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New Blackburn Ad Touts President Trump’s Support

August 8, 2018August 7, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Donald Trump, Marsha Blackburn

Republican Senatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn’s campaign launched an ad featuring President Donald Trump supporting her at a May rally. The digital and statewide TV ad that launched Tuesday shows footage from a Nashville rally in May when Trump boosted Blackburn, WREG reports. The ad touts Trump’s endorsement and Blackburn’s commitment to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall, repeal the Affordable Care Act and keep tax cuts permanent. Rep. Blackburn is in a tight race against Democratic ex-Gov. Phil Bredesen. In the ad, the president says, “We need Marsha Blackburn. We need Marsha in the Senate to continue the progress and work that we’ve done over the last year and a half.” Blackburn says in the video, “Tennessee needs a senator who is going to support President Donald Trump. I am going to be there to stand with President Donald Trump and take your Tennessee values to Washington, D.C. to fight with him to get the job done. I am Marsha Blackburn, and I approve this message.” Speaking about the ad, Blackburn campaign manager Kevin Golden said, “Tennesseans from all walks of life support the president’s work to cut taxes, rebuild the military, care for our veterans, and nominate constitutionalist justices and…

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Ignore the Man Behind The Curtain: Haslam Conspires to Block Diane Black Endorsement by Trump

July 27, 2018July 27, 2018 Julie Carr

In the audio below, conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill of The Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, called out “Never-Trumper” Bill Haslam for his attempts to block a Trump endorsement for Tennessee’s Diane Black in the Tennessee Governor’s race and whether or not this will entice President Trump to do so. Gill reflected, “We were talking earlier in the show about the possibility of a Trump endorsement of Diane Black. Well now the Knoxville News Sentinel is reporting along with the Nashville Tennessean and Memphis Commercial Appeal that Governor Bill Haslam has said Trump should stay out of the republican primary for Tennessee Governor.” He continued: Now there’s been a few stories that have been done by the New York Times and the Tennessee Star pointing out that Bill Haslam was hoping to block a Trump endorsement of Diane Black. And we exposed that he was actually working behind the scenes to try and block that endorsement. Well now apparently, it’s been confirmed as the Governor has been outed that he is in fact telling people I don’t think it would be helpful for the White House to be in primaries.…

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Candidate Endorsed by President Trump Wins Georgia GOP Gubernatorial Primary Runoff in a Landslide

July 25, 2018July 25, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Brian Kemp

The candidate President Trump endorsed last week won the Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary runoff last night in a landslide.

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Trump Says He Misspoke at Helsinki Press Conference: ‘I Accept Our Intelligence Community’s Conclusion’ That Russia Meddled in 2016 Election

July 17, 2018 Admin

Donald Trump

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he accepts the conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia sought to influence the 2016 U.S. election. “I accept our intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election took place. Could be other people also. A lot of people out there,” Trump told reporters in remarks from the White House. His comments come a day after the president publicly accepted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s denial that Moscow was involved in election interference, drawing sharp criticism from U.S. lawmakers for taking the foreign leader’s word over his own intelligence agencies. The president said that after he reviewed a transcript of his Helsinki remarks, he said he realized he misspoke. “In a key sentence in my remarks, I said the word would instead of wouldn’t. The sentence should have been…’I don’t see any reason why it WOULDN’T be Russia,” he said. The president continued to assert Tuesday that the media misrepresented his remarks while traveling abroad. On Capitol Hill, House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, responded to Trump’s rosy assessment. “Let’s be very clear: Russia meddled in our election,” Ryan said. “We know they interfered with our elections, and we have passed sanctions…

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Trump’s Broadside Against Germany at NATO Finds Some Republican Support

July 12, 2018July 11, 2018 Admin

NATO allies

Reuters They might not have agreed with the U.S. president calling Germany a “captive” of Russia, but some Republican lawmakers on Wednesday said they believe Donald Trump is right to shame one of America’s most important allies into spending more on defense. The Republican president, in Brussels for the NATO summit, took a swipe at Germany for supporting a new pipeline for Russian gas, saying at a pre-summit meeting: “We’re supposed to be guarding against Russia and Germany goes out and pays billions and billions of dollars a year to Russia.” Trump kept up his assault on NATO members, particularly Germany, for failing to spend a target two percent of national income on defense, a goal they must meet by 2024. He told fellow leaders he would prefer a 4 percent target, closer to the 3.6 percent of GDP the United States spends on defense. While Democratic congressional leaders condemned Trump’s attacks on Germany as “brazen insults and denigration of one of America’s most steadfast allies,” Republicans took a more benign view, and some backed him outright. “I think the president is right to raise the issue of whether they’re meeting their responsibilities to NATO and whether they are…

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Tennessee’s 6th: Corlew Ad Wants to Make Sure Voters Don’t Confuse Bob CorLEW with Bob CorKER

July 11, 2018July 10, 2018 Admin

Bob Corlew

Recent polling by The Tennessee Star showed that Senator Bob Corker has a disapproval rating in the 62% range and 6th District GOP Congressional candidate Bob Corlew wants to make sure voters in his primary don’t hold that against HIM just because of a similar last name. The tongue-in-cheek ad also tries to cut through the late campaign season noise and increase Corlew’s name recognition with GOP Primary voters. It is similar to an ad that Tennessee Republican Congressman Scott Desjarlais once used to increase his own name recognition with a somewhat difficult last name. Desjarlais’ ad depicted a man confused between Desjarlais and Dijon mustard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Ta8owxoMc Transcript of Bob Corlew ad “BOB WHO?”: Bob Corlew: “Hey, I’m Bob Corlew and I’m running for Congress.” Man: “Corker?” Second Man: “Corker?” Bob Corlew: “No, Corlew. Bob Corlew.” Woman: “Bob Corker?” Second woman: “No, Corlew; Bob Corlew. Army veteran. Judge. Conservative Republican.” Young man: “And a supporter of President Trump. Bob’s spent a lifetime serving others.” Bob Corlew: “That’s right. I want to help stop illegal immigration. Help the President build the Wall. And that’s why I approved this message.” The commercial is airing on both broadcast and cable television. …

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Marsha Blackburn Praises President Trump’s Selection of Brett Kavanaugh for SCOTUS, Phil Bredesen Silent on the Pick

