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Former Sen. Corker Bashes Trump, Wants to Guide GOP Forward

January 19, 2021January 18, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

A former Republican Senator from Tennessee who had a tumultuous relationship with President Donald J. Trump has resurfaced to bash the forty-fifth President in his final days in office, along with, by extension, those who support him.

“Look, there’s no one that feels more strongly about the fact that Republicans ought to celebrate some of the policy gains that have occurred, but never ever, ever allow someone like President Trump to serve again, certainly to become the Republican nominee or be president of the United States,” former Sen. Bob Corker (T-TN) told Knox News last week.

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Bob Corker Reportedly Wants a Republican to Challenge Donald Trump in 2020

April 26, 2019April 26, 2019 Chris Butler

Former Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker reportedly said America will benefit if another Republican runs for president against Donald Trump next year. This, according to Breitbart.com this week. Corker reportedly said this at the Time 100 Summit in New York. “You could look at it and say that it would be a good thing for our country should that occur. If you had a real primary, where you had someone that was really being listened to, and of substance, things that we were talking about — and I could go through a list of them — they would actually be debated in a real way,” Corker reportedly said; adding that a less-challenging Republican opponent would get little media attention. Corker reportedly also said Trump divides the nation, him for the recent federal government shutdown. “Typically, to unite people, you have to wish to do so, and I think that currently, the president has not found that to his benefit or to his liking,” Breitbart quoted Corker as saying. As The Tennessee Star reported earlier this year, Corker, an avowed NeverTrump-er, “has long gone cuckoo over Trump and used his previous platform as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to criticize…

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Former Sen. Bob Corker Says Trump Responsible for ‘Juvenile’ Government Shutdown

January 17, 2019January 16, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) cannot get off the Never-Trump bandwagon, this time blaming the Commander-in-Chief for the government shutdown. Corker has long gone cuckoo over President Donald Trump and used his platform as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to criticize Trump. Twice last year he compared the president to a banana republic for removing former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance and other former officials’ clearances. Now, the retired senator conducted a phone interview with Sergio Martínez-Beltrán OF WPLN (Nashville Public Radio) and blamed the president for the shutdown. A story and the audio clip are available here. Corker said of the shutdown, “This is one where at the last minute the president changed his mind and so now we are sitting here shut down because – just because. This whole thing, as I’ve mentioned before, is pretty juvenile, and at some point government will open back up.” WPLN asked Corker about his potential designs on running for president in 2020 against Trump in the Republican primary. Corker said he would be good as president but it is “not necessarily even on the front burner; it’s a possibility.” As The Tennessee Star reported in the past, Corker…

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As Trump Critics Corker and Flake Leave the Political Stage, the Establishment and Media Look to Who Will Fill the Void

January 2, 2019January 1, 2019 Admin

President Donald Trump’s most prominent GOP critics on Capitol Hill are days away from completing their Senate careers, raising the question of who will take their place as willing to publicly criticize a president who remains popular with nearly 9 in 10 Republican voters. Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee engaged in a war of words with the president on myriad issues over the past 18 months, generating headlines and fiery tweets from a president who generally insists on getting the last word. Those battles put them on the outs with many in their own party, and they paid a price. Both decided to retire rather than take on a difficult re-election campaign. Flake was far and away Trump’s most consistent critic among Senate Republicans. Corker weighed in less often, but his description of the White House as an “adult day care center” rankled the president, who dubbed him “Liddle’ Bob Corker.” The feud continued as Corker headed for the exits, with Trump asserting that Corker’s promise to serve only two terms was not the real reason he retired. Rather, Corker “wanted to run but poll numbers TANKED when I wouldn’t endorse him,” Trump tweeted. Corker…

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President Trump Shut Down Government In ‘Contrived Fight’ Over Border Wall, Corker Says

December 24, 2018December 23, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) set off a Twitter fight with President Donald Trump after saying he shut the government down to pick a fight “to look like he’s fighting” over the border wall. Corker made the remark Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” with host Jake Tapper. The video is available to watch here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_urlv_UoC8Q “This is a purposely contrived fight, over … at the end of the day, even no matter who wins, our borders are still going to be insecure,” Corker said. He mentioned that in 2013, he and U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) created a $46 billion border security bill that passed the Senate with 69 votes that called for more border security, including fencing, as well as create a path to grant green cards to illegal immigrants. (The International Business Times said the vote was 67-27.) Corker also said Trump could have received $25 billion for border security a few months ago and resolve the “Dreamer” issue. “Now, the government is shut down over what ultimately is going to be $2 billion.” Corker also mentioned he had promised to only serve two terms and criticized the administration’s decisions to pull troops from Syria…

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On His Way Out, Bob Corker Reportedly Won’t Say Whether He Prefers a Democrat Over Trump in 2020

December 19, 2018December 18, 2018 Chris Butler

Outgoing Tennessee Republican U.S. Senator Bob Corker was quoted this week expressing concern about the path of the Republican Party. “We’ve got to remember what the Republican Party is,” Corker reportedly said on MSNBC. Corker also reportedly won’t say whether he prefers voters elect a Democrat over Trump in 2020. Writing for The Washington Post, Phillip Wegmann said Corker longs for “what the Republican Party used to be.” “And it’s worth asking what it was before President Trump and before the Tea Party,” Wegmann wrote. “Perhaps Corker yearns for the simpler time of his predecessors such as Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn. Before coming to Congress, Corker watched Frist wheel and deal in the halls of Congress. Corker later watched Frist lobby for Obamacare in retirement and make a fortune from his stock options in the Hospital Corporation of America in the process.” Wegmann wrote Corker possibly misses the days of Majority Leader Eric Cantor and former Speaker John Boehner of Ohio. The Tea Party opposed Cantor. Under Boehner, Wegmann wrote, members of the House of Representatives operated like a tollbooth, and members had to deposit campaign contributions into the party’s coffers. “Boehner and Cantor and Frist were all respectable members of the…

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Bob Corker Says Something Stupid Again, This Time Claiming President Trump Is Hurting America

