Search Results for: trump corker

President Trump Blasts Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bob Corker in Tweet

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

President Trump took to Twitter Friday morning to lash back at U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) for Corker’s recent sharp criticisms of the president. Strange statement by Bob Corker considering that he is constantly asking me whether or not he should run again in '18. Tennessee not happy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017 Last week in Chattanooga, Corker told reporters that “radical changes” are needed at the White House and that “the president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful.” Corker said Trump “has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that.” Corker’s comments came as Trump was getting criticized by the mainstream media, the left and some Republicans for blaming both sides for the recent violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and radical leftists. Critics said Trump’s comments indirectly showed support for white supremacists. In Chattanooga, Corker said, “I think that sometimes he gets in a situation where he doubles-down to try and make a wrong a right.…

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White House Slams Senator Bob Corker for ‘Outrageous’ Criticism of President Trump

Tennessee Star Staff

The White House blasted Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker as “ridiculous” Thursday for asserting that President Trump hasn’t shown yet that he can run the country. “I think that’s a ridiculous and outrageous claim and doesn’t dignify a response from this podium,” said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Speaking to reporters last week…

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Tennessee U.S. Senator Bob Corker Stands By Statements Criticizing Trump Over Charlottesville

Wendy Wilson

  COLUMBIA, Tennessee — U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) on Friday defended his remarks Thursday criticizing President Trump for his comments about the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend between white supremacists and leftist radicals. Corker was in Columbia on Friday to speak at a joint luncheon of the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs at the Memorial Building downtown. On Thursday in Chattanooga, Corker questioned Trump’s competence and said, “He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that.” Trump’s critics in the mainstream media and on the left, as well as some establishment Republicans, have maintained that Trump indirectly supported white supremacy by blaming both sides for the violence and saying there were innocent people on both sides. Asked by The Tennessee Star after Friday’s luncheon what he thought Trump should have said instead, Corker said he didn’t want to get into analyzing it further. “I’m trying to steer away from that,” Corker said. “What I said yesterday I think speaks for itself. Hopefully this, myself and maybe a few others speaking out, will have an effect. But I just want good…

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Tennessee U.S. Senator Bob Corker Criticizes President Trump – Again – In Chattanooga Thursday

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) sharply criticized President Trump on Thursday at a Rotary Club luncheon in Chattanooga and said “radical changes” are needed at the White House. Corker questioned Trump’s competence. “He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that,” Corker told reporters after the luncheon, according to WRCB Channel 3. Corker’s latest criticism of Trump comes after a long string of other attacks he has made on the president that do not sit well with Republican primary voters in Tennessee.  Tennessee’s junior senator is up for re-election in 2018. Local reaction from Tennessee conservatives to Corker’s comments was harshly critical of the former mayor of Chattanooga, as these comments on the Nashville Tea Party Facebook page demonstrated.   “Ready to put my name on recall petition! Trump has done more for this country in six months than Corker has in his entire senatorial career. And to speak on ‘character’, Corker wouldn’t have a clue what the word means,” Carole posted. “No Bob, it is the Senate who needs a Radical Change and that includes getting you and…

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MTSU Poll: 77 Percent of Tennessee Republicans Trust President Trump, Only 40 Percent Trust Bob Corker

Tennessee Star Staff

A recent poll conducted by Middle Tennessee State University confirms what The Tennessee Star Poll reported last month: President Donald Trump is by far the most popular elected official among Republican voters in Tennessee, and Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) is not particularly popular. Among Republicans, 86 percent of likely Tennessee Republican voters approved of President Trump’s job performance in The Tennessee Star Poll  released on June 6: When asked “How would you rate the job performance of President Donald Trump,” 86 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee said they approve of his job performance, while only 11 percent said they disapprove, a remarkable 75 percent margin of approval over disapproval. In the MTSU Poll, which measured trust,  77  percent of Tennessee Republican voters surveyed say they trust President Trump, while only 40 percent say they trust Senator Corker. The Tennessee Star Poll was conducted of 1,007  likely Republican primary voters in Tennesseee. The MTSU Poll was taken of  627 residents of Tennessee, 193 of whom were Republicans, 153 were Democrats, 139 were Independents, and 78 said they were “Not Political.” Among all those surveyed by the MTSU Poll, 38 percent say they trust President Trump, while only 28 percent…

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Bob Corker Takes Two Cheap Shots at President Trump, Conservatives in Tennessee Respond by Smacking Down Our Junior Senator