July 9, 2018July 10, 2018 John Bryant

Marsha Blackburn, Brett Kavanaugh, Phil Bredesen

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), the GOP candidate to replace retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) in the November general election, led Tennessee Republicans on Monday evening in praising President Donald Trump and his nominee for justice to the U.S. Supreme Court, federal appeals court judge Brett Kavanaugh. “Judge Brett Kavanaugh will make a fine Supreme Court Justice, and I thank President Trump for nominating a strong constitutionalist with a proven track record of upholding the rule of law,” Blackburn said in a statement included in this tweet sent out at 9:27 pm eastern, just 20 minutes after Trump announced his pick: Tennesseans will be well served by Judge Brett Kavanaugh, and I encourage the Senate to consider his nomination expeditiously and to continue to confirm strict constitutionalist judges to our federal courts. pic.twitter.com/CD3NclJiop — Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) July 10, 2018 In contrast, former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, offered no comments on the president’s pick of Kavanaugh. Instead, Bredesen’s campaign released this statement during the day on Monday “in advance of President Trump’s nomination of a new justice to the U.S. Supreme Court,” which largely restated the words Bredesen used in a campaign commercial last month: “An important…

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Big Business and GOP Fighting Trump on Tariffs, But Will it Work, Or Is It All Just Talk?

July 7, 2018July 6, 2018 John Bryant

Donald Trump

Per Vox, Big Business and the GOP establishment are teaming up to undermine President Trump’s America First agenda. Unsurprisingly, the effort is being led by The US Chamber of Commerce and is supported by many Senate Republicans. The largest business lobbying group in America is declaring war on President Donald Trump’s trade agenda. The US Chamber of Commerce, an advocacy group that represents more than t3 million American businesses, launched a new campaign on Monday designed to persuade policymakers and the public that the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive trade policies represent a huge threat to the American economy. The Chamber released an interactive graphic that maps out how Trump’s trade conflicts with China, Europe, Canada, and Mexico could affect each state in the country in the coming months. It details how many of each state’s exports to foreign countries are vulnerable to retaliatory tariffs against Trump’s tariffs — and warns that they could cause millions of job losses. “Tariffs are beginning to take a toll on American businesses, workers, farmers, and consumers as overseas markets close to American-made products and prices increase here at home,” US Chamber President Thomas Donohue said in a statement. “The administration is threatening to undermine the…

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Bredesen Evasive About His Prospective Role in Contentious Supreme Court Confirmation Process for President Trump’s Nominee

June 28, 2018June 28, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Phil Bredesen

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement on Wednesday has prompted an immediate confirmation battle heading into the Fall mid-terms and is already having an impact on Tennessee’s Senate race. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who is running to succeed Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), issued a statement shortly after Kennedy made his plans known and indicated her intent to support President Donald Trump’s nominee. Blackburn called the confirmation of Supreme Court justices “one of the Senate’s most important responsibilities. As Tennessee’s next Senator, I will vote to confirm constitutional justices, who will follow the rule of law and do not legislate from the bench. It’s absolutely critical to confirm justices who understand the importance of upholding the Constitution, including the right to life.” Former Democrat Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, was more equivocal about his approach to the Supreme Court vacancy, saying a candidate’s character and qualifications are more important than party lines. “I just think we have such a partisan mess in Washington right now,” Bredesen said. “This is a real chance to start unwinding that in something that is very visible and important to the country.” Bredesen also issued a statement on Twitter on Wednesday, just hours after Kennedy announced his retirement.…

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Marsha Blackburn Hails SCOTUS Decision Declaring Trump Travel Ban Constitutional, While Leftist Supported Phil Bredesen Appears to Duck Issue

June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 John Bryant

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), was quick to weigh in on today’s Supreme Court ruling in favor of President Trump’s travel ban on residents of foreign countries that fail to meet security screening standards challenged in court by Hawaii. #SCOTUS decision is a victory against the Left’s open borders agenda and liberal activist judges. We must be able to vet individuals coming into our country so we can keep Tennesseans and America safe! https://t.co/QlzGmc8LEr — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) June 26, 2018 As usual, via his social media feed, Democrat Phil Bredesen is doing his best to duck the issue, one critical to many Trump-supporting Tennesseans by saying nothing at all. Were he to do that, he would risk the ire of Progressive Democrats now openly supporting his campaign against Blackburn. One far left activist, former Barack Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau, called out to his fellow travelers in Tennessee to “stop Trump from packing SCOTUS with more Trumpists is to win the Senate,” with candidates like the Democratic candidate, former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen, in a tweet this morning: https://twitter.com/jonfavs/status/1011619505187852288 More on today’s ruling here: In…

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Phil Bredesen’s Close Ties to an Increasingly Unpopular Bob Corker Shine Through in New Profile

June 23, 2018June 22, 2018 John Bryant

Bob Corker, Phil Bredesen

In a new The Times Free Press item entitled, Bredesen goes all out in Senate race with Blackburn, what perhaps stands out most of all is Phil Bredesen’s close ties to the increasingly unpopular outgoing Republican Senator Bob Corker and the distance between Bredesen and President Trump. They make it very clear that Bredesen wouldn’t even be running if he had to face off with Corker. That in itself makes him something of a mini-Corker, only worse. It’s a race the 74-year-old never envisioned making until last year when his longtime friend, Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker of Chattanooga, announced he wouldn’t seek re-election. Bredesen, known as a moderate, and Corker go back to the mid-1990s, when Bredesen was Nashville’s mayor and Corker the then-state finance commissioner for Republican Gov. Don Sundquist. In various roles over decades, they worked together on projects, including the successful recruitment of the NFL’s then-Houston Oilers to Nashville and, while governor, working with Corker and local officials in 2008 to bring Volkswagen to Chattanooga. “I had no intention of doing anything else when I left the governor’s office,” said Bredesen, who later succeeded Sundquist as governor and served from 2003-2011. “When Corker said he wasn’t going to run…

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Phil Bredesen Accused President Trump of ‘Child Abuse’ on Border Despite Flawed Media Coverage of True Situation

June 23, 2018June 22, 2018 John Bryant

Phil Bredesen

While the controversy of separating families crossing the U.S. border illegally has been mostly settled, it’s worth noting that Democrat Senate Candidate Phil Bredesen took his criticism of President Trump on the issue as far as any far Left-Wing agitator did, in effect, labeling it child abuse. That despite it becoming increasingly apparent that media coverage of the issue was slanted, at best, as the Knoxville News Sentinel reported: Before he spoke about rising health care costs, before he listened to the stories of gaps in the system and before he visited the wing dedicated to babies born dependent on opiates, Phil Bredesen spoke Wednesday about the “elephant in the room.” Bredesen said it was wrong for the U.S. government to institute a policy that separated children from families at the U.S.-Mexican border and he said the policy was “effectively child abuse.” He said he hoped President Donald Trump would fix the crisis Tuesday, which he did later in the day. It’s also worth noting that it’s now obvious that some of the media’s coverage of the issue varied from somewhere between dishonest and incompetent, as Fox News reported in this story, “Crying migrant girl on TIME magazine cover was…

