02:01)
• “In a way, we became great friends and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years. It was not easy.” – President Trump (03:06)
• “Normally markets have had this sort of comfort blanket... Kevin Warsh hasn't done that quite as much.” – Nick Timiraos, WSJ (05:38)
• “The goal is kind of to solve a larger problem...dating apps have given singles access to more people than they probably should have ever had access to.” – Molly Reinman (10:51)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:34 — Tribute to Lindsey Graham begins
• 02:01 — J.D. Vance’s eulogy quote
• 02:23 — President Trump’s tribute and stories
• 03:12 — Report on ending Medicare drug plan subsidy
• 04:52 — Daily market recap
• 05:38 — Analysis on Federal Reserve’s meeting
• 07:32 — Boeing, corporate earnings roundup
• 09:57 — Interview with Molly Reinman on dating spreadsheets
• 11:55 — Generational responses to new dating trend

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Summary and Tone

The episode strikes a respectful and at times light-hearted tone amidst its coverage of Lindsey Graham’s passing, balancing moving tributes with political anecdotes. It transitions briskly into substantive economic analysis, offering clear explanations and market context, and ends on an engaging, contemporary cultural note that speaks to shifting generational norms.

The reporting is concise, factual, and approachable—true to the Wall Street Journal’s style of delivering crucial headlines while offering sharp, memorable commentary and poignant human moments.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Leaders convene in Washington to remember Senator

[C]

Lindsey Graham for more than 30 years, nothing of consequence happened in this Capitol without Lindsey Graham knowing about it.

[B]

Plus, the Trump administration plans to end a Medicare drug plan subsidy, a move that could make health care more expensive for many seniors. And the Fed kicks off its July meeting, and it's one of the most unpredictable meetings in years. Alex It's Tuesday, July 28th. I'm Alex Osola for the Wall Street Journal. This is the PM edition of what's news, the top headlines and business stories that move the world today. Today, leaders in Washington and from around the world convene to remember the late Senator Lindsey Graham. He died earlier this month at age 71 from an aortic tear just days after returning from Ukraine as part of his work to push a Russia sanct. In the morning, in a nod to Graham's military service, members of the Air Force carried his casket into the Capitol Rotunda, where there was a solemn ceremony. Former senators as well as current party leaders, including Republican John Thune and Democrat Chuck Schumer, sat in front, and Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman, known for his hoodies, was there in a suit. Vice President J.D. vance reminisced about getting to know Graham during the vice president's 2022 Senate campaign, and he noted that Graham was someone who could persuade people to his point of view.

[D]

So I choose to remember Lindsey Graham

[A]

as a man who could disagree with

[D]

you without being disagreeable.

[B]

Later, Graham's casket was brought to Washington National Cathedral. U.S. officials and foreign leaders such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the funeral service. Graham was a top advisor on foreign affairs to President Trump. Today, Trump remembered Graham's impact and his friendship.

[C]

Today we gather in the deepest gratitude and profoundest sorrow to honor a beloved friend, a devoted brother, a respected statesman, a giant of the United States Senate, and a true American original who left us much too soon.

[B]

Trump also acknowledged that he and Graham had once been political rivals. In the 2016 presidential race, he recalled a stunt where he gave out Graham's personal cell phone number on the campaign trail. Trump Trump read the number out again

[C]

during the service, and I remember the number 202-228-0292. If anybody wants to give it a shot, trump said.

[B]

It was the beginning of their friendship.

[C]

In a way, we became great friends and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years. It was not easy.

[B]

Graham's body now goes to South Carolina, where he will be buried. Tom. The Trump administration plans to end a Medicare drug plan subsidy program that helped hold down premiums. The program will end after this year. A Trump administration official said the program incentivized insurers to raise rates, knowing the government would pick up the extra cost. He said the subsidies weren't needed and other policies that hold down costs remain in place. The health policy nonprofit KFF says that the average premium for such a plan, known as a Part D plan, is about $36 a month. And the Trump administration official says that while some people wouldn't see much difference in their bill, nearly half could pay 11 to $20 more a month. Roughly 25 million people have plans that rely on that subsidy. Coming up, a flurry of corporate earnings from the likes of Boeing and Coca Cola and why some people are turning to spreadsheets to find the one. Those stories and more after the break.