Tennessee Star Staff

Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) took another two cheap shots at President Trump this week, and this time conservatives in Tennessee responded by smacking down the junior senator who is up for re-election in 2018. On Monday, Corker joined several Democratic senators in undermining President Trump’s foreign policy on Russia. “Senior senators in both parties on Monday night reached a bipartisan deal to add new sanctions on Russia and allow Congress to disapprove of any attempt by President Donald Trump to ease penalties on Moscow, the most significant GOP-backed constraint on the White House so far this year,” Politico reported: Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) assured reporters earlier Monday that the Russia deal would provide for congressional review of any future rollbacks of Russia sanctions, a plan pushed by Schumer as well as Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The review language would be structured “much like we did in other places,” such as the 2015 legislation that required former President Barack Obama to submit his administration’s nuclear pact with Iran to Congress, Corker said. . . Asked about the prospects of a veto threat from Trump, the Foreign Relations panel’s top Democrat, Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, told…

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Tennessee Star Poll Summary: 86 Percent of GOP Primary Voters Support Trump, Corker Vulnerable, and Governor’s Race Wide Open

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

The Tennessee Star Poll released earlier this week revealed some important information about the current attitudes of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee. Among the key results: 86 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee approve of President Trump’s job performance. No gubernatorial candidate has more than 10 percent support and the race is wide open. Senator Bob Corker’s re-election bid is in trouble. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is statistically tied in a one-on-one matchup with Senator Corker in a potential 2018 Republican U.S. Senate primary. Opposition to in-state tuition for illegal aliens is close to unanimous: 84 percent to 11 percent. A Republican gubernatorial candidate who promises to repeal the gas tax increase is more likely to receive the support of 48 percent of likely Republican primary voters and less likely to receive the support of 29 percent of likely Republican primary voters. 57 percent of likely Republican primary voters support constitutional carry. The Tennessee Star Poll will be conducted periodically between now and the August 2018 Republican primary to provide current insights into voter opinion among Tennessee’s likely Republican primary voters. The next poll is scheduled to be conducted and released in September of this year. The June 2017…

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Senator Bob Corker Continues to Undermine President Trump, This Time Over Qatar

Tennessee Star Staff
Tenessee Star

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) continued his recent history of publicly undermining President Trump this week, allowing himself on Tuesday to be portrayed as “speechless” over President Trump’s recent tweets about the country of Qatar. “President Trump set off a firestorm Tuesday when he conducted diplomacy-by-tweet, with key lawmakers stunned at the president’s flippant approach to a growing Middle East crisis and even the Pentagon saying it couldn’t explain the president’s comments,” the Hill reported: Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was left stunned and speechless when told by reporters of Trump’s tweets. Told by a reporter that Trump accused Qatar of being a state sponsor of terrorism, Corker responded, in a notably lower register, “The president?” Reporters caught Corker a few hours after Trump’s morning tweets, in which he took credit for the decision by Saudi Arabia and several other Arab countries to cut off ties with Qatar, an ally that is home to a large base with as many as 10,000 U.S. military personnel. “During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar – look!” Trump tweeted Tuesday. “So…

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Peyton Manning Plays Golf With President Trump and Sen. Bob Corker

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  Football star Peyton Manning reportedly played golf with President Trump and Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker on Sunday. CBS Sports, citing various sources, published a story online Monday with video and photos of the three men outside the White House, on the golf course and sitting around a table at what appears to be the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. “Manning has long been someone who was rumored to have interest in getting into politics, primarily because of his immense popularity in the state of Tennessee,” the story said. “This latest encounter is hardly an indication that is happening, but it probably won’t stop people from speculating.” In March, rumors swirled that the University of Tennessee alumnus might run for Senate in 2020 to replace Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, who is said to be considering retiring. But Manning downplayed those rumors, according to the Denver Post. “I don’t know where that came from. Last week I was going to run a team, this week I going to apparently run for Senate, and next week I’ll be an astronaut,” Manning said at the time. “I have no interest in the political world, but would like to continue serving communities.” Manning, 41, retired…

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Marsha Blackburn Supports President Trump’s Firing of FBI Director While Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander Hedge

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) gave her complete support of President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey, while both of Tennessee’s U.S. Senators, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) hedged in their official comments. Here is the reaction of these three Republican members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday. They made their comments in official press statements and on social media. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Republican: The FBI Director is entrusted to conduct business in an apolitical manner. What we have seen from Director Comey has been a breach of that trust and a politicization of the office. His removal from this office is warranted after his recent conduct in his position. Senator Bob Corker, Republican: While the case for removal of Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey laid out by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein was thorough, his removal at this particular time will raise questions. It is essential that ongoing investigations are fulsome and free of political interference until their completion, and it is imperative that President Trump nominate a well-respected and qualified individual to lead the bureau at this critical time. Senator Lamar Alexander,…

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Hamilton County Mayoral Candidate Weston Wamp’s Tweets Show Enormous Distaste for Donald Trump’s Brand of GOP

Chris Butler

Weston Wamp, son of former Tennessee Republican Congressman Zach Wamp, is running for mayor of Hamilton County, and his past tweets reveal an intense dislike and even a resistance to former President Donald Trump. In more than one tweet, Weston Wamp denied that Trump is a conservative. In another post, Wamp warned that Trump, as president, would likely derail the national economy and spark a recession. In another post, Wamp predicted that the former president would demolish the Republican Party.

