If only the rest of the GOP caucus had the nerve to stand up and put the nation first. Unfortunately, unless someone isn't seeking re-election they are too afraid to do so. Mr. Corker is speaking truth to Trump's fiction. Trump is a dangerous demagogue who is willfully ignorant of the power of the Presidency. The damage that Trump is doing to this nation, the environment and our standing in the world will take years to repair. Unfortunately, the GOP Congress are willful partners in this destruction - and having Mr. Corker speaking out isn't going to change that. The only thing that will reign in Trump is for the GOP to lose their majority - and unfortunately I don't see that happening. Incumbents are always willing to put re-election over all else, and they are terrified of an alt right challenge. Our "Reality Star in Chief" will continue on his merry way to the detriment of all.
3
I read through a few comments. We now have a pro-Corker movement, praising him to the tilt, making him into some kind of a demigod.
For goodness sake, the guy is retiring and simply responded to something he felt insulted by.
Only in America can something like this even make it to the 'story' stage.
2
Trumps erratic behavior needs serious action on the part of both parties and his cabinet. Leaders of Congress and Senate along with Pence and senior cabinet secretaries should meet and find ways to remove Trump. Time for a Regime Change , here in USA. If not removed Trump could start a nuclear war, with catastrophic results for the world.
2
Our President is a spectacle. And that's sad. Why would the supposed, "enlightened" Americans vote into power an obvious idiot? History will show this guy to be a shallow, one-dimensional seeker of fame and nothing else. Ratings are his raison d'etre. Nothing else.
16
Trump has no idea how to run a country or be a world leader. He only knows how to fire up his base & to do that, he will start a war that will annihilate both Koreas.
14
We will not "be fine" as long as we need adults to control the incompetent fool in the White House. I don't understand why that concept continues to escape the GOP. Trump's pathology is interfering with good government and now it threatens to enmesh Americans in an unnecessary war (or two.) I can't wait to work to get out the vote and drive the GOP off the face of the planet.
23
This is only the beginnings of what a hyjacked party is going to be required to do. They were shanghaied by the hedge fund operative Mercer. Now tax payer supported funds will have to be moved away from these Metcerites by law and the Stony Brook University have to learn to live without the Della Pietras and Mercerites so that covility can return to a country instead of algorithm psychology. Trump and his China sewing daughter are mere fronts selling rooms in a government.
4
We're headed to the precipice my friends .
Hang on to your hats.
11
All signs point to Trump starting a war wIth North Korea. And all Republicans who by their silence KEEP Trump in office will have the deaths of millions on their consciences — far past the next election cycle.
14
"As long as there are people who can talk him down....we'll be fine."
Gosh, ain't that just a dandy assessment of the prez, his administration and our national risks?
21
It's astonishing to me that Republicans congresspeople are more scared of potentially having to look for a new job if they upset 45's base than they are of dying along with their families in a nuclear war.
26
Corker's comments make me wonder if he knows more than what has been reported in the media about Trump's instability, bad judgment, and ignorance.
21
There are many Repubs who agree with Sen Corker but who do not have the courage to say so.
(Cluck cluck).
12
Bob Corker for President.
Or, better still, maybe, post-impeachment, President Pence could make Sen. Corker his Vice President.
I can dream, can't I?
3
At the opening of the next Joint Session of the United States Congress, a majority of all Congressional Members should "Take A Knee" to demonstrate their support of fellow colleague Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee. What are you going to do when he comes for you?
6
Finally an American senator! We need more like you who are not threatened by the president.
Thank you Senator Corker.
10
It is time that respected leaders in the GOP start being Statesmen. Putting country above politics.
10
Mr Corker remains true to his Republican principles. Trump has none. Lest we forget, Trump is more closely allied to the Democrats over time. He is a loose cannon who imperils the stability of the western world. If the Democratic Party had not been tied to the Clintons, Amy number of candidates would have defeated Drumpf.
5
Republicans could have impeached Trump by now if they had any intention of doing so, but they will not because Trump's declaring war on North Korea is too good a moneymaking opportunity to miss.
There is a fortune to be made for wealthy Republicans in supplying the war machine, and vast amounts of government money to be saved through the reduction in benefits needed for welfare recipients, a good many of whom will form the ranks of military personnel who will become cannon fodder.
At both ends of the spectrum, wealthy Republicans win, and at very little personal cost as neither they or their children will be participating in any war.
Corker says that Trump would concern anyone "who cares about our nation". Republicans do nothing indicating that they do not care about the nation - absolutely correct deduction. They only care about accumulating wealth.
5
The country owes Senator Corker a collective thank you for saying what other GOP elected officials know and are too cowardly to say.
Congratulations to him for having the courage to speak truth to power and again say what citizens who love this nation and it's long held principals and beliefs are more than concerned about. It is appalling to have a president who's primary means of communication is social media. It speaks to his inability to articulate intelligently about the serious issues and major policies that need to be addressed. Senator Coker will be a great loss to the GOP, and the country, at a time when they/we need a man of his character the most.
6
Our lives are in the hands of a Republican Congress and its leaders. Will they rise to our defense? Can they and will they contain and restrain this self serving bully? In the eyes of most of us he is an incompetent ignoramus on a reckless mission to confront a petty North Korean tyrant to prove what? Negotiations with China to restrain Kim Jong-un seem to be an imperative of the first order not tossing out empty threats of violence that a street thug might. Trump plays to those who voted for him not to all of us as one Nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Some see victory in Trump's bellicosity oblivious to the reality he wants to make life better only for the 1% by reducing their taxes and imposing more taxes on those who can least afford them while stealing their health care and ignoring their desperate need for jobs. Certainly, at least some of them know that he has stolen their lives with his lies and may even know that he is in it only for himself and will never be anything more than an exploitive womanizer, bigot and manipulator who at this moment could destroy the world. We must impeach before he blows us all to hell and beyond. Right now, he holds us all hostage. Bob Corker, I hope you and your colleagues will rise and do what is in the best interests of our precious democracy and the land so many have suffered and died to defend. We should honor them and impeach the traitor in chief.
18
It is Corker's duplicitous Iran nuke deal that threatens WW3. If he had an ounce of integrity, he would resign immediately
1
There are only three states in the world. On Off. Yes No. Black White.