December 13, 2018December 12, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Like a dog that can’t leave a chewed-up bone alone, or a monkey with bananas, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) can’t leave President Donald Trump be as he prepares to step down from Congress. Corker has referred to the Trump administration as a “banana republic” more than once. Now, he has taken his grievances with the Commander-in-Chief onto “CBS This Morning.” Host John Dickerson sat down with Corker in Chattanooga for an interview that aired Wednesday. Dickerson said, “Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee has had a series of clashes with President Trump, most recently on the administration’s muted response to Saudi Arabia’s killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is now preparing to step down.” Dickerson added he wanted to talk with Corker “about how Washington works – or doesn’t – and what worries him about the issues no one seems interested in addressing.” Corker said that things are happening in communities like Chattanooga. With a smirk on his face, Corker said, “I don’t think he (Trump) … I don’t think he knows that there are people all across this country, um, that live in communities like this one just wanting…

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Corker Takes Another Dig at Trump, Tries to Limit Future Voice of America Leader’s Powers

December 1, 2018December 1, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is taking yet another dig at President Donald Trump while he still holds a public platform, this time by trying to undermine his choice to lead Voice of America and attacking his Yemen policy. The Washington Free Beacon reported the story Friday. Corker, the outgoing Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, this week supported a bill to force the United States to withdraw from Yemen. He also slipped through a quiet committee vote to limit the power of Michael Pack, the incoming new head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, (USAGM), which oversees the Voice of America. Corker has lobbed plenty of criticism at Trump over the past two-years plus. This summer, he had bananas on the brain as he twice likened Trump’s White House to a banana republic in reaction to the president’s removal of former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance. Following the 2018 midterm elections in November, in which Trump ally Marsha Blackburn won his seat, the Never-Trumper cracked open the door to challenging the president in the 2020 Republican primary. When asked by reporters if he plans to run for president in 2020, Corker said, “I have not ruled it…

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Trump Divides Nation, Hurts Foreign Relations, Corker Says

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Surprise, surprise. Retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) used some of his final moments in office to criticize President Donald Trump. The former Chattanooga mayor, who is leaving the U.S. Senate in January, delivered his latest missive against the president in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. The story is available here. Corker, who served as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, told the newspaper that the president’s governing model “is based upon division, anger and resentment, and in some cases, even hate.” “He is able to keep his base together by his approach and instead of appealing to our better angels and trying to unite us like most people would try to do, the president tries to divide us,” Corker said. “There’s just no reason for it, and it doesn’t take us to a better place to squander the well-earned good will that we have around the world at a time when our leadership is more important than ever.” The Tennessee Star has reported on Corker’s past attacks against Trump, including criticism in August over the president’s removal of former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance as “kind of a banana republic kind of thing.” In July, Corker criticized Trump’s…

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Bob Corker Cracks Open Door to 2020 Primary Challenge of President Trump

November 15, 2018November 18, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Bob Corker

Retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) said that he has not ruled out running against President Donald Trump for the Republican presidential primary in 2020. Breitbart reported the story on Wednesday. When asked by reporters Tuesday if he plans to run for president in 2020, Corker said, “I have not ruled it out.” Reporters said that their colleagues often ask Corker this question, to which he usually gives a vague answer. 2020 WATCH: Will Sen. Bob Corker run for President??? “I haven’t ruled it out.” — Natalie Andrews (@natalieandrews) November 13, 2018 https://twitter.com/byrdinator/status/1062478823785185281 This is not the first time people have speculated on Corker running against Trump. In October 2017, News Channel 9 in his hometown of Chattanooga asked voters for their thoughts. Chattanooga Tea Party leader Mark West said at the time he wouldn’t be surprised if Corker runs but hopes he doesn’t. Corker announced his retirement in September 2017 amidst increasing unpopularity in Tennessee, which arose from his frequent criticism of the president and his America First agenda. He received criticism for praising Democrat and former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen during the U.S. Senate election to replace him, in which he admitted that he has closer ties to Bredesen…

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Corker Uses ‘Banana Republic’ Analogy Again to Attack Trump’s Yanking of Brennan Security Clearance

August 17, 2018August 17, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker must have bananas on his mind a lot, as he continues to use them as an analogy while criticizing the president who handily carried his state in the 2016 elections. While speaking to reporters on Thursday, Corker (R-TN) criticized President Donald Trump’s removal of former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance as “kind of a banana republic kind of thing,” Breitbart reported. And part of a “tearing down of institutions” instead of building them up. Trump won 60.7 percent of the presidential vote in Tennessee against Hillary Clinton in 2016, Ballotpedia says. Corker, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, said, “Look, I thought it was kind of a banana republic kind of thing. There’s been a continual sort of tearing down of institutions, causing Americans to lose faith in institutions, instead of building them up. I mean, that’s what’s made our country function in the way that it is.” “Yet again Senator Corker has shown he is willing to embrace any individual or wacky position that is critical of President Trump regardless of its legitimacy. He’s done everything except put on a black facemask and march with Antifa – but there is always next week,” Tennessee…

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Corker Likens Trump Administration to ‘Banana Republic’ For Wanting to Yank Security Clearances of Misbehaving Ex-Officials

July 25, 2018July 25, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Bob Corker

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker likened the Trump Administration to a “banana republic” for wanting to yank security clearances of ex-government hacks who are using their positions to attack the president. The administration’s proposal is “the kind of thing that happens in Venezuela,” Tennessee’s junior senator told MSNBC, as reported by Politico. “I can’t even believe that somebody at the White House thought up something like this. I mean, when you’re going to start taking retribution against people who are your political enemies in this manner, that’s the kind of thing that happens in Venezuela. “So you just don’t do that. I can’t believe they even allowed it to be aired, to be honest,” he said. “I mean, it’s a banana republic kind of thing.” Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s administration is considered a dictatorship. Corker met with the dictator in May to secure the release of an American prisoner, surprising the Trump Administration and members of Congress. The meeting came one week after Maduro won re-election in a sham election. “Not all members of Congress welcomed Corker’s visit to the South American country, especially in the wake of a presidential race the United States, several Latin American countries and some European…

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Senator Bob Corker Indicates He’ll Support Judge Kavanaugh Regardless Of What President Trump Does