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Former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker Talks About Tea Partiers in New Interview with ‘The Atlantic’

Chris Butler
Former Sen. Rob Corker

Former U.S. Republican Sen. Bob Corker this granted an exclusive interview to The Atlantic, and he used the occasion to voice his differences with the Tea Party. This, while the writer of the article, Emma Green, touted Corker as someone who called out the “racism” and “moral failings of the Republican Party.

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‘This is What Open Borders Agenda Looks Like,’ Trump’s ICE Chief Says

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U.S. Border Patrol

Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said Monday that President Joe Biden sacrificed the U.S.’ safety at the southern border in order to win the 2020 election.

“This is open borders agenda, Joe Biden sold out this country and our border security to win the election, he wanted to win over the progressive left, have an open borders agenda, Homan said on “Fox and Friends First.” Biden called the border situation on Saturday a “crisis” for the first time while discussing the refugee cap.

“We’re going to increase the number [of refugees allowed into the country]. The problem was that the refugee part was working on the crisis that ended up on the border with young people,” Biden said. “We couldn’t do two things at once. But now we are going to increase the number.”

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Trump Hits All Time High in GOP Favorability in Tennessee

Peter D'Abrosca

According to a Tennessee Star poll of 1001 likely Tennessee Republican primary voters, former President Donald J. Trump has all-time high approval rating among the GOP in the state, more than two months after leaving office.

The poll found that 89.7 percent of those voters have a favorable impression of the 45th president, compared to 7.4 percent who view him unfavorably.

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Man Sentenced for Threatening Trump Supporters Online, Brandishing Assault Rifle at George Floyd Protest

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A Texas man was sentenced to 46 months in federal jail over brandishing an assault rifle at a George Floyd protest, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah announced in a Wednesday press release.

Emmanuel Quinones, 25, acknowledged “he brought a loaded Smith & Wesson .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle” to the protest protesting Floyd’s death, plea papers said, according to the Department of Justice press release. Quinones also acknowledged he made threatening posts online before the protest.

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Speculation Arises That Former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker May Run for Governor of Tennessee

Chris Butler

One Memphis media outlet has sparked speculation that former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker may run for governor of Tennessee. This, the same month that Corker, a Republican, granted an interview to PBS and seemed to make patronizing remarks about former President Donald Trump’s supporters. Corker referred to those individuals as ‘the base.’

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Pelosi Says She’s ‘Not Worried’ Impeachment Will Alienate Trump Supporters

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she’s “not worried” that impeachment will alienate former President Donald Trump’s supporters.

“No, I’m not worried about that. The fact is the president committed an act of incitement of insurrection. I don’t think it’s very unifying to say oh let’s just forget it and move on. That’s not how you unify,” Pelosi said.

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Durbin Says Members ‘Have to Follow Their Own Conscience’ on Trump Impeachment

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Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin told CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday that Senate members “have to follow their own conscience” on President Donald Trump’s impeachment.

Durbin told Tapper on CNN’s “State of The Union” that he doesn’t know how members of his own caucus will vote to convict Trump.

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PGA President: 2022 Championship Hosted at Trump Golf Course Would be ‘Detrimental’

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The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) announced Sunday that they won’t host their 2022 championship at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

Jim Richerson, President of the PGA of America, called it “detrimental” for the association’s brand to have the championship take place at Trump Bedminster, during a video posted to the group’s website. Richerson said it would also “risk the PGA’s ability to deliver our many programs and sustain the longevity of our mission.”

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Biden Says Trump Not Attending His Inauguration Is ‘a Good Thing’

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President-elect Joe Biden said Friday that President Donald Trump not attending his inauguration is “a good thing.”

“I was told that, on the way up here, way over here, that he indicated he wasn’t going to show up at the inauguration. One of the few things he and I have ever agreed on. It’s a good thing, him not showing up,” Biden said.

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Senators Blackburn, Hagerty Back Away from Trump to Certify Electoral College

Jason M. Reynolds

U.S Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty (both R-TN) reversed course late Wednesday night and allowed Arizona’s disputed electoral votes to be counted, WJHL reported.

Just last week, the duo had pledged to contest the Electoral College results, The Tennessee Star reported.

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Nearly 50 Percent Approve of Trump’s Performance, Poll Finds

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Almost 50% of registered voters approved of Donald Trump’s performance as president, according to a Hill-HarrisX poll published Thursday.