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State of Tennessee Left to Protect Itself From Illegal Immigration As Corker & Alexander Say Laws Should Not Be Enforced

June 21, 2018June 21, 2018 Chris Alto

Bill Haslam, Bob Corker, Lamar Alexander

Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker each released a statement opposing the administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy including separating children traveling with adult illegal border crossers. The law requiring the separation of children from the adults illegally crossing the border and who are being detained, was signed by President George W. Bush in 2008. Yesterday, President Trump signed an Executive Order allowing illegal alien adults and any children they bring across the border, to stay together in detention pending a determination of their illegal border crossing. While Corker limited his remarks to how adults traveling with children should be dealt with when apprehended at the border, Alexander’s statement goes much further, suggesting that legislation to fix the current crisis should include some type of amnesty for illegal aliens already present in the U.S.: 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. Both Alexander and Corker voted to…

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Rep. Scott DesJarlais Backs President Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy for Enforcement of Border Crossing Law

June 20, 2018June 20, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Scott DesJarlais, Donald Trump

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) issued a resounding defense of President Trump’s commitment to enforcing our country’s immigration laws on Tuesday. “Thousands of families legally immigrate to the United States every year, following all the rules. Those who break the law risk consequences – potential detention, separation from their families and prosecution – just as any American citizen would,” DesJarlais said in a statement released by his office late Tuesday. “Democrats argue illegal immigrants should receive better treatment than our own citizens, including the vast majority who follow the law and struggle to provide for their own families. However, our country’s de-facto open borders mean that hundreds of thousands of foreign citizens, remaining behind in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, primarily, are sending their children alone into the custody of federal immigration authorities and U.S. taxpayers,” DesJarlais continued. “Drug gangs and MS-13 transport unaccompanied minors across Mexico. But they and their families could remain together, if adults would simply follow the law. The President is enforcing it, as he promised he would during a winning campaign, and in Congress, I’ve voted for a border wall and other deterrents that would dramatically reduce illegal immigration, juvenile detention and family separation,” he added.…

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NRSC Uses Trump to Blast Bredesen in Second Video

June 8, 2018June 8, 2018 John Bryant

Phil Bredesen

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has gone after Democrat Phil Bredesen in a new YouTube video released on the heels of President Trump’s recent visit to Tennessee to campaign for Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). Bredesen and Blackburn are expected to battle for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) in the November general election. The video can be viewed in full below. The Times Free Press reported on the video’s release here. Trump’s criticisms of Phil Bredesen are laced throughout the video. “Tennessee doesn’t need another obstructionist Washington Democrat,” says the video, which features footage of Trump’s attacks on Bredesen last week. In a nod to Trump’s continuing popularity in the state, this also isn’t the first time the NRSC has invoked the president in going after liberal Democrat Bredesen, as The Times Free Press noted: The NRSC spot follows another video using the president’s remarks, which were posted to YouTube last week by expected Senate GOP nominee U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s campaign. Both come on the heels of Trump’s criticisms of Bredesen last week during a rally in Nashville. “Phil Bredesen thinks he has Tennessee fooled,” says the NRSC’s 46-second spot which first features a…

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Trump Administration Prepares for ‘Resistance’ Against Broadcasting Board of Governors Appointment

June 7, 2018November 30, 2018 Admin

Michael Pack

by Michael Gonzalez If war is the continuation of diplomacy by other means, public diplomacy is a theater where states use ideas instead of ordnance. But in this important battlefield, the U.S. is not currently fighting with generals chosen by the commander in chief elected by the American people in 2016. The ideas are still being shaped by officials picked by President Barack Obama, not President Donald Trump. All of this may be about to change now that the White House has announced its intention to nominate Michael Pack to replace Obama appointee John Lansing as head of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the agency in charge of broadcasting operations in support of freedom around the world. Pack, a documentary filmmaker, is a former executive with the liberal Corporation for Public Broadcasting and former president of the high-brow conservative Claremont Institute. [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more. ] But don’t expect “The Resistance” to take Pack’s nomination lying down. Like those World War II Japanese soldiers who held out in Filipino jungles until well into the 1970s, that hardy band of stalwarts continues…

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When President Trump Comes Calling, Nashville Answers by the Thousands

May 30, 2018 Admin

President Trump in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–President Trump visited Nashville Tuesday to show his enthusiastic support of Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who is running to replace retiring Senator Bob Corker. Republicans and Democrats seem to have settled on their candidates, with both Republican Blackburn and her presumed opponent, Democrat Phil Bredesen running alone in their respective primaries. As the election cycle heats up through the summer and into the fall, political watchers are predicting the battle for the open U.S. Senate seat with be as costly as it will be brutal. President Trump’s appearance in Nashville set the stage for that contest to begin in earnest – and the people of Tennessee were there to listen, cheer and jeer. From the reserved seating to the filled floor, Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium was packed with 8,000 raucous Trump supporters who turned out – despite the bad weather – to show the President their commitment and appreciation of him and his agenda. Here are some highlights The Tennessee Star captured leading up to and during the event. Like all Trump events, the lines were many and long, but Tennesseans were ready for the wait – even when it started raining! You never know who you’ll run into at a…

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After Retrieving American from Venezuela Prison, Senator Bob Corker Urges Dialogue with Socialist Dictator Maduro

May 29, 2018May 28, 2018 Admin

The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is urging engagement with Venezuela’s socialist government after he traveled to the South American nation to bring home a Utah man jailed for two years without a trial. Joshua Holt is scheduled to return to Salt Lake City on Monday night after receiving medical care and visiting President Donald Trump in Washington. He was released over the weekend following secret, backchannel negotiations between members of the U.S. Congress and Venezuelan officials. Corker meets with Maduro Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee traveled to Caracas on Friday to seal the deal with President Nicolas Maduro that would bring Holt home. Corker stressed in an interview Monday with The Associated Press that “nothing was asked, and nothing was given” in exchange for Holt’s freedom. But he said the 26-year-old’s release as a goodwill gesture by Maduro shows what can be achieved through dialogue with the United States’ adversaries. “In my conversations privately, I could not be more strident in my criticisms of the way the Venezuela government has handled itself. I’ve seen in Venezuela people lined up outside grocery stores just to buy toilet paper,” Corker said. But he contrasted the hardliner approach toward…