July 20, 2018July 19, 2018 Admin

Bob Corker, Brett Kavanaugh

by Thomas Phippen Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, said his disapproval of the president’s actions and comments would not stop him from supporting Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Corker said he received calls from Democratic colleagues after Trump’s controversial summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Monday, urging the departing Tennessee senator to block Kavanaugh’s nomination. After the Helsinki press conference, which was “one of the worst” Corker said he’s seen, a leading Democrat called the Republican with a request to block Kavanaugh. “He said, ‘Corker, you need to block the Supreme Court nominee,’” Corker recalled. “Well, I could hit myself in the knee with a sledge hammer too. But why would I block someone that I generally like over what the president has done?” Because Corker is departing the chamber when his term ends in 2019, and because of his frequent criticisms of Trump, he is among a group of GOP politicians activists hope will cross the aisle to block a conservative justice from ascending to the Supreme Court. Along with Corker, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Jeff Flake of Arizona, all frequent…

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Corker Goes Off The Rails On President Trump Over Putin Meeting

July 16, 2018July 16, 2018 John Bryant

Bob Corker, Donald Trump

Outgoing Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) went off the rails over President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland today, saying, “I just felt like the President’s comments made us look as a nation more like a pushover. I was disappointed in that. When he had the opportunity to defend our intelligence agencies, who work for him, I was very disappointed and saddened with the equivalency he gave between them and what Putin was saying.” And his criticism, which the Left loves, didn’t stop there: “Sometimes the President cares more about how a leader treats him personally than forcefully getting out there and pushing against things that we know have harmed our nation,” Corker said. “I thought that’s what we all experienced today.” He continued to say that Putin gained a “tremendous amount” from Trump’s clear approval, and that it would help Russia rebound from being “ostracized.” He added that Putin is probably “having caviar right now.” Video of Corker’s remarks are making the rounds on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/xRsz5bGdfR — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) July 16, 2018 A frequent critic of President Trump, Sen. Corker is currently one of the most unpopular Republicans in the the history of Tennessee Politics. In…

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Bob Corker Attacks Trump with Likely Pointless Gesture in DC While POTUS is Traveling Overseas

July 12, 2018July 11, 2018 John Bryant

Bob Corker

If you ever wondered how low Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) might go in trying to disrupt President Trump’s agenda on negotiating better trade deals, yesterday may have provided the answer. Fox News‘ Chad Pergram took to Twitter to cover the outgoing Senator Corker’s effort to create additional problems for President Trump on the tariff issue with legislation and even pointed out the complete lack of decorum on Corker’s part by pushing it while the president is traveling abroad. Corker on if it was inappropriate to have the tariff vote with the President overseas: Votes kind of happen when they happen. — Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 11, 2018 It is often said that foreign policy stops at the water’s edge. It's taboo for lawmakers to criticize the President when he is overseas. But the Senate fired a salvo at Trump, voting 88-11, to assert Congressional authority on imposing tariffs on national security grounds — Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 11, 2018 To be clear, this was very much Corker’s effort despite previously being blocked from doing anything with real “teeth” by the Senate. It was his motion after all. Text of Corker motion today on tariffs: Mr. Corker moves that the mgrs…

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Corker Knows Better: Warns Trump Against Recognizing Crimea

July 7, 2018July 6, 2018 John Bryant

Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Bob Corker

One thing seems certain when it comes to retiring junior Senator Bob Corker, he intends to make himself as much of a pest for President Donald Trump as he can during his remaining time in the U.S. Senate. Now, he’s lecturing him on Crimea: Corker warns Trump against recognizing Crimea annexation “Recognizing Crimea as part of Russia would undermine the rules-based international order that was created with U.S. leadership and has caused democracy to thrive around the world and made America a safer home for our citizens,” Corker said in a tweet on Monday, without directly mentioning Trump. Corker added that in the “upcoming Helsinki summit, the U.S. must stand firmly with our NATO allies and affirm our transatlantic partnership. Doing otherwise strengthens Putin and undermines democratic values.” Additionally, Corker’s criticism comes as he’s abroad. He’s currently traveling in Northern Europe. As we look forward to the upcoming Helsinki summit, the U.S. must stand firmly with our NATO allies and affirm our transatlantic partnership. Doing otherwise strengthens Putin and undermines democratic values. — Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) July 2, 2018 Trump is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland. Meanwhile, Putin has said there’s no expectation the issue…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Trump and Blackburn Enjoy High Approval Ratings Among Republican Voters, Corker Has 62 Percent Unfavorable

July 2, 2018July 1, 2018 Admin

Bob Corker, Marsha Blackburn, Donald Trump

There is a reason Republican primary candidates across the state, whether they are running for Senate, Governor, Congress or state legislative positions, are clinging to President Donald Trump’s coattails. A new Tennessee Star statewide poll of 1040 likely Republican Primary voters conducted by Triton Polling from June 25-28, 2018 indicates that President Trump retains a sky high approval rating of 86.5 percent; only 7.9 percent have an unfavorable view of Trump, with 5.6 percent undecided. A Tennessee Star poll a year ago showed almost identical figures for Trump. Likewise, Trump had an 84 percent favorability rating six months ago. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, who had a campaign rally with President Trump in Nashville just a month ago, is also very popular among likely Tennessee Republican Primary voters. 58.2 percent express approval for Blackburn, 17.8 percent disapprove and 24 percent don’t know or are not sure. A significant portion of the undecided Republican primary voters are in East Tennessee where the remains largely unknown among that large base of GOP voters. Blackburn is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker and will face off against former Democrat Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen in November. Tennessee’s two Senators did…

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Bob Corker Won’t Stop Undermining Trump in Trade Battle, Democrats Offer Him a Helping Hand