The poll, which was conducted from Dec. 3 to Dec. 7, showed that 49% of respondents favored the president’s performance, while 51% disapproved, according to the Hill-HarrisX poll. The president has been hovering just below or at 50% for several months, polls show.

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Trump to Hold Ten Rallies in the Final Two Days Before the Election

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President Donald Trump will speak at 10 rallies in the two days before the election, according to his campaign website.

The president will also speak at three rallies on Saturday while Vice President Mike Pence will speak at one rally on Saturday, according to his campaign schedule. Pence will speak in North Carolina while Trump will speak in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

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Pelosi and Trump Haven’t Spoken to Each Other in a Year

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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and President Donald Trump haven’t spoken to each other since October of last year.

The last time the pair had an extended conversation was at a White House meeting on October 16, 2019 that included discussions about the president’s move to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, The Hill reported.

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Chinese-State-Run Media Chief Says Trump and Melania ‘Paid The Price’ for Downplaying Coronavirus

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The editor-in-chief of a Chinese state-run media outlet said in a tweet Friday that President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump “paid the price” for downplaying the coronavirus pandemic after both tested positive.

“President Donald Trump and the first lady have paid the price for his gamble to play down the COVID-19. The news shows the severity of the US’ pandemic situation,” Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times, said in a Twitter post on Friday.

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Trump Says He Will Stop Funding Schools That Teach New York Times’ 1619 Project

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President Donald Trump said in a tweet Sunday that the Department of Education would stop funding California public schools if they teach the New York Times’ 1619 Project.

“Department of Education is looking at this. If so, they will not be funded!” Trump said in a tweet as a response to a post that claimed “california has implemented the 1619 project into the public schools. soon you wont recognize america[sic].”

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Trump Admin Considers Months-Long Suspension of Work Visas

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The Trump Administration is considering a months-long suspension of work visas during the coronavirus, officials familiar with the plan told the Wall Street Journal.

The order could restrict H-1B visas for highly skilled workers, H-2B visas for seasonal workers and other types of work visas, and might extend past Oct. 1., according to the WSJ.

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Commentary: Tired, Irrelevant Democratic Candidates Point to Trump Reelection

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by Conrad Black   It is easier to notice the drift of American political public opinion after being away from it in England for six weeks. It is obvious that President Trump is steadily gaining ground. The human wave of kooks and retreads seeking the Democratic nomination have been shooting furiously inside their 360-degree firing squad and some of the 1 percent group will have to be carried out soon to make it a tighter circle. (The most irritating loudmouth of all of them, Representative Eric Swalwell of California, had the honor of being the first to fold on Monday.) The Democrats’ major problems are that almost all the president’s policies are working. The collapse of the Russian collusion fraud has created an eerie silence as the country awaits possible indictments of the Democrats responsible for that outrage, and the Democrats themselves are completely unfeasible. All the economic news is positive: 83 percent of taxpayers have had their taxes reduced and those who have not are the citizens of chronic Democratic states where the state governments have been so incompetent they have laid on higher state income taxes that the administration no longer will deduct from federal taxes. Why should…

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Former Bob Corker Staffers Reportedly Lobbying for Big Government Advocates

Chris Butler

  A group of former staffers for former Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker has reportedly launched a lobbying firm that has already signed clients who advocate for big government and more taxpayer money. This, according to an article in The Nashville Post. Corker’s former chief of staff Todd Womack and Corker’s former communications director Micah Johnson reportedly started the firm, known as Bridge Public Affairs. Former Corker aides Brent Wiles and John Goetz are also reportedly on board. “The young firm — with offices in Nashville, Chattanooga and Washington, D.C. — has already signed on a number of high-profile clients,” The Nashville Post reported. “Womack is registered to represent the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga, Chattanooga’s River City Company and Memphis’ Riverfront Development Corp. in Nashville, plus EPB, Volkswagen and others in Washington.” As The Tennessee Star reported, Tennessee officials have given Volkswagen hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate welfare. Meanwhile, the public utility EPB — also known as Chattanooga’s Electric Power Board — took $100 million in federal taxpayer money several years ago to offer ultra-high speed Internet — to compete against companies already in the private market. In 2012, the Nashville-based Beacon Center of Tennessee, a right-of-center…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Bill Haslam Lags Far Behind Trump, Blackburn and Lee Among Likely Republican Primary Voters in Approval Rating