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Bob Corker Meets with Venezuelan Dictator on Friday, American Prisoner Released on Saturday

May 26, 2018May 26, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Bob Corker Meets Venezuela Dictator

UPDATE, Saturday 10:45 a.m. President Trump tweeted early Saturday morning that American Josh Holt has been released from a Venezuelan prison: Good news about the release of the American hostage from Venezuela. Should be landing in D.C. this evening and be in the White House, with his family, at about 7:00 P.M. The great people of Utah will be very happy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2018 Senator Marco Rubio (R-TN) tweeted about two hours ago that Sen. Orin Hatch (R-UT) has secured the release of Utah resident Josh Holt from a Venezuelan prison. Notably, Rubio made no mention of Sen. Bob Corker’s (R-TN) meeting with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Friday. .@senorrinhatch has worked tirelessly to bring this innocent young man & his bride home. It is unfortunate he had to go through this. Josh & Thamy Holt had nothing to do with internal politics in #Venezuela #GodisGood https://t.co/FgMUNOPcit — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 26, 2018 In his statement announcing the release, however, Hatch thanked Corker for his “pivotal” efforts: BREAKING: Senator Hatch has secured the release of Utahn Josh Holt from Venezuela. #utpol pic.twitter.com/q9bPIVHgmk — Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) May 26, 2018 Saturday,…

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Donald Trump to Hold Nashville Rally May 29 In Addition to Fundraiser to Support Blackburn

May 20, 2018May 19, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

President Donald Trump will hold a rally in addition to a fundraiser for Marsha Blackburn on May 29, Politico reports. Republicans hope the president’s visit will put Blackburn over the top in her U.S. Senate race against Phil Bredesen. The venue is at Nashville Municipal Auditorium. Blackburn, a conservative House member, is engaged in a tight race with the former Democratic Tennessee governor, Politico says. Bredesen is popular among centrist Republicans. A Vanderbilt University poll shows Trump has a 53 percent approval rating in Tennessee. Bredesen was viewed favorably by 67 percent, and Blackburn had a 49 percent favorable rating. Both have similar name recognition. Other polls have shown Bredesen with a slight edge, though Republicans expect a slate of advertisements that will tie him to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. CHQ called the Blackburn-Bredesen race one of the six hottest in the nation, The Tennessee Star reported. The story read, “Blackburn, an excellent speaker and TV presence, is one of the House’s strongest voices on the pro-life agenda. Even better, when Corker started making noise about maybe un-retiring, Rep. Blackburn said ‘bring it on’ facing down the establishment interests who would have liked to keep Corker, the author of…

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President Trump to Headline Marsha Blackburn Fundraiser in Nashville May 29

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

Marsha Blackburn, President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump will headline a fundraiser for Rep. Marsha Blackburn in her Senate bid, WSMV reported. A Blackburn Victory Fund invitation says Trump will be in Nashville for the May 29 event. Admission options include a private round-table with Trump for $44,300 a couple; a private photo reception with Trump for $10,800 per couple; or just the general reception, at $2,700 per couple. The president endorsed Blackburn in April, Politico reported at the time. He tweeted, “@MarshaBlackburn is a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her.” Trump praised Blackburn after retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker suggested she could lose the Senate race to replace him in Tennessee and that her Democrat opponent former Gov. Phil Bredesen had “real appeal” in the race, Breitbart reported. Corker has repeatedly bashed Trump in the past. Though he did not use the formal term “endorsement,” Corker announced his support for Blackburn’s bid to replace him in the United States Senate, the Tennessee Star reported in April. Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate going into the 2018 midterm elections. Blackburn, who is unopposed in the August 2 GOP primary, will be running against former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen,…

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President Trump Withdraws from Iran Deal; Marsha Blackburn and Diane Black Praise Decision

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 Admin

President Trump

Ahead of the May 12th deadline and against the many requests from European allies, President Trump announced Tuesday afternoon the United States will withdraw from the Obama-era “Iran Deal.” The president announced his decision in a speech at the White House in the Diplomatic Room as Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Vice President Mike Pence looked on, Breitbart reported. In his remarks, Mr. Trump revisited the many atrocities against the West and the United States by the theocratic regime. “Over the years, Iran and its proxies have bombed American embassies and military installations, murdered hundreds of American service members, and kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured American citizens,” he said. After a summarizing the short history of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – commonly known as the “Iran Deal” he President Trump noted: Since the Agreement, Iran’s bloody ambitions have grown only more brazen. In light of these glaring flaws, I announced last October that the Iran Deal must wither be renegotiated or terminated. Three months later on January 12th, I repeated these conditions. I made clear that if the Deal cannot be fixed, the United States would no longer be a party to the…

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President Trump Endorses Rep Marsha Blackburn for US Senate

April 19, 2018April 19, 2018 Admin

Trump endorses Blackburn

President Trump endorsed Representative Marsha Blackburn in her bid to replace retiring junior Senator Bob Corker Thursday via Twitter. Unusually, Mr. Trump used a feature of the microblogging site to make sure that all of Rep Blackburn’s followers would see the message by adding a period directly in front of her Twitter username, ‘@MarshaBlackburn.’ In his tweet, the president wrote Blackburn “is a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her.” He continued, “Great on the Military, Border Security and Crime. Loves and works hard for the people of Tennessee. She has my full endorsement and I will be there to campaign with her!” Blackburn is the sole Republican in the running for the nomination – as is her rival, former Nashville Mayor and Governor Phil Bredesen. .@MarshaBlackburn is a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her. Great on the Military, Border Security and Crime. Loves and works hard for the people of Tennessee. She has my full endorsement and I will be there to campaign with her! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018 The Washington Times notes that although President Trump’s endorsement is no surprise, it “could prove a shot…

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Senator Lamar Alexander Endorses Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate as Outgoing Corker Remains on the Sidelines