June 27, 2018June 26, 2018 John Bryant

Trump-Corker-Toomey

A new item out at Politico highlights just how determined outgoing Tennessee Senator Bob Corker is to cause problems for President Trump in trade negotiations while he still continues to have the power to do it. And Republican Senator from Pennsylvania Pat Toomey is helping him do it. Corker restarts tariff battle with Trump The frequent Trump critic is seizing on the Senate’s farm bill to try to curb the president’s tariffs. GOP Sen. Bob Corker is making a new push to allow Congress to block President Donald Trump’s tariffs on U.S. allies, though GOP leaders may stop it in its tracks once again. The Tennessee senator is offering an amendment written with Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) to the Senate’s farm bill this week that would allow Congress to approve or disapprove of tariffs levied against countries on national security justifications. Naturally, President Trump opposes the effort, as does Senate Finance Chairman Orin Hatch, calling it “too broad.” Trump opposes the amendment, and it could imperil the farm bill if the amendment is adopted. Party leaders are not sure whether it has 60 votes to succeed; Corker and Toomey argue the only way to find out is to hold a…

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Bob Corker Subverts President Trump Yet Again: Says Order to Reunite Immigrant Families Not ‘Realistic’

June 25, 2018June 24, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Bob Corker

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) told “Face the Nation” that the immigration policy that separated families was done in a “ready, fire, aim way,” and insinuated that Republicans who are concerned about illegal immigration hate others. The Tennessee Republican appeared on the CBS show Sunday. The host asked him if the U.S. committed a “human rights violation.” The senator deflected the question and said, “It obviously is not something that’s realistic. It’s not something that appreciates these young children. It certainly was done in a ready, aim, fire way, obviously.” Corker said President Trump signing an executive order to reunite families “led to another crisis” due to the 20-day limit on how long children may be detained with their parents while they are prosecuted. He accused “some” in the administration of using the issue “as a force to activate the base for elections, but obviously the president realized that was a mistake, and now it’s up to us in Congress to work with them to come up with a longer-term solution.” Corker raps his party Corker was asked about “American values” and a CBS News poll result: Those who enter the nation illegally should be punished as an example of toughness,…

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Corker Won’t Quit Undermining Trump On Trade Negotiations

June 22, 2018June 21, 2018 John Bryant

Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Bob Corker

According to a report by The Hill, outgoing Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) is pressing the Trump administration for details on the implementation of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Corker seems intent on making President Trump’s negotiating strategy as difficult as possible, undermining him at every turn. Also per The Hill, Corker sent a letter on Wednesday to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross “asking for details on how the Commerce Department is deciding which countries will be exempted from the steep financial penalties”, which Corker insists are having a “damaging” impact on U.S. businesses. As The Hill also reported: On the hot seat, Ross defended the tariffs as necessary to protect American businesses. “Actions taken by the president are necessary to revive America’s essential steel and aluminum industries,” Ross told lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee. “Allowing imports to continue unchecked threatens to impair our national security.” The heated hearing comes as lawmakers in both parties have raised alarm over Trump’s moves in recent weeks to implement a series of tariffs on China as well as U.S. allies, including Canada, Mexico and the European Union. Those tariffs have rattled markets and sparked anger…

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Corker, Alexander Oppose Trump on Child Separation Policy, WTN’s Brian Wilson Fires Back: ‘The President Is Enforcing the Rule of Law’

June 20, 2018June 20, 2018 John Bryant

Lamar Alexander, Bob Corker

Tennessee Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, both Republicans, issued statements Monday criticizing the Trump administration for separating children from their parents when detained at the U.S./Mexico border, as the Times Free Press reported: “While the issues surrounding our immigration system are complex, we can all agree that innocent children should be protected and not used for deterrence,” said Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He said the administration “should use all tools available to stop needless family separation without delay, and Congress should act swiftly to address the serious challenges facing our nation’s immigration system.” Alexander’s statement read, “Illegal immigration is against the law but new enforcement policies have resulted in hundreds of children being separated from their parents. The administration should end that new policy immediately while Congress works with the president on a bipartisan immigration solution that secures the border, provides a status for those already here and prevents a humanitarian crisis at the border.” SuperTalk 99.7 WTN veteran broadcaster Brian Wilson, host of Nashville’s Morning News,took up the subject in his broadcast on Tuesday, explaining that “The president is enforcing the rule of law. President Obama did not.” The law requiring the separation of…

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Lamar Alexander Sides With Corker Over Trump on Tariffs

June 16, 2018June 15, 2018 John Bryant

Lamar Alexander

SuperTalk 99.7 WTN veteran broadcaster Brian Wilson, host of Nashville’s Morning News, interviewed Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander today, who made it very clear he sides with outgoing Senator Bob Corker over President Trump on the tariff issue. The two men also discussed the recent Inspector General’s report, which was highly critical for the FBI and former Director James Comey. Alexander praised Trump and stressed the need for the GOP to retain their majorities in Congress, As for the tariff issue, host Wilson asked him about his “fellow Senator Bob Corker who has been drawing a lot of fire lately in the state of Tennessee for his criticism of this president.” Responded Alexander, “What’s bother Senator Corker is he thinks we should have a vote on whether tariffs are a good idea. But I don’t think they’re a good idea either. I think we ought to have a vote on it. That’s the basis of his criticism. Tariffs on Aluminum and Steel are more likely to hurt Tennessee than any other state because we’ve got nearly a thousand auto parts suppliers and they nearly all use aluminum and Steel when they make their parts. If you add 25% to the cost of…

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Corker Throws Hissy Fit Over Trump On Senate Floor

June 14, 2018June 13, 2018 John Bryant

Bob Corker

One might like to say outgoing Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was in rare, or unusual form in the Senate today; unfortunately, his anti-Trump’s tirades are increasingly the norm for the diminutive senator, as opposed to the exception, as CNN reports. Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker accused his party of cowering before President Donald Trump in an impassioned speech on the Senate floor Tuesday. In an animated exchange, Corker — who was trying to get a vote on an amendment as part of an ongoing debate over the Senate’s defense bill — argued that Republicans were blocking his trade proposal because they were afraid of Trump and what he might do to the party if they upset him in an election year. “We might poke the bear!” said Corker, who is retiring at the end of his term. “My gosh, if the President gets upset with us we might not be in the majority,” he said referring to sentiments he often hears from colleagues. Corker has worked for the last week to try to get a vote on his amendment that would roll back Trump’s trade authority and give Congress the power to check the President’s ability to impose tariffs on…