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A new Tennessee Star poll reveals that President Donald Trump is retaining his consistently sky-high approval ratings among likely Republican Primary voter (87.7 percent), with Governor Bill Lee (73.5 percent) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (76.1 percent) also enjoying extremely strong support. However, former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is slightly below 50 percent at 49.1 percent approval with Republicans and lame-duck Senator Lamar Alexander is underwater with an approval-disapproval rating of 31.4 to 46.9 percent, similar to but not nearly as bad as the low approval ratings recorded by former Senator Bob Corker before he chose to not seek reelection. Nevertheless, Alexander’s numbers have declined from his 37.3 percent approval to 38.1 percent disapproval recorded among likely Republican primary voters in a poll conducted by the Tennessee Star last June. Since announcing he would not seek reelection, Alexander has broken with President Trump on a couple of key votes, including a vote against emergency funding for a southern border wall. The new Triton Polling survey was conducted over four days (April 13-16) and polled 1003 likely Republican Party primary voters statewide. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. Haslam and Alexander’s current approval numbers closely mirror the results of…

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Trump Resister Encouraging Illegal Teacher Strikes in Tennessee Has Links to a Left-Wing Organization That Received Funding from George Soros

Laura Baigert

An activist group, Tennessee Education Report, has ramped up its efforts in encouraging teachers in the state to strike through a series of three posts in as many weeks on its blog, as The Tennessee Star reported. Andy Spears is the head of the Tennessee Education Report. “Teachers in West Virginia, Arizona, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Los Angeles have experienced some level of success in recent strikes. Teachers in Virginia were on strike today. These strikes have earned the support of parents and community members and have yielded tangible results both in terms of new investments in schools and increased political power for teachers,” Spears wrote in a January article titled, “When are teacher strikes coming to Tennessee?” “Here in Tennessee, however, teachers have yet to strike. In fact, it’s difficult to find serious discussion of a strike. Sure, our investment in schools is less now than when Bill Haslam took over ($67 less per student in inflation-adjusted dollars). And yes, our teachers earn among the lowest salaries in the region with no significant improvement in recent years. Oh, and our own Comptroller says we’re at least $500 million short of what we need to adequately fund schools. A closer look…

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Bill Haslam Joins Never-Trumper Bill Kristol and Abdul El-Sayed at Liberal DC Institute

Jason M. Reynolds

Now that Bill Haslam has left office as Tennessee’s governor,  he has joined several Never-Trumpers as “spring fellows” instructors at American University’s Sine Institute of Politics in Washington, D.C. The fellowship’s website says, “As an incubator for policy innovation and convener of the best minds in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, the arts, and journalism, the Sine Institute is pleased to announce its inaugural class of Fellows and Distinguished Lecturer. These experts will lead discussions and study sessions with students, as well as convene and participate in campus-wide events throughout the year.” Haslam should fit in with a cast of Never-Trumpers at the university. He said last year that Trump should not endorse any gubernatorial candidate seeking to replace him, referring to Diane Black. Who are Haslam’s fellow “best” colleagues? Several of them are Never-Trumpers. Abdul El-Sayed, innocuously listed by AU as a former Democratic gubernatorial candidate, doctor and former executive director of the Detroit Health Department. There is more to El-Sayed’s story. According to an Aug. 3, 2018 story by The Intercept, El-Sayed is a Muslim American of Egyptian descent who has gained the adoration of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Last Saturday, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., endorsed…

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Bob Corker Reportedly Disparages Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter

Chris Butler

Do you listen to Rush Limbaugh on the radio or read Ann Coulter’s columns? According to outgoing Tennessee U.S. Republican Sen. Bob Corker, you’re following a couple of tyrants. This according to CNN and The Memphis Commercial Appeal, which portrayed Corker as upset over Limbaugh’s and Coulter’s criticism of the lack of a deal to fund the border wall. According to the paper, Coulter recently called U.S. Republican President Donald Trump “gutless” and said he oversees “a joke presidency that scammed the American people.” Coulter also said she and most of Trump’s supporters won’t vote for him in 2020 if there is no border wall. Limbaugh, meanwhile, complained last week that Democrats were outmaneuvering Trump on the border wall issue. Limbaugh later said Trump told him he would fund the border wall or he’d shut the federal government down. “CNN reporter Manu Raju reported on Friday that Corker criticized the radio hosts and how Trump has responded,” according to The Commercial Appeal. “Do we succumb to tyranny of radio talk show hosts?” Raju quotes Corker as saying. “We have two talk radio hosts who influenced the president – that’s tyranny isn’t it?” This is not the first time Corker has reportedly said something…

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OFF THE RECORD: Bill Lee’s Anti-Trump Chief of Staff Blake Harris Setting the Personnel Agenda

