Graham: Republicans must call birthers 'crazy'

So-called "birthers" who doubt President Barack Obama's citizenship are "crazy," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Thursday.

Graham excoriated fringe elements within the Republican Party that have manifested themselves in recent months as unfair to the president, but not representative of the GOP.

"Most of the critics of Barack Obama who carry around these crazy signs would applaud Alan Keyes," Graham said, referring to the eccentric former Republican presidential candidate and 2004 Senate opponent for Obama.

"The people who are doing unfair and unkind things to the president says more about them than it does the Republican Party," Graham later added. "But we have to say that's crazy. Those who say the president was born anywhere other than Hawaii are crazy."

Graham took exception to some who've hoped the president would fail overall, and lamented the direction of the Republican Party in general.

He said he hoped the public would stop rewarding "jerks," and instead give more time to civil voices in American politics.

"Could you imagine doing D-Day with cable news?" he added.

An advocate of comprehensive immigration reform providing illegal immigrants a path to citizenship, Graham said that some Republicans' harsh words toward immigrants contributed, in part, to Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) loss in the presidential election.