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Corker: GOP Becoming Cult-Like Hints Trump’s Not a Republican; Rep Gaetz Responds: Get Over It, Bob

June 14, 2018June 13, 2018 John Bryant

Bob Corker, Matt Gaetz

Not content with his recent meltdown on the Senate floor, outgoing Tennessee Senator Bob Corker unleashed on President Trump and the GOP again to reporters on Wednesday. GOP Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.) warned on Wednesday that members of his party are becoming “cult-like” in their support of President Trump, pointing to leadership’s unwillingness to challenge the White House on tariffs. “We are in a strange place. I mean, it’s almost, it’s becoming a cultish thing, isn’t it? And it’s not a good place for any party to end up with a cult-like situation as it relates to a president that happens to be of — purportedly, of the same party,” Corker told reporters. Pressed on whether he feels Republicans are currently in a “cult-like situation,” Corker acknowledged that there are some GOP lawmakers who stand up to Trump and it would be “unfair to try to say” that “about every member.” “[But] is leadership in general not wishing to poke the bear? Absolutely, because it’s all about the next election, right?” said Corker, who is retiring after 2018. Watch Corker’s remarks: The increasingly unpopular Corker, who likely had no chance of winning the GOP nomination to run for Senate again…

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Corker Tries to Undermine Trump Again, Says President is Damaging Relationships With Friends

June 13, 2018June 13, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Bob Corker

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is criticizing President Donald Trump once again, media outlets report. Fox News’ Congressionis al reporter Chad Pergram tweeted Tuesday, “Senate Foreign Relations Cmte chair Corker on Trump: I think there is no questions that we are damaging relationships with very close friends..it’s unnecessary..I don’t understand why we would go out an purposefully create negative discourse when it’s not necessary.” Senate Foreign Relations Cmte chair Corker on Trump: I think there is no questions that we are damaging relationships with very close friends..it’s unnecessary..I don’t understand why we would go out an purposefully create negative discourse when it’s not necessary. — Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 12, 2018 Corker also unloaded on his fellow Republicans for supposedly cowering from Trump, Roll Call reported. The retiring Tennessee senator was angered that his amendment to the defense authorization measure that would reclaim congressional prerogatives on trade and tariffs would not be up for a vote, Roll Call said. He mocked senators for not standing up to Trump, including the No. 2 Republican, Majority Whip John Cornyn. “Gosh, almighty, I heard the senator from Texas, the senior senator from Texas saying the other day, well, gosh, we might upset the…

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Phil Bredesen Applauds Bob Corker for His Opposition to President Trump on Trade

June 9, 2018June 9, 2018 John Bryant

Phil Bredesen and Bob Corker

The Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate from Tennessee, former Gov. Phil Bredesen, lauded the outgoing incumbent, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), for his opposition to President Donald Trump in a tweet sent out on Monday. I respect Senator Corker for putting Tennessee ahead of Washington politics. These tariffs do a lot of damage to TN businesses. For my part, I call on every Democrat and Republican who cares about our state to stand with him on this. https://t.co/WTFZmT1onE — Phil Bredesen (@PhilBredesen) June 4, 2018 Many Trump supporters view Trump’s rhetoric and actions on trade, including tariffs, as a part of the kind of tough negotiations on trade Americans elected Trump to carry out, as opposed to an endgame. With unpopular Republicans and Democrats like Phil Bredesen undermining Trump seemingly at every turn, it could make Trump’s efforts on the part of American workers that much more difficult. As the Tennessean pointed out, Rep. Marsha Blackburn remains pro-trade but is willing to give Trump the latitude and leverage required for success in any tough negotiation. Meanwhile, both Corker and Bredesen appear to be more content to try and score cheap political points and continue to undermine the President at every…

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Trump Slaps Down Corker on Retiring Senator’s Proposed Tariff Legislation

June 6, 2018 John Bryant

Bob Corker and Donald Trump

Even as outgoing Tennessee Senator Bob Corker is leaking details of a phone call from President Trump in which Trump sought to back him off from his tariff opposition efforts we reported on yesterday, Corker’s also had to admit that any opposition to Trump by him is most likely DOA. Corker told reporters Wednesday that some Republicans are “fearful” of crossing Trump by signing onto the bill, making it more and more unlikely that the legislation gets through the Senate at all. At the same time, Corker is saying he will continue to pursue what he himself now describes as a pointless gesture, save for the fact it may get his name in the news, perhaps. “He’s obviously not pleased with this effort,” Corker told reporters in Washington. Corker, a Tennessee Republican and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he and the president had a lengthy, “heart-felt” conversation about the legislation. “It’s a difference of opinion,” Corker said. “He feels that this takes away his negotiating ability. And this in no way takes away his negotiating ability. It’s not any different than him meeting with (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un and, if they reach a deal, him…

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Corker Pushing Bill to Target Trump on Tariff Powers

June 6, 2018June 5, 2018 John Bryant

Corker Senate For Rel Committee Trump

Outgoing Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker is now pushing a measure to empower Congress to block President Trump’s tariffs, “opening a GOP rift over how and whether to push back on the White House’s trade policy,” according to a Politico report. Corker’s proposal would set up a fast-track process for Congress to sign off on tariffs linked to national security and is picking up steam as he attempts to attach it to the annual defense authorization bill that’s expected to come to the floor later this week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday ruled out a stand-alone vote on the legislation but suggested that it could get consideration during the defense debate. The tariff effort remains a long shot, with McConnell describing it as “contentious,” but it still represents a critical test of the GOP’s willingness to take on the president. “There’s a lot of interest in it, for what it’s worth,” Corker told reporters. “But, you know, doing anything around here is like pushing a major boulder uphill, so we’ll see.” As The Tennessee Star reported on June 3rd, this isn’t the first time Corker has signaled his desire to take Trump on on trade and tariffs, even going so far…

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Corker Says He Will Attend Trump Rally and Blackburn Fundraiser in Nashville Today