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President Donald Trump carried 92 of Tennessee’s 95 counties against Hillary Clinton in 2016 with a 61 percent to 35 percent margin. He retains an extraordinarily high approval rating among Tennessee Republicans, polling consistently above 84 percent. Trump’s support for Marsha Blackburn was a critical factor in her 11 point victory gap over Democrat Phil Bredesen in the 2018 Senate race. During his primary campaign for Governor, Bill Lee embraced Donald Trump and even ran a television ad that pointed out that Trump has been “so effective” because he’s a “businessman, not a politician.” Trump’s endorsement of Lee in the general election, along with the endorsement of key in-state Trump supporters like former State Senator Mae Beavers, helped Lee to a 20 plus point margin over Karl Dean.  The 2018 Republican Primary for Governor ended up with Lee prevailing over Diane “Too Swamp” Black and Randy “Too Moderate” Boyd because — like Goldilocks selecting a bed — he was “just right” for Christian conservatives and Trump voters in the state. You might think that Governor-elect Lee would be setting the foundations for his policy agenda by appointing those who were ideologically aligned with Candidate Lee to top positions in his…

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Senate Dems Cite Problems at HUD, but Block Trump’s Nominees for Key Posts

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by Fred Lucas   Senate Democrats have stalled nominees to fill key posts in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, even while complaining about the agency’s performance. An NBC News report last week alleged that HUD’s staffing problems were the fault of President Donald Trump and HUD Secretary Ben Carson. HUD’s enforcement office is at its lowest level since 1999 of moving against bad landlords who get federal subsidies, according to NBC. But the network’s story didn’t address the the high-level nominees that Senate Democrats have stalled from taking office through procedural tactics. Four top-level HUD nominees await Senate action more than 22 months into Trump’s four-year term. Chief among these is Robert Hunter Kurtz, who Trump initially nominated to be HUD’s assistant secretary for public and Indian housing on Sept. 15, 2017. As has been the case with many other stalled nominations throughout the federal government, Kurtz isn’t particularly political, but rather has a career with HUD and public housing. Kurtz served at HUD under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He was deputy director of Detroit’s Department of Housing and Revitalization under Mayor Mike Duggan, a Democrat. The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee sent…

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Bob Corker: ‘Everything Points to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia’ Ordering Khashoggi’s Killing

Tennessee Star Staff

Retiring lame duck Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a tweet on Saturday that “Everything points to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, MBs, ordering @washingtonpost journalist Jamal #Khashoggi’s killing.” Everything points to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, MbS, ordering @washingtonpost journalist Jamal #Khashoggi‘s killing. The Trump administration should make a credible determination of responsibility before MbS executes the men who apparently carried out his orders. — Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) November 17, 2018 “The Trump administration should make a credible determination of responsibility before MbS executes the men who apparently carried out his orders,” Corker continued. The murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Istanbul, Turkey last month has created a difficult foreign policy problem for the Trump administration, which has relied upon strengthened relationships with Saudi Arabia to hold the threat posed by Iran to stability in the Middle East in check. Corker’s tweet on Saturday expressed a view similar to the one taken by the Washington Post editorial board, which opined on Saturday that “Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is brazenly seeking to lie his way out of accountability for the murder of…

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President Trump Wows Capacity Crowd in Chattanooga

Chris Butler

CHATTANOOGA, TN — U.S. President Donald Trump told a full house of more than 11,000 people at Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena Sunday that Tuesday’s election “is about peace and prosperity.” To emphasize his point, Trump asked Tennessee voters to elect Republican Marsha Blackburn to the U.S. Senate this coming Tuesday. Blackburn seeks to replace outgoing Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker. Her opponent is Democrat Phil Bredesen, Tennessee’s former governor. “I am asking every citizen from every party, every background, and every race, color and creed to reject the Democrat politics of anger and division and to unite behind our proud and righteous destiny as Americans,” Trump told the crowd. This audience had not a single protestor. Trump had a passionate crowd in his favor. That prompted Trump to say, “there is an electricity in the air the likes of which you and I have not seen since the 2016 election.” “As we speak the Democrats are openly encouraging millions of illegal immigrants to break our laws, destroy our nation in so many ways, and they want to sign them up for free welfare, free health care, free education and the right to vote,” Trump said. “Illegal immigration costs our country more…

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Media Reports Conflict on Trump Visit to Chattanooga Before Midterms

Jason M. Reynolds

There are conflicting reports on whether President Donald Trump plans to visit Chattanooga just before Election Day. Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence is visiting North Georgia on Nov. 1. News Channel 9 reported Thursday that the president would visit Chattanooga on Nov. 5, citing a statement by U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03). Later in the evening, the TV station said Fleischmann backed off his statement. In its update, News Channel 9 said, “A new statement from Congressman Fleischmann’s office is walking back his previous confirmation of Trump’s visit. In it, Communications Director Kasey Lovett says that they would welcome such a visit, ‘but I am not aware of any plans in the near future.’” WRCB reported a possible visit but said details had not been confirmed. The Chattanoogan also reported the president’s visit. It has also been announced Pence will visit Dalton, Georgia, just outside Chattanooga. He will visit the Dalton Convention Center at 11:30 a.m. Eastern on Nov. 1, the Times Free Press said. Pence plans to rally support for  Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp. Polls shows Kemp in a close race with Democrat Stacey Abrams. This will be Pence’s second trip to Dalton in three years. During the run up…