April 6, 2018 Admin

Sen. Lamar Alexander endorses Marsh Blackburn

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has endorsed Congresswoman and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). In a statement issued by Alexander, and posted in social media, Alexander said: “I have supported Marsha Blackburn as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, and I support her again as a candidate for the United States Senate. She has served Tennesseans well. I look forward to working with her to make the Senate a more effective institution.” In response to the endorsement, Blackburn said: “Lamar is a true public servant, and I am continually grateful for his support. I look forward to working with him in the U.S. Senate to pass the President’s agenda. Together, we will effectively serve Tennesseans and fight for our shared Tennessee values.” Meanwhile Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is vacating the seat that Blackburn is seeking, remains unwilling to follow Alexander’s lead. In late February, after Corker again decided not to seek reelection, he refused to answer a reporter’s question regarding an endorsement for Blackburn. Soon after, a Corker spokesman said: “The senator does not typically get involved in primaries but has always planned to support the nominee.” Yesterday, speaking to reporters, Corker reiterated his…

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Democrat Phil Bredesen Claims ‘I’m Not Running Against Donald Trump,’ But Heads to New York City to Raise Big Money from Never Trump Liberals

March 17, 2018March 17, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Democrat Phil Bredesen Claims ‘I’m Not Running Against Donald Trump,’ But Heads to New York City to Raise Big Money from Never Trump Liberals

Former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the 74-year-old “new hope” for Democrats in Tennessee who is running unopposed for his party’s U.S. Senate nomination, launched a television ad last week in which he said “I’m not running against Donald Trump.” Despite that claim, Bredesen is headed to a high end restaurant near New York City’s Central Park in Manhattan to raise big money from Never Trump liberals who want to destroy Trump’s presidency and the GOP. “Pols Love New York City,” reads the headline from a recent New York Post article, which adds the details Tennesseans will find of interest: Democrats from the heartland come to New York for the same reason Willie Sutton said he targeted banks: “Because that’s where the money is.” Former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, looking to move to the US Senate, will have a fundraiser at Bobby Van’s on Central Park South on April 19. The New York Times reported in November that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) helped persuade Bredesen, whom he “courted personally,” to run for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee. You can see the New York Post article here: A multi-millionaire, Bredesen has said that it will take at least $50 million…

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Nineteen GOP State Senators Endorse Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate Over ‘Second Thoughts’ Corker

February 22, 2018February 22, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Nineteen of the 27 Republicans in the Tennessee State Senate endorsed Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) on Wednesday for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate over a potential candidacy of Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who said in September he would not seek a third term but has indicated over the past week he is having “second thoughts.” The Tennesseean identified the 19 state senators who endorsed Blackburn: Sen. Paul Bailey, Sparta Sen. Mike Bell, Riceville Sen. Janice Bowling, Tullahoma Sen. Rusty Crowe Johnson City Sen. Mark Green, Clarksville Sen. Dolores Gresham, Somerville Sen. Ferrell Haile, Gallatin Sen. Joey Hensley, Hohenwald Sen. Jack Johnson, Franklin Sen. Brian Kelsey, Germantown Sen. Bill Ketron, Murfreesboro Sen. Jon Lundberg, Bristol Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, Knoxville Sen. Frank Niceley, Strawberry Plains Sen. Mark Pody, Lebanon Sen. Kerry Roberts, Springfield Sen. John Stevens, Huntingdon Sen. Ken Yager, Kingston “Among the initial group of Senate Republicans to not endorse Blackburn on Wednesday were Lt. Gov. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge and Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville,” The Tennessean noted, adding: Later in the morning, McNally posted his endorsement of Blackburn on Facebook, saying, “Marsha Blackburn proved her leadership ability in the House. It’s time to put…

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Fincher Drops Out of U.S. Senate Race, Encourages Bob Corker to Challenge Marsha Blackburn in GOP Primary

February 16, 2018February 16, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Former Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN-08) announced late Friday afternoon that he is withdrawing from the race for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee. Fincher’s withdrawal leaves Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) as the only viable candidate in the GOP race, unless Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) decides to change his mind and reverse his decision not to run for renomination. A recent poll by the Senate Conservatives Fund showed that Blackburn handily beats Corker should he enter the race by a 49 percent to 26 percent margin. In his statement of withdrawal, Fincher encouraged Corker to get in the race. “The party must get behind a candidate that can win in November and stop Democrat Phil Bredesen, who would be a rubber stamp for the Chuck Schumer liberal agenda,” he said in a statement. “For that reason, I believe Senator Bob Corker should continue to serve in the U.S. Senate, and stand with the President to fight for Tennessee families,” Fincher added in the statement. “My campaign has always been about what’s best for Tennessee. Tennessee families need a strong conservative voice in the senate, someone who will stand with President Trump and lead the Republican Party forward,” Fincher…

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Commentary: How an ‘Elevator Pitch’ Explains Why Conservatives Like Donald Trump

February 13, 2018February 13, 2018 Admin

President Trump rally

by Jeffrey A. Rendall If you’re a Donald Trump backer, close your eyes and think back to the number of times skeptical inquisitors asked you to explain your support for Trump — and, if you’re honest, how often did you fudge the answer in hopes of avoiding an argument? Post State of the Union Address polls last week revealed President Trump’s approval rating ticking slightly upward, a good sign for the current occupant of the Oval Office and more broadly, the Republican Party. For going on two years now many conservatives have felt almost defensive in elaborating on why they crossed a once unthinkable line and got behind the unapologetic billionaire whose hairdo is outshone only by his oversized personality. As of last week Trump’s Real Clear Politics average approval rating was just shy of 42 percent, the highest it’s been since…well, ever? Though the overall numbers aren’t outstanding – or even good for that matter – it shows Americans are perhaps warming to the notion of a culturally polarizing celebrity businessman presiding over the most powerful government on the planet. Success must have something to do with Trump’s burgeoning acceptance; the U.S. economic numbers (stock market drop last week notwithstanding)…

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‘Senior Adviser to Sen. Bob Corker’ Says ‘At This Point Nothing Has Changed’ When Asked About CNN Report He is ‘Reconsidering’ Retirement from U.S. Senate

February 12, 2018February 12, 2018 Admin

Late Sunday, “a senior adviser to Sen. Bob Corker”(R-TN) told The Tennessean “It is true that Senator Corker has been encouraged by people across Tennessee and in the Senate to reconsider his decision, but at this point nothing has changed,” (emphasis added) when asked to respond to a CNN report earlier on Sunday filed by John King that rumors are circulating on Capitol Hill that junior Senator Bob Corker is ‘having second thoughts’ about retirement: CNN is told that in recent days. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee has floated the idea of changing his mind and running for re-election this year. Now sources tell us fellow Tennessean Lamar Alexander and South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham are among those who discussed the idea with Senator Corker. But – and this is a big ‘but’ – when the idea was broached to the Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, his response, we are told is, it’s a non-starter unless Senator Corker can get President Trump on board. You might recall last year, Corker questioned the President’s competence and in return, he earned the Twitter nickname, ‘Liddle Bob Corker.’ They are back on speaking terms – the Senator and the President, now – but one source familiar with the conversations says the president,…