May 29, 2018May 29, 2018 John Bryant

President Trump. Marsha Blackburn, Bob Corker

A tweet from CNN’s Elizabeth Landers indicates that Bob Corker will accompany President Trump tonight as he visits Nashville to stump for GOP Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn, including attending a rally for her. A spokeswoman for @BobCorker confirms that he will greet @potus at the airport in Nashville tonight- and will attend the rally and fundraiser as well. — Elizabeth Landers (@ElizLanders) May 29, 2018 President Trump’s plane is scheduled to land in Nashville at 4:30 p.m. today. A rally will be held at the Municipal Auditorium at 7:00 pm tonight, with doors opening at 2:00 pm. President Trump held an earlier rally in Nashville attended by an estimated crowd of 10,000 back in March of 2017, also at the Municipal Auditorium. As reported by The Tennessee Star on April 10, Corker has expressed his support for Blackburn in the past, although he stopped short of a rousing endorsement. Though he did not use the formal term “endorsement,” Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) announced his support for Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN-07) bid to replace him in the United States Senate on Monday. Corker sent this tweet out late Monday afternoon: Now that the Republican primary has essentially concluded, I am sending a contribution…

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OFF THE RECORD: Corker Claims He Turned Down Trump Offer of Ambassadorship to Australia

May 23, 2018May 23, 2018 John Bryant

The diminutive and retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) has told the Tennessean he turned down an ambassadorship from the Trump White House; however, it appears no one from the White House has confirmed the offer was even made. Critics of Corker might be wondering if this isn’t yet another instance of trying to pad his resume, as opposed to his real estate portfolio. From the Tennessean: The Trump administration wanted U.S. Sen. Bob Corker to join its diplomatic ranks. But the retiring Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman declined, saying he turned down the chance to become the next U.S. ambassador to Australia. Even if Corker were offered the slot, it seems clear he was not the front runner and came in at least second, at best. The real star of the story should be Adm. Harry Harris, who was raised in Tennessee and is a graduate of Crossville High School, sources tell The Tennessee Star, and who Trump had chosen for the spot, before bumping him up to what is a more important posting, especially given current developments in both North and south Korea. Trump previously named Adm. Harry Harris his nominee as the envoy to Australia. But in April, the administration…

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Liberal Media Giant Headquartered in Washington DC Area Names Anti-Trumper Bob Corker ‘Person of the Year’

January 1, 2018January 1, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

The Gannett-owned USA Today-Tennessee network named Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), the compromised retiring junior senator from Tennessee, its “2017 Person of the Year” for his constant bashing of President Trump on Sunday. The big announcement from the Tysons Corner, Virginia based mainstream media newspaper giant came just weeks after a Tennessee Star Poll that showed Corker has an astonishingly low 22 percent approval rating among Tennessee Republicans, and a record-high 60 percent disapproval rating. It also comes barely a week after a devastating blast of Corker’s business ethics by Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi, who posed this question: How did Corker go from “dead broke” to a net worth of $68 million during his eleven years in the U.S. Senate? But the anti-Trump liberally biased Tennessean –part of the USA Today-Tennessee network that also includes the Memphis Commercial Appeal and the Knoxville News Sentinel–sees all of Corker’s attacks on Trump–who won the state of Tennessee by an overwhelming 60 percent to 36 percent margin over Hillary Clinton–as praiseworthy. “In October, he responded very publicly and forcefully to President Donald J. Trump’s bullying and insults on Twitter, calling the White House an ‘adult day care center,’” the Tennessean wrote of Corker, adding: In…

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Bob Corker’s Attacks and President Trump’s Punch Backs on Twitter Listed as ‘Sixth Biggest Feud of 2017’

December 31, 2017December 31, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Bob Corker, Donald Trump

Donald Trump has taunted world leaders, criticized football players and picked fights with members of his own party. After a year in office, one thing is indisputable with this unconventional president: He relishes the battle.

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Marsha Blackburn Welcomes President Trump’s Help in Her Bid to Replace Trump Antagonist Senator Bob Corker

December 30, 2017December 30, 2017 Admin

During Representative Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN-07) appearance Thursday on CNN’s “The Lead,” she seemed to surprise guest host Dana Bash with the suggestion that President Trump would be a welcome addition to the campaign trail in Tennessee as she seeks to replace the retiring junior Senator Bob Corker. As The Tennessee Star has reported extensively, before and especially after making the announcement he would not be seeking re-election, Bob Corker has repeatedly attacked President Trump in the media, calling into question the freshman executive’s mental state, negotiating skills, integrity, motivations, and more. Blackburn’s apparent open invitation to the President is a marked contrast to Corker – but no surprise, considering voters chose Mr. Trump over Hillary Clinton by more than 60 percent. Guest host Dana Bash asked Blackburn, “You’re in a big race down there in Tennessee. Do you want President Trump to come and campaign with you?” Blackburn answered, “What I want to do is spend my time working with the voters of this state, and that’s my focus,” Blackburn answered. “You know, President Trump is very popular in Tennessee. And people are so encouraged by the work that he has done in passing tax reform, Gorsuch to the Supreme Court–” Interrupting with crosstalk, Bash pressed,…

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Witnesses at Senate Hearing Convened by Bob Corker Claim Military Can Question Donald Trump’s Order to Launch Nuclear Weapons

November 15, 2017November 14, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Corker Senate For Rel Committee Trump

Legal and military experts told lawmakers Tuesday the president does not have complete authority to launch the first strike using a nuclear weapon when the U.S. is not faced with an imminent threat. In testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the experts grappled with what scenarios encompass “imminent” threats, when the president could order an…

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Sen. Bob Corker Slams President Trump For Not Ruling Out Firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions

November 3, 2017November 3, 2017 Wendy Wilson

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) on Friday blasted President Trump for refusing to rule out firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions if the Department of Justice doesn’t pursue investigations the president wants. Earlier Friday, Trump tweeted that the Justice Department and FBI should investigate “Crooked Hillary & the Dems.” The Associated Press reported that when asked before departing for his trip to Asia if he would fire Sessions if the Justice Department doesn’t do more to investigate Democrats, Trump said, “I don’t know.” Corker said in a statement, “Like me, most Americans hope that our justice system is independent and free of political interference. President Trump’s pressuring of the Justice Department and FBI to pursue cases against his adversaries and calling for punishment before trials take place are totally inappropriate and not only undermine our justice system but erode the American people’s confidence in our institutions.” Like me, most Americans hope that our justice system is independent and free of political interference. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/R4WrhSPQz3 — Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) November 3, 2017 Corker’s statement was the latest volley in his feud with Trump over the president’s leadership abilities. Special counsel Robert Mueller continues to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential…