[A]

This podcast is brought to you by reliaQuest. Cybercriminals are constantly attacking. They want your data. They want your identity. They want your innovation. ReliaQuest fortifies your business with agentic defense AI that detects, contains and eliminates cyber threats in minutes. It helps your security team move faster at the work that matters most to protect the business now and delivers insights to help them predict what's next. ReliaQuest agentic defense for the enterprise. Learn more at reliaquest.com, that's R E L I A Q U E-S-T.com,

[B]

Stocks closed mix today. The Dow rose 1%, a sell off in chip stocks continued and the Nasdaq ended down 0.2%. The S&P added 0.2%. In oil markets, prices continued their fall, with Brent crude futures finishing 4.8% lower at about $84 a barrel. Iran and Oman are using a break in the fighting to try to hammer out an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Federal Reserve kicked off its July meeting today, and the Central bank will report its latest rate decision tomorrow. What officials will decide is really anybody's guess. Futures markets are pointing to a roughly 1 in 3 chance of a rate hike, while probabilities in prediction markets are slightly lower. WSJ chief economics correspondent Nick Timiros says Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh isn't offering much clarity.

[D]

Normally markets have had this sort of comfort blanket that heading into the meeting, the Fed communicates in a certain way and you understand what they're going to do based on how they talk about the economy. Kevin Warsh hasn't done that quite as much. He had five hours of testimony before Congress two weeks ago, but revealed very little about his own thinking. And then the other reason is just that Kevin Warsh is new. This will be his second policy meeting as chairman. So it's just harder to understand how someone is going to think about close calls and trade offs. And so that's part of why certain people on Wall street are wondering, well, could there be a rate increase at this meeting? Because war has sounded very committed to getting inflation down.

[B]

He's repeated this intention to get inflation down and restore price stability, though he hasn't said how he'll get there. That, along with a renewed oil shock, is part of why some Fed officials are pushing to raise rates. But Nick says there are also good reasons to hold rates steady.

[D]

The inflation reports for the month of June were much cooler than expected. So the argument for holding rates steady at this meeting is if you didn't see a strong case to hike last time, the data's giving you even less now. The argument on the other side of that really would be because the Iran war ceasefire splintered and you now see new shipping bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz, higher energy prices. And then the final factor is the Fed is looking more at the strong demand we've had from the AI buildout. This has also resulted in very heady equity markets. People feel wealthier. That supports consumer spending, at least for high income households. And so that could sustain higher prices for certain goods and services.

[B]

Nick says tomorrow he'll not only be looking out for the decision itself, but how Warsh explains it. That'll offer some insight into how the central bank might approach its three additional rate decisions left this year. Turning to earnings, a rush of those came in today. Boeing spent another quarter in the red. The company said that the modified 7478 jets that will someday serve as Air Force One will cost an additional $280 million, the latest in a series of cost overruns on the more than $4 billion project. Boeing's Commercial Airplane division also posted an operating loss as it absorbed costs to boost manufacturing operations and chip away at its backlog of undelivered. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told analysts today that the backlog's at a record across the commercial market. We continue to see exceptional demand and market conditions as evidenced by our record backlog of more than 6,200 airplanes. The results missed Wall Street's expectations for earnings, though not for revenue. Boeing Stock closed up 4.8% PayPal raised a profitability forecast in its first earnings report since receiving a takeover offer from payments company Stripe and buyout Firm Advent International. PayPal CEO today said that he's focused on the company's turnaround plan, but that PayPal is, quote, open and objective when evaluating deal opportunities. Its stock rose 4%. UPS says its restructuring efforts are paying off and the company lifted its outlook for the year, but profit for the quarter fell because of higher fuel costs and a charge tied to job cuts. Its stock fell about 6 and a half percent. Another company boosting its earnings outlook? Coca Cola. The company reported a 5% increase in overall case Vol because of its marketing efforts, including its World cup campaign. Shares closed up 5% and ahead of reporting its fiscal third quarter results today. Visa said it would be cutting 2,600 jobs, or 7% of its workforce. Visa stock added just over 1%. And finally, I remember it well from my days playing the field. Dating can be drudgery. You spend all this time talking to someone, sussing out whether they're compatible and then what? You just break up like a year later and that's assuming you even get that far. Now some Gen Z and Millennial singles are doing more than relying on their guts to figure out if a date went well. They're using spreadsheets. The Journal's Molly Reinman has been following this trend and is here to tell us more. Molly, what are the kinds of things that people are putting into spreadsheets?