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Commentary: One Year Later the Donald Trump Experiment Is Working Like a Charm

January 22, 2018January 22, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

by Jeffrey A. Rendall As we reach the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, doubts persist within the pundit class about Trump’s relationship with members of Congress. Everyone knows the president’s tangled mightily with Democrats throughout those first twelve months, the most recent dust-up coming over Trump’s alleged “sh—hole countries” remark made during a meeting with senators from both parties at the White House last week. Trump denies ever making the comment and Georgia Republican Senator David Purdue backed up Trump’s claim to ABC News’ liberal George Stephanopoulos last Sunday. Regardless of Trump’s word usage he’d face a near impossible task in trying to mend fences with the Democrats. But there are also those who suggest Trump has a ways to go to shore up good feelings with his fellow Republicans too. If recent history is a guide, Trump’s attempting to do just that. Sarah Westwood of the Washington Examiner wrote, “Republicans who once questioned President Trump’s competence or called him a ‘jackass’ have spent recent weeks singing his praises and joining him on Air Force One as the president works to repair strained relationships on Capitol Hill ahead of the midterms. “Facing the prospect of a Democratic…

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President Trump Speaks to Enthusiastic American Farm Bureau Convention in Nashville: ‘Farm Country is God’s Country’

January 9, 2018January 9, 2018 Admin

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–President Trump was greeted in Nashville by a raucous, capacity crowd–with standing-room-only overflow rooms watching via live video feed– as he delivered upbeat remarks highlighting his legislative accomplishments, regulatory rollbacks, and his Administration’s next steps at Monday’s 99th annual American Farm Bureau Federation Convention. “I was so disappointed to learn it was the 99th,” the president quipped, noting that the 100th is “much cooler.” “I’ll just have to come back next year,” he said to roars of laughter and approval. Mr. Trump also took the opportunity to sign two executive actions designed to help clear the way for the development of broadband internet service to the large, rural regions of the country not well served buy today’s technology infrastructure. After an extended, welcoming standing ovation, President Trump began his remarks by thanking the local dignitaries in the room, including several members of the Tennessee delegation who traveled with him from Washington on Air Force One. Senators Bob Corker (R-TN), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) all received polite applause. Representative Diane Black (R-TN-06), whom President Trump has recognized as a main force for passage of once-in-a-lifetime tax reform received a more enthusiastic welcome, as did Representative Marsha Blackburn…

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Bob Corker Once Told Other Senators That Illegal Immigration Isn’t ‘Fair to American Citizens’

January 6, 2018January 6, 2018 Chris Alto

In 2007, when Bob Corker went to D.C. as the newly elected junior Senator from Tennessee he was openly against illegal immigration until he switched over while trying to save the 2013 “Gang of Eight” amnesty bill. During debate on the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007,” that would have ended chain migration, instituted a system of merit-based immigration, increased border security and interior enforcement, Corker said that to be “fair to American citizens,” illegal aliens should have to leave the country and then re-enter through legal channels: One of the things we are trying to address in this bill is a situation where our immigration has been broken, the system has been broken for many years. In 1986, legislation was offered to try to solve this problem. What has happened is it has gotten even worse, so there has been, obviously, more thought put into this bill. I appreciate again the many amendments and the discussion that has taken place. Many of the things we have talked about have addressed the legalities, have addressed some of the technicalities in our immigration system. It seems to me, one of the things we have not addressed—while we have tried to address fairness…

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State Senate Candidate Shane Reeves Made No Contributions to President Trump’s Campaign in 2016

January 3, 2018January 3, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Shane Reeves’ initial mail pieces and television spots in the special election for the 14th District State Senate seat vacated by former State Senator Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) highlight his support for Presidential Donald Trump and his anti-Establishment agenda. However, an examination of Reeves’ record finds scant evidence of support for President Trump either during the Tennessee Presidential primary election or during last year’s general election. While Reeves has a record of supporting moderate candidates in Tennessee and nationally with campaign contributions, including Tennessee Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, and 2012 Presidential nominee Mitt Romney, there is no record at the Federal Election Commission of Reeves making any contribution to President Donald Trump in 2016. Reeves has also made a contribution to, and endorsed, self described “moderate” Republican candidate for Governor Randy Boyd. As reported by The Tennessee Star in November 2016, then ECD Commissioner Randy Boyd directed a million dollar “fast track” grant to Reeves’ company. Then, once Boyd left ECD to pursue his campaign for Governor, Reeves donated $5000 to Boyd through his PAC — and endorsed him during a campaign stop in Murfreesboro. The Boyd-Reeves connection is particularly relevant to Reeves’ campaign claim of support for President…

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New Poll: Bob Corker’s Favorability Rating Crashes to Record-Low 22 Percent Among Tennessee Republicans

December 20, 2017December 20, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Senator Bob Corker’s (R-TN) favorability rating has sunk to a record-low 22 percent among Tennessee Republicans, according to a new poll released by The Tennessee Star on Wednesday. A full 60 percent of Tennessee Republicans have an unfavorable view of the retiring junior senator. Corker’s record-low unfavorability rating among Tennessee Republicans stands in stark contrast to President Trump’s favorability rating, which remains sky high at 84 percent among Tennessee Republicans, according to the same poll. The poll of 1,028 Tennessee Republican likely primary voters was conducted for The Tennessee Star by Triton Research between December 12 and December 18 using IVR technology (automated phone response), and has a 3.1 percent margin of error. “These numbers are not really surprising, based on his consistent attacks on President Trump and obstructionist approach to issues that Tennessee voters overwhelmingly support,” Andy Ogles former State Director of Americans for Prosperity, tells The Tennessee Star, adding: Senator Corker figured out that we had figured him out and when he saw similar poll numbers earlier this year so he chose not to try to face Tennessee voters with his pro-Obama, pro-Establishment track record. Once he had a serious opponent for his seat he realized he was going…

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New Tennessee Star Poll: President Trump’s Favorability Rating Remains Sky High Among Tennessee Republicans

December 20, 2017December 20, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