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President Trump Rallies Support for Marsha Blackburn in Johnson City: ‘A Vote for Bredesen is a Vote for Chuck Schumer’

Tennessee Star Staff

A large and enthusiastic crowd greeted President Trump in Johnson City on Monday night as he rallied support for Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). The president did not disappoint, as he spent much of the evening blasting Blackburn’s Democrat opponent, former Gov. Phil Bredesen, and tearing into obstructionist Democrats in the Senate. “A vote for Bredesen is a vote for Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and the real leader of the Democrats, Maxine Waters,” the president boomed, to thunderous applause. The president tore into Democrat politicians, as Breitbart News reported: He then hit Blackburn’s Democrat opponent Phil Bredesen. Trump noted Bredesen supported driver certificates for illegal aliens. He said if Democrats get 51 seats in the Senate, then Chuck Schumer would be majority leader. Schumer is so desperate for Phil to win,” Trump said. “Marsha will be a great, great Senator,” said Trump who added that the Republicans need the votes. “We cannot allow ourselves to be pushed around,” said Trump. He said Schumer pushed Bredesen to run to try to get Democrats to take back the Senate. “Your vote in this election will decide which…

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President Trump to Hold MAGA Midterm Rally Oct. 1 in Johnson City for Marsha Blackburn, Will ‘Share Great News About Booming Economy’

Jason M. Reynolds
Tennessee Star

President Donald Trump will hold a Make America Great Again (MAGA) midterm rally Oct. 1 in Johnson City. The rally will be the president’s sixth in Tennessee – and first in Johnson City – since he began his first presidential race in June 2015, his campaign announced Monday. The rally will be held at 7 p.m. ET at the Freedom Hall. The president is expected to discuss the latest news on the booming Trump economy and the critical importance of protecting and expanding the GOP majorities in the House and Senate for his America First agenda. “We are pleased to announce our next scheduled Make America Great Again rally on Monday, October 1 in Johnson City, Tennessee,” said Michael Glassner, chief operating officer for Donald J. Trump for President Inc. “With just 44 days from today until the midterm elections, President Trump looks forward to sharing the great news about the booming economy that’s delivered new jobs and bigger paychecks to Tennessee families. The President will also remind Tennesseans of the critical importance to get out and vote for Marsha Blackburn for the U.S. Senate.” The public may register online for the rally here. You may only register up two…

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Trump’s Tax Cuts Were ‘Oversold,’ Says Bredesen, Who Raised Taxes and Fees by Nearly $1 Billion as Governor

Jason M. Reynolds

Former Governor Phil Bredesen said Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s tax cuts were “oversold” and have had little impact on falling unemployment rates. Bredesen’s comments appeared in a story in The Tennessean based on an interview with the newspaper’s editorial board. Bredesen is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). His opponent is U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). Bredesen said the tax cut is a “perfect example of what’s wrong in Washington,” arguing it missed an opportunity to overhaul the tax code, which he said is full of loopholes. The former governor said much of the tax cut funds have gone into stock buybacks. Bredesen said he was “100 percent for tax reform.” While the debate began as reform, Congress last December failed. “Instead it was, well, let’s just do the tax cut because that’s easy and everybody’s happy.” The Tennessee Republican Party has called out Bredesen for what it says are “phony” claims to have balanced the state budget when he served as governor 2003-2011, as the Tennessee Star reported this week. The state constitution requires the budget to be balanced, they said. The GOP pointed out how Bredesen fails to say that…

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Small Business Owners: Trump’s Tax Cuts Miraculous for Tennessee

Chris Butler
Marsha Blackburn

FRANKLIN, Tennessee — The national economy is on fire right now, thanks to Republican President Donald Trump’s tax cuts. Yet this story isn’t getting the media coverage it deserves. Tennessee’s small business owners, meanwhile, are thriving. They’re expanding their businesses. They’re hiring more employees. As if it wasn’t already obvious, that’s because they suddenly have more cash at their disposal. These were among the key messages conveyed at an event at The Factory at Franklin Wednesday. The Atlanta-based Job Creators Network, a small business advocacy group, organized it. U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), one of the speakers and the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), told The Tennessee Star the tax cuts have made Tennessee’s median income rate grow faster than any state in the American Southeast. Tennessee’s median income rate, meanwhile, is one of the five fastest growing nationwide. “The state is at 2.7 percent unemployment, and that is why you are seeing the aggressive wage growth,” said Blackburn, currently running to replace Bob Corker in the U.S. Senate. “Business owners can pay their employees more and not have people leave, so there is no constant retraining for them to have…