[E]

Mainly those things that you're not going to get from a dating app profile. Things like what someone is looking for, what they like to do in their free time, what their long term goals and values are sort of getting outside of those. More like hard metrics like height, job, where you live. In the story I talk about an example of a woman who was like he made me talk to his mom on the second date. That was weird. Sometimes people will say something really important to me is having a partner that cares about fitness. And so they will gauge how much their partner has an active lifestyle and then maybe write that on a scale of 1 to 5. The goal is kind of to solve a larger problem that we're seeing in specifically the online dating world, which is that dating apps have given singles access to more people than they probably should have ever had access to. And when you have access to more people, you're able to connect with people that maybe you wouldn't have connected with in the real world. Maybe you are just grossly incompatible with. But there's a physical attraction component. This all sort of stemmed out of people feeling really overwhelmed by the amount of options and wanting a way to sort of create order and make sure that they're sticking to their priorities and aren't sort of wasting their time with the wrong person.

[B]

Why do they think a spreadsheet is better at doing this than their friends or even their own gut?

[E]

When you're dating, it's such a vulnerable and emotional thing. And I think a lot of times you're looking for a feeling and obviously that feeling is important. But I think there's a cohort of people that think long term compatibility is about a lot more than just a feeling. And so I think being able to visualize like I value X, Y and Z thing and I'm going to force myself to go into the spreadsheet and visualize every person I'm dating and make sure they also value those things and have those same goals.

[B]

I'm wondering about the reader response to your story because just like lurking in the comments section a little bit seemed like there was a little bit of a divide.

[E]

I've been reading the comments too. I think it's interesting, and I say this based on the people in the comments disclosing their ages. So I think a lot of the people that have negative things to say are on the older side. It was a lot of people sort of sharing like, I've been married for 50 years. And so they obviously came of age dating in a very, very different world than we did. The people who are familiar with dating in 2026 are more attuned to this. But if you grew up in an age when online dating wasn't a thing, when the situationship wasn't like part of our vernacular, it might seem kind of weird to you that people could be dating so many people at once, but really it's all at your fingertips right now.

[B]

That was WSJ's Molly Reinman. Thanks, Molly.

[E]

Thank you.

[B]

And that's what's news for this Tuesday afternoon. Today's show was produced by Danny Lewis and Anthony Banci, with supervising producer Tali Arbel. I'm Alex Osola for the Wall Street Journal. We'll be back with a new show tomorrow morning. Thanks for listening.

[A]

This podcast is brought to you by reliaQuest. Cybercriminals are constantly attacking. They want your data. They want your identity. They want your innovation. ReliaQuest fortifies your business with agentic defense AI that detects, contains, and eliminates cyber threats in minutes. It helps your security team move faster at the work that matters most to protect the business now, and delivers insights to help them predict what's next. ReliaQuest agentic defense for the enterprise. Learn [e-mail] that's R E L I A Q U E S T dot com.