President Trump rally

President Trump’s favorability rating remains sky high among Tennessee Republicans, according to a new poll released by The Tennessee Star on Wednesday. A stunning 84 percent of Tennessee Republicans who are likely primary voters have a favorable view of President Trump, as opposed to just ten percent who have an unfavorable view according to the poll, which was conducted for The Tennessee Star by Triton Research. The poll of 1,028 Tennessee Republican likely primary voters was conducted between December 12 and December 18 using IVR technology (automated phone response), and has a 3.1 percent margin of error. The latest poll results measuring support for President Trump among Tennessee Republicans are virtually unchanged from the results of the June 2017 Tennessee Star Poll, which showed that President Trump had an 86 percent job approval rating with voters in his own party. “Donald Trump is popular with Tennessee Republicans because he promised a conservative agenda and is delivering on it. There is a message here to the Republican Party. Conservatism is not a punch line for a speech. It is what we expect from our leaders,” Judson Phillips, a Tennessee attorney and founder of Tea Party Nation, tells The Tennessee Star. “Sky-high…

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Senator Orrin Hatch Says He Wrote Tax Provision At Center Of Corker Controversy

December 19, 2017December 19, 2017 Admin

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, on Monday admitted he crafted a controversial tax provision, which could personally enrich Sen. Bob Corker, House Speaker Paul Ryan, President Donald Trump, and top Republican lawmakers directly overseeing the bill. The provision could additionally benefit the real estate industry — which has been one Hatch’s largest sources of campaign donations.

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Bob Corker ‘Proud’ of Alabama for Electing Radical Democrat Doug Jones to Senate Over Republican Roy Moore

December 14, 2017December 14, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was at it again on Wednesday, as Mediaite reported: Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who thought Moore was unfit for the Senate even before the sexual assault allegations surfaced, told reporters that he was “proud” of Alabama: “I know we’re supposed to cheer for our side of the aisle, if you will,” Corker said, “but I’m really, really happy with what happened for all of us in our nation, for people serving in the Senate, to not have to deal with what we were likely going to have to deal with should the outcome have been the other way.” You can watch the video of Corker’s comments here. Corker’s latest comments are not likely to improve his standing with Tennessee Republicans. A recent poll published by the Chattanooga Times Free Press showed that the retiring senator is not very popular with Tennesseans overall, and that Democrats like Corker more than Republicans do: Approval ratings for the president are starkly divided by party lines with 81 percent of Republicans approving and 86 percent of Democrats disapproving. Support for Haslam is more mixed, with approval from 43 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans. Corker, R-Tenn., who…

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Lee Thomas Miller, GOP 7th Congressional District Candidate, Strongly Supports President Trump’s Decision to Recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

December 9, 2017December 9, 2017 Admin

Conservative Republican songwriter Lee Thomas Miller, a candidate for the Seventh Congressional District GOP nomination, issued a statement of strong support Friday for President Trump’s announcement that the United States will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and that the U.S. embassy will be relocated to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv: As President Trump said in making the announcement, failing to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has not led to lasting peace in the region. The Trump Administration action is consistent with current U.S. law and reaffirms what we already know: Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people and Israel for thousands of years in every way but modern political designation. I support President Trump’s decision and applaud him for his courage and for keeping his often repeated campaign promise to do exactly what he has done. I am proud to stand with him and Israel, which remains our strongest ally in the region. President Trump also noted in his historic announcement that The Jerusalem Embassy Act was passed in Congress by an overwhelming bipartisan majority. In the Senate, the bill passed on Oct. 24, 1995, by a 93-5 margin. Later that day, the House followed suit,…

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Judson Phillips Commentary: Why Doesn’t the Tennessee Republican Party Expel Bob Corker?

December 5, 2017December 5, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Well, he isn’t the worst. Tennessee can take some small consolation in the fact that this state does not have the worst United States Senator. Only, one of the worst. In thirteen long months, the state and the nation’s long national nightmare will be over as “Bailout” Bob Corker will finally leave the Senate. Corker is known as “Bailout Bob,” or sometimes the “Senator from Obama,” for his willingness to help Barack Obama and the Democrats. For those who need a trip down memory lane, remember it was Corker who single handedly revived Dodd-Frank from death in the Senate and led the bill until it was signed by Obama. He also spearheaded the circumvention of the Constitution to allow Obama’s Iran nuclear deal to be approved. Corker was all but begging President Trump to make him Secretary of State after the President was elected. The President had the good sense to ignore the junior Senator. But that slight has sent Corker off. Perhaps as early as January, Corker knew he could not win reelection in this state and was looking for an honorable way out. Since President Trump did not give him that, he has been at war with the…

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New Poll Shows Bob Corker Unpopular Among Tennesseans, But Democrats Like Him More Than Republicans

December 3, 2017December 3, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Bob Corker

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who was the only Republican senator to oppose President Trump’s tax cut bill that passed the Senate by a 51 to 49 margin, is not very popular with Tennesseans, according to a new poll. Corker’s continued opposition to the President Trump’s agenda appears to be one of the main causes of his plummeting popularity. “Support for Sen. Bob Corker seems to be abating as confidence in President Donald Trump and Gov. Bill Haslam remains strong, according to a new poll,” the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported on Saturday: The poll, which was conducted in November by the Mason-Dixon polling firm, found that more than 50 percent of Tennessee voters approve of how the president is handling his job, and even more approved of Haslam… Corker, R-Tenn., who in September announced he would not run for re-election, is less popular among voters. Only 40 percent of voters approve of Corker, with his popularity now significantly higher among Democrats (49 percent) versus 36 percent of Republicans. The firm’s poll notes there was speculation about Corker’s ability to win re-election in 2018, and the results show that only 32 percent of respondents said they would vote for him. Corker…

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Senator Corker Joins Democrats, Will Vote ‘No’ on Once-in-a-Lifetime Tax Reform

December 1, 2017December 2, 2017 Admin

In a move he telegraphed for weeks, retiring junior Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee announced Friday afternoon he will not vote for the tax reform package heading to the floor of the Senate, citing concerns for the government’s mounting deficits and debt. “This is yet another tough vote. I am disappointed. I wanted to get to yes,” Mr. Corker said in a statement, released on Twitter. “But at the end of the day, I am not able to cast aside my fiscal concerns and vote for legislation that I believe, based on the information I currently have, could deepen the debt burden on future generations,” he said. My statement on the tax reform legislation: pic.twitter.com/LdTQRezdlO — Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) December 1, 2017 Senator Corker pushed hard for the bill to include a “trigger” that would undo reforms, should the American economy not meet certain benchmarks after the plan was implemented. Republican leaders rejected the idea, instead adopting other Senators’ suggestions on SALT (state and local taxes) and small business tax provisions – along with their votes. “While I support a number of the provisions included in this legislation and continue to believe it would have been fairly easy to…

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Rep. Marsha Blackburn Releases Video Backing President Trump’s Immigration Policies

November 14, 2017November 13, 2017 Wendy Wilson

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7) on Monday released a video in which she expressed support for President Trump’s immigration policies. Blackburn, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), says in the video: I support the president’s goals and his plan on immigration. He is right to require Congress to get in there and figure out this entry-exit program, and how our visas are issued. Forty percent of those that are illegally in the country are here because they have overstayed a visa. So, the American people for a variety of reasons have said let’s secure this southern border. Yes, part of it will be a wall, part of it is probably going to be increased surveillance. Part of it is going to be other technology. The good thing is the border patrol is leading a lot of this discussion in saying this is what we need. And we in Congress need to give the border patrol what they see they need. What they tell us they need, in order to secure the southern border. On Thursday, Fox News published an op-ed by Blackburn in which she spoke out against sanctuary cities and discussed legislation…

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Sen. Bob Corker Announces Hearing Tuesday on President’s Authority to Use Nuclear Weapons

November 11, 2017November 10, 2017 Wendy Wilson

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) announced this week that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the authority of the executive branch to use nuclear weapons, reports The Hill. The hearing comes in the aftermath of President Trump warning North Korea in August that it could face “fire and fury like the world has never seen” if it continues to build up its nuclear program. A frequent critic now of Trump’s leadership abilities, Corker is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has accused the president of putting the U.S. “on the path to World War III” with the way he threatens other countries. On Wednesday, Corker said in a statement that “a number of members both on and off our committee have raised questions about the authorities of the legislative and executive branches with respect to war making, the use of nuclear weapons, and conducting foreign policy overall.” Corker continued, “This continues a series of hearings to examine these issues and will be the first time since 1976 that this committee or our House counterparts have looked specifically at the authority and process for using U.S. nuclear weapons. This discussion is long overdue, and we look forward…

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Senator Bob Corker Is North Korea’s Favorite Politician

November 7, 2017November 7, 2017 Admin

Politicians are often known for measuring their worth by amount of media coverage they garner, and this seems to be especially true of our own retiring junior Senator Bob Corker. After months of attacks that have done nothing but alienate him from his own electorate, Mr. Corker has found a new audience for his anti-Trump rhetoric. None other than the starving hermit kingdom, North Korea. Breitbart News reports: North Korea’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Sunday cited Sen. Bob Corker to support its own attacks on President Trump, as he arrived in the region. Corker (R-TN) has questioned Trump’s “stability” and “competence,” and has attacked Trump for criticizing North Korean President Kim Jong Un on Twitter. Rodong Sinmun specifically cited Corker in its editorial, which said Trump “must hear such assertions,” according to the Korean Central News Agency. KCNA summarized the editorial: Dignitaries such as Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S. Senate, and former officials said that the president is uselessly escalating tension with the DPRK and he has to halt the reckless blackmail and take hands off the Korean affairs. Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun Sunday ridicules that if Trump is not deaf, he must hear such…

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Commentary: Will Bad Apples Bob Corker and Jeff Flake Spoil the Whole GOP Bunch?

November 4, 2017November 3, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

by Jeffrey A. Rendall It’s now been over a week since Arizona Senator Jeff Flake delivered his melodramatic retirement announcement speech on the senate floor and the fateful words the establishment lawmaker uttered are still reverberating around Washington. Some even believe Flake and fellow retiring Senator Bob Corker are now “free” from the usual invisible restraints placed on politicians running to retain their offices, suggesting the two could make things pretty difficult for President Donald Trump and the GOP majorities going forward. Are they right? Sarah Westwood of the Washington Examiner reported, “Neither Corker nor Flake have the same incentives as their fellow GOP lawmakers, between now and Nov. 2018, to fall in line behind Trump as their party works to pass tax reform, repeal Obamacare, cobble together an immigration package that legislates DACA protections and keeps the government open past the holidays. “The margin of error for Republicans, with a slim 52-member majority in the Senate, was already too narrow for the GOP’s comfort. It took just one Trump critic, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to sink months of work on a healthcare plan that the president pushed aggressively through the House and Senate.” I hate to disagree with…

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MTSU Poll Shows Increasing Disapproval of U.S. Senator Bob Corker

October 31, 2017October 30, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Disapproval of U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) has jumped since he and President Trump began feuding publicly, a new Middle Tennessee State University poll shows. Corker’s disapproval rate has risen to 41 percent among Tennessee voters, a 14-point hike since a similar poll this past spring. Disapproval of Trump has also gone up some, from 32 to 40 percent, but his 50 percent approval rate has held steady and remains well above the national approval rate of around 37 percent. Approval for Corker, meanwhile, dropped from 52 percent to 45 percent. The poll has a 4-percentage-point error margin. “Essentially, Corker’s negatives have increased markedly, but he has ended up only a bit behind Trump in terms of approval, and possibly on par with him,” Ken Blake, director of the MTSU Poll, said in a news release last week. “Meanwhile, some undecideds have switched to disapproval of President Trump, but Trump’s base is sticking with him and keeping his approval rate relatively high in the state overall.” The poll also found that approval of Congress is abysmally low. Approval is at 13 percent, down from 21 percent in the spring. In addition, the poll found: 56 percent approve of Republican Gov. Bill…

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Commentary: Establishment’s Last Shot at Survival Is to Join Trump, Not Fight Him

October 31, 2017October 31, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Donald Trump

By Jeffrey A. Rendall If it could be said politics is insane but never boring, then last week was the perfect embodiment of the concept. Of course there was the revelation Hillary Clinton’s campaign united with the Democrat National Committee to retain a Washington law firm to hire a political sludge-mining operation (Fusion GPS) which subsequently contracted with former British spy Christopher Steele who then apparently paid his Russian sources to make up wild stories about Donald Trump. Meanwhile it’s becoming clearer by the day U.S. intelligence agencies were in on the scheme somewhere along the line – it’s awful messy, for sure. Of course the infamous Democrat paid-for “dossier” produced by Steele appears to be the foundation from which the entirety of United States intelligence agencies staked their investigations of alleged “collusion” between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Ho hum. Then there was Senator Jeff Flake’s hit-job on Trump masquerading as a retirement speech from the Senate floor on Tuesday. Then there was the story of Mark Cuban, who is considering running for president in 2020. No big deal, just another culturally illustrious liberal body to toss into the already crowded circus ring full of Democrat…

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