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Blackburn Supports President Trump, Whom Schumer Said Should Be Impeached

Jason M. Reynolds
Chuck Schumer, Marsha Blackburn, Donald Trump

U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) announced her renewed support for President Donald Trump after Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called for his impeachment. In an off-the-cuff moment caught on video during a Labor Day parade in Brooklyn, Senate Minority Leader Schumer told a bystander who asked when President Trump would be impeached, “The sooner the better,” Fox News reported. “We gotta get a few Republicans,” Schumer responds. “Democrats are on your side.” Impeaching the president requires a majority of votes in the House of Representatives, which Democrats do not currently have; removing the president would then require a two-thirds vote of the Senate. The video is available here. The president has repeatedly warned about the “witch hunt” investigation into Russia’s alleged role in the 2016 election, Politico reported. Trump also has repeatedly criticized Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has won convictions against former Trump campaign aides but has yet to publicly link any of the crimes directly to the president. Schumer’s office, reached by Fox News, claimed that Schumer had simply misheard the question at the parade. Blackburn is having none of it, however. She also connected Schumer to her opponent Phil Bredesen in the election to fill the seat of…

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President Trump in Blackburn Ad: Schumer Recruited Bredesen

Jason M. Reynolds
Donald Trump, Marsha Blackburn

The Senate campaign for U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) launched its fourth television ad Friday, featuring President Donald Trump’s support. The ad will air in media markets across the state and on digital platforms statewide. Blackburn is running against Democratic former Governor Phil Bredesen for the seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Senator Bob Corker. In the ad, the president says, “Phil Bredesen was recruited by Schumer to run for the Senate. Bredesen donated a lot of money to Hillary Clinton. Crooked Hillary. Phil Bredesen supported her, and he supported her ideas. Phil, whatever the h—- his name is, this guy will 100 percent vote against us every single time.” Speaking about the ad, campaign Chairman Kevin Golden said, “President Trump knows Tennesseans need a senator who will represent them first. Phil Bredesen is Chuck Schumer’s number one recruit and donated over $33,400 to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. What we hear from Tennesseans is they fear Phil Bredesen will not represent their values in Washington.” Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden said in a statement that the president’s remarks show that Bredesen is the wrong choice to represent Tennesseans. “Donald Trump won Tennessee with over 60 percent of the vote and the…

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Tennessee Strong PAC Tags Phil Bredesen As Hillary Clinton-Supporting Opponent of President Trump

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Strong

The Tennessee Strong PAC has launched a new campaign tagging Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen as a Hillary Clinton-supporting opponent of President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again agenda. The former Governor of Tennessee and Mayor of Nashville, who faces Republican nominee Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) in the November general election to succeed Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), has built his campaign around attempts to persuade Tennesseans that he is a fair minded moderate who will examine President Trump’s proposals on their merits, without regard to partisan politics. The Tennessee Strong PAC is having none of it, and is providing the hard hitting facts to back up its charges in a 30 second digital ad that demonstrates Bredesen is anything but a fair minded moderate. You can watch the ad here: The transcipt of the ad reads: Phil Bredesen claims that he won’t tow the Democrat Party line in the Senate. But Phil was hand picked to run by liberal Chuck Schumer. It’s not surprising. Phil has always supported liberal elites, donating almost half a million to their campaigns. Bredesen even donated over $30,000 to Hillary Clinton. Like Hillary, Phil joined Nancy Pelosi in criticizing President Trump’s tax…

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Staten Island Artist Available to Bring ‘Huuuge’ Muscular President Trump Yard Art to Tennessee If Hired

Jason M. Reynolds
Trump 2020 sign

A Staten Island artist is making national headlines for his “huuuge” commissioned work honoring a muscular President Donald Trump. Scott Lobaido installed a 20-foot tall installation in a client’s yard showing a beefy, muscular bust of Trump atop a red-white-and-blue “2020” that lights up at night, ABC 7 NY reported. The president, as envisioned by Lobaido, has “huuuge” arms like a bodybuilder and wears a T-shirt proclaiming “POTUS 45” and is surrounded by American flags. The client installed security cameras around his house to protect the work. “I’m an artist … and this is my work,” Lobaido told ABC 7 NY. A previous pro-Trump creation of his was burned by a vandal or vandals. It was a 12-foot-high “T” with a flag motif. The new client will have his neighbors’ help in protecting the installation. The Harris Avenue home in Staten Island is a pro-Trump enclave of the bright blue New York City. ABC 7 NY interviewed some of the client’s neighbors who voiced their support for the artwork. One said the installation should be even larger. You can see the ABC 7 NY report here: Lobaido’s website describes himself as a patriotic artist. “Throughout my 50 years, people have…

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