Though he continues to poll in the bottom half of the group of Republicans running for president, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham continues to drill his message of a candidate who is strong on foreign policy and willing to work across the aisle to get things done in Washington. Graham toured the metro Friday afternoon before he heads to the Iowa Faith and Freedom Summit tomorrow in Des Moines. Among his regular stump speech messages, Graham laid in detail his plans for the Middle East, particularly on restructuring the Iran Deal.

“This deal is insane,” said Graham to a group in Indianola. “In five years they can build a weapon, in eight years they can build a missile, and in 15 years they can have a bomb even if they don’t cheat.”

Graham explained his disappointment in President Obama’s leadership in the region, and said he would handle the crisis much differently, but that he understands in order to repair the Obama administration’s problems, he will have to work across the aisle.

“I am ready to be Commander in Chief on day one,” said Graham. “I seek common ground to solve problems like immigration, social security, and Medicare. We’re not going to have an immigration bill passed that doesn’t have Democratic support, and I’m willing to work with Democrats, much like Ronald Reagan did.”

Often inserting jokes to lighten the mood of his gatherings with Iowans, Graham noted that his background allows him to see things differently.

“You want me in the White House because I grew up behind a pool table in a bar,” said Graham to a crowd full of laughs. “You heard me at the debate mention that I think we need to all start drinking when we’re meeting together, just like Reagan and Tip O’Neill did in the 80’s. We could all use a little more of that.”

Many voters raised concerns about Russia’s growing power in the Middle East, as well as the Syrian refugee crisis. Graham said he can lead in both areas.

“Russia is essentially a gas station,” said Graham. “They are weak. We can get them out of there.”

On the Syrian crisis, Graham approached the issue with more of an open mind than many of his colleagues, and to fix what’s at the heart of the Syrian crisis.

“My goal is not to worry so much as to how many refugees we take, but to stop the reason they come,” said Graham. “They’re not coming here because they want to, they’re not going to Europe because they want to – they’re going to Europe because they have to.”

Graham is campaigning in eastern Iowa tomorrow before the summit.