Alexander and Corker criticize Trump move to put tariffs on vehicle part imports for national security (UPDATED)
Tennessee’s two U.S. senators, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, are both criticizing a proposal by President Trump that could lead to heavy new tariffs on imported vehicle parts.
Corker turns down Trump offer to become U.S. ambassador to Australia
President Donald Trump offered Sen. Bob Corker, currently chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to position of U.S. ambassador to Australia, but the retiring Tennessee Republican lawmaker said no. His decision has made headlines internationally.
Corker: In today’s ‘tribal’ politics, Trump is all that matters
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker tells the Times Free Press that the Republican party has discarded its core principles under President Donald Trump as national politics has become “tribal”
“It’s Trump. You’re with him or you’re against him, and that’s all the campaigns are about now.”
Black says Corker ‘should just sit back and be quiet’ in U.S. Senate campaign; Corker says ‘I guess I will’
A lengthy Politico report on the Bob Corker-Phil Bredesen-Marsha Blackburn melee includes multiple comments from Republican politicians; some on the record, some off. Among those identified is U.S. Rep. Diane Black, a candidate for governor, who deems Corker’s behavior “inappropriate” and says “he should just sit back and be quiet.” Corker says “I guess I will.”
Another national media opinion: ‘Hot-button’ Blackburn beats ‘pragmatist’ Bredesen?
Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the national political newsletter Inside Elections, expresses doubt in a Roll Call article about Democrat Phil Bredesen’s prospects for defeating Republican Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee’s U.S. Senate race despite polls showing the former governor with an edge in the race so far. An excerpt:
With two new nominees, Trump completes TN U.S. marshal appointments (all three previous GOP political appointees)
Former state Rep. Barrett Rich, currently a member of the Tennessee state Board of Paroles, and Denny King, who headed the state Department of Safety under former Gov. Don Sundquist, have been nominated by President Trump to become U.S. Marshals.
Rich (R-Somerville) chose not to seek reelection to the House District 94 seat in 2014 and was appointed after his term expired to the Board of Paroles by Gov. Bill Haslam. King previously served as U.S. marshal for Middle Tennessee, after his tenure as safety commissioner, under appointment of former President George W. Bush.
Trump had previously nominated David Jolley as U.S. marshal for East Tennessee and his appointment has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The King and Rich nominations await confirmation. Jolley also served as U.S. marshal for East Tennessee under former President George W. Bush and is the husband of Jane Jolley, East Tennessee field coordinator for Sen. Bob Corker.
Bredesen: Corker ‘feels the same way I do’ — and Trump campaigning for Blackburn won’t hurt him much
In Chattanooga Monday, former Gov. Phil Bredesen said “it’s odd and very telling to the nation’s political climate” that Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker is being criticized by some fellow Republicans for “being friends and working closely with someone from the opposite party,” according to WDEF TV. The Democratic candidate to succeed Corker in the Senate, of course, is speaking of himself as the person Corker has worked with. He told another station that his campaign won’t be harmed significantly if President Trump campaigns within the state for Republican nominee-apparent Marsha Blackburn.
Corker defends favorable comments about Bredesen on national TV shows
Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker defended his favorable comments about former Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat running to succeed him, on two national TV talk shows Sunday though other Republicans have criticized his remarks as possibly damaging Republican Marsha Blackburn’s prospects. Corker also repeated his general support for “our nominee” though never mentioning Blackburn by name.
WaPo: Of all relationships with Trump, ‘nothing has the torque of Corker’s Corkscrew’
Excerpts from a Washington Post story, datelined Chattanooga, providing a lengthy and thorough review of U.S. Sen. Bob Corker’s relationship with President Donald Trump, written by a reported who traveled through Tennessee with the retiring senator:
It took Bob Corker 21 seconds to begin answering the question.
If the election were held today, would you vote for Donald Trump?
Retiring Corker subject of billboard campaign in Nashville
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Chattanooga) may be hanging ’em up this year, but that’s not stopping a group called Not One Penny from taking out a billboard near the state Capitol in Nashville to attack him over his vote on President Donald Trump’s tax overhaul.
The Not One Penny campaign is part of the Tax March organization that describes itself as “everyday Americans who are tired of systems that are rigged in favor of the super-rich.” The billboard says that Corker’s vote for the tax bill led enriched the senator personally.