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Bob Corker ‘Couldn’t Get Elected Dogcatcher’ in Tennessee, But Doesn’t Rule Out 2020 Primary Challenge to President Trump

October 27, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) was at it again on Friday. The junior senator from Tennessee, whose poll ratings in his home state are so low President Trump recently tweeted “he couldn’t get elected dog catcher,” is fanning the flames of a potential 2020 GOP Republican Presidential primary challenge to President Trump. The Associated Press, reporting from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, has the story: Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee did not rule out a run in 2020 against President Donald Trump when asked about it by reporters Friday, saying he’s focused on the next 14 months of his term and isn’t thinking that far ahead. The noncommittal response came as Corker doubled down this week on criticism of Trump, calling him “utterly untruthful” and responsible for “the debasement of our nation.” “You know, I don’t know what I’m doing next Sunday,” the senator responded when reporters asked about a potential presidential bid. Corker said it was far too soon to say if he would want a strong Republican primary challenge of Trump, whether by him or someone else. “I think that if you even begin thinking those things, everything you do becomes viewed through a different lens,” Corker said generally about presidential ambitions.

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Senator Bob Corker Just Won’t Shut Up, Says Good Relationship with President is ‘Irrelevant,’ Vows to Continue ‘Railing’ Against Trump

October 26, 2017October 26, 2017 Admin

Retiring Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) seems to be taking a P.T. Barnum approach to his legacy, as the famous promoter is attributed to responding to a negative story by saying, “I don’t care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right.” Since the surprise election of President Donald Trump in November 2016, the junior Senator has arguably had more air time than his previous decade in office, combined – and nearly all of it is dedicated to criticizing Trump, his policies, and his agenda. It would be easy to imagine Mr. Corker’s social calendar is as packed as it has ever been. He is the new face for the NeverTrump Republican Establishment and their Democrat allies. Mr. Corker’s latest appearance on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ is a classic, by-the-numbers hit, as reported by Politico: Retiring Sen. Bob Corker said Thursday that it’s “ridiculous” to believe he has become increasingly outspoken against President Donald Trump because he was passed over as secretary of state. Corker, who interviewed for the position, said Rex Tillerson “was an inspired choice” to lead the State Department. And then, switching to the 3rd-person, added: “I don’t think Rex Tillerson has a closer friend on Capitol…

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Commentary: Fincher Rejects Trump, Sides With Corker and GOP Establishment In Hiring Kim Kaegi as Treasurer

October 24, 2017October 24, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Despite his rhetorical claims to be in line with President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, Republican Senatorial candidate Stephen Fincher has immediately aligned himself with the “Queen of the Establishment” and anti-Trump political class in Tennessee. Political fundraiser Kim Kaegi, who has been a lead fundraiser for Senator Lamar Alexander, Senator Bob Corker, Governor Bill Haslam and gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, will serve as Treasurer and Finance Consultant for the Fincher campaign, as she announced in this October 23 email. Kaegi raised eyebrows in 2016 when the “Republican” fundraiser contracted to raise funds for staunch Democrat Charles R. Bone in the Nashville Mayoral race. After Bone failed to make the runoff, Kaegi shifted her fundraising efforts to Megan Barry as she faced off against the more conservative David Fox. Barry is a liberal democrat married to Bruce Barry, the past President of the Tennessee ACLU and a member of the board of directors of the national ACLU. He has been a frequent critic of Trump’s immigration poicies. Mayor Barry has supported sanctuary city status for Nashville, is a strong proponent for illegal aliens, and recently proposed a $5.2 billion tax increase for the city. She was a Hillary Clinton delegate to…

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Unhinged Bob Corker Attacks President Trump Again

October 24, 2017October 24, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

An unhinged Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) attacked President Trump again on NBC’s Today Show Tuesday morning. In a series of reckless comments, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee undermined both President Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson once more. This time, Corker used the term “kneecap” instead of “public castration.” “When you have the kind of issue we’re dealing with in North Korea where we have a very unstable leader there, when you send out tweets into the region to raise tensions, when you kneecap your Secretary of State whose diplomacy you have to depend upon, when you kneecap that effort, you really move our country into a binary choice which could lead to a world war,” Corker told Today Show host Matt Lauer. “There are people around him that work in an effort to contain him,” Corker added. “This has been building for some time as I’ve watched the way the White House has operated. My concerns have continued to rise. I’m one senator who is expressing what I believe to be sincere – what I know to be sincere – concerns, and other senators may have other issues they’re dealing with,” the…

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Bob Corker Undermines American Foreign Policy Again, Says President Trump ‘Cannot Publicly Castrate’ Secretary of State Tillerson

October 14, 2017October 14, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

A reckless Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) undermined President Trump and American foreign policy once again on Friday with a stunningly irresponsible statement made during an interview with the Washington Post. “You cannot publicly castrate your own secretary of state without giving yourself that binary choice,” Corker told the Post. Corker described his use of “binary choice” language by stating the president was “creating scenarios in which the United States might be forced to choose between waging war on North Korea or Iran or allowing those countries to threaten the U.S. with nuclear weapons,” Politico reported: According to Corker, the secretary was in fact one of Trump’s greatest assets, and had made strides toward improving relationships with other global powers, notably China. “The greatest diplomatic activities we have are with China, and the most important, and they have come a long, long way,” he said. “Some of the things we are talking about are phenomenal.” It was an unprecedented and disturbing attack on the president of his own party by the current chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Conservatives and supporters of President Trump around the country immediately escalated their criticism of Corker. On Saturday, “Former White House chief…

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President Trump Tweets ‘Liddle’ Bob Corker ‘Made to Sound a Fool’ by New York Times

October 10, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

On Tuesday morning, President Trump slammed ‘Liddle’ Bob Corker for his recent interview with the New York Times. The Failing @nytimes set Liddle’ Bob Corker up by recording his conversation. Was made to sound a fool, and that’s what I am dealing with! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2017 On Fox News’ Hannity last night, former White House chief strategist and Breitbart News executive Steve Bannon said that Senator Bob Corker (R-TN)should resign immediately because of those comments made to The Times: Bannon was reacting to a series of reckless attacks made on President Trump by Senator Corker (R-TN), the first coming in several Twitter exchanges with the president on Sunday morning, the others coming in an interview with the New York Times, which released the audio transcript of the conversation. “In a time of war, we have troops in Afghanistan, in the Northwest Pacific in Korea. We have a major problem,” Bannon said. “It could be like World War I. In the South China Sea, in the Persian Gulf – we have American lives at risk every day. He tweets on Sunday that it’s like the adult center and somebody didn’t have the morning shift. Then…

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Senator Bob Corker Lashes Out After President Trump Tweets Corker ‘Didn’t Have The Guts’ to Seek Re-election

October 9, 2017October 8, 2017 Admin

President Trump on Sunday morning launched a Twitter attack against retiring Sen. Bob Corker, saying he “didn’t have the guts” to seek re-election. The Tennessee Republican quickly fired back, calling Mr. Trump’s White House “an adult day care center.” In his tweets, the president said Mr. Corker – who previously had questioned Mr. Trump’s competence -…

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Senator Bob Corker Has Plenty of Evidence to Support President Trump’s Reduction in the Refugee Ceiling for FY 2018

October 4, 2017October 3, 2017 Chris Alto

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) has plenty of evidence to support President Trump’s presidential determination to reduce the refugee ceiling in FY 2018 to 45,000, but, so far, the soon-to-retire senator has been silent on that matter since that news broke late last month. In April, however, PJ Media reported, “Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said he hopes the Trump administration begins to ‘move back to a regular process’ and ‘normalize’ the admission of refugees into the United States.” Corker should know the pitfalls of “normalizing” the admissions of refugees to higher levels of the Obama administration. He was a sitting member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when it convened a hearing in 2010, to address the failures of the U.S. refugee resettlement program and he learned a great deal about the serious problems of the program back then. The committee’s report, Abandoned Upon Arrival: Implications for Refugees and Local Communities Burdened by a U.S. Resettlement System That is Not Working, offers ample, if not overwhelming justification for Corker, now chairman of the committee, to support President Trump’s responsible FY 2018 cap for U.S refugee admissions at 45,000 annually, significantly lower than the 85,000 admissions in FY 2016, the…

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Andy Ogles Campaign Hires Trump Media Advisor for Primary Challenge to Bob Corker

September 19, 2017September 19, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

On Monday, the Andy Ogles for U.S. Senate campaign announced that it has hired Innovative Politics, which “played a key role” in the Donald J. Trump for President campaign advertising team following the Republican National Convention in the 2016 general election campaign. The firm is “a nationally renowned political consulting and full-service advertising agency,” according to a statement released by the campaign, and has been hired “to run [the campaign’s] media strategy and voter contact operations.” Innovative Politics produced nearly 30 television ads for the campaign, which spent more than $75 million dollars on television advertising. Jay Connaughton, chief media advisor with Innovative Politics, played a key role in Trump’s heavily covered Baton Rouge, Louisiana, trip following the devastating floods in the state, as well as in the President-elect’s headline making visit to Flint, MI. The Presidential race was only one of the many significant achievements for Innovative Politics during the past few national election cycles. The firm’s impressive national work, particularly in battleground states, helped the Republican Party maintain control of the U.S. Senate with victories in the critical U.S. Senate elections in North Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, Iowa, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Florida. Connaughton praised Ogles in the statement. “Andy…

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Bob Corker’s Much Vaunted Meeting With President Trump Uneventful

September 18, 2017September 18, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Washington pundits were abuzz with speculation late last week when it was announced that Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) would meet with President Trump at the White House on Friday. News reports about what transpired at that meeting when the two men finally met in person after several weeks of mutual public criticism suggest the results were largely uneventful. “The president and Senator Corker had a productive meeting in which they discussed a wide range of shared legislative priorities for the fall session,” the Washington Examiner reported “the White House said in a readout following the sit-down.” That plain vanilla statement about a “a productive meeting” is standard operating procedure in Washington for describing meetings where nothing of substance is accomplished. The Examiner story continued: Corker, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sat down with Trump days before the president is slated to meet with several heads of state at the 72nd annual United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City. The two men discussed the current state of foreign affairs and the administration’s desire for bipartisan tax reform, according to the readout. “The administration looks forward to continued partnership with Senator Corker and other members of…

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See How Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker Voted on the Pelosi-Schumer-Trump Debt Ceiling Deal

September 9, 2017September 8, 2017 Admin

Senate lawmakers voted Thursday afternoon to advance a bill that would provide emergency relief funding to the victims of Hurricane Harvey and would temporarily raise the debt ceiling and fund the government through mid-December. Lawmakers voted 80-17 in favor of sending the bill back to the House for renegotiations. The Senate’s vote comes off the heels…

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State Rep. Judd Matheny Rips Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bob Corker for Harsh Criticism of President Trump

August 26, 2017August 25, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Tennessee Star

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) on Friday said U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was out of line in his recent harsh criticism of President Trump. As a leading U.S. senator, Corker should know better than to undermine the president at a time when the country is facing tough challenges at home and abroad, Matheny said. “You don’t speak like that about the president. You just don’t. He ought to be ashamed,” Matheny told The Tennessee Star at Legislative Plaza, where Matheny was receiving an award from the Center for Security Policy for his efforts to fight terrorism. Corker told reporters in Chattanooga last week that “radical changes” are needed at the White House. He questioned Trump’s competence and his understanding of what has made the U.S. a great nation. Trump fired back on Friday with a tweet saying, “Strange statement by Bob Corker considering that he is constantly asking me whether or not he should run again in ’18. Tennessee not happy!” Trump has been bombarded with criticism from the mainstream media, the left and establishment Republicans like Corker in the wake of his comments blaming both sides for the recent violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and radical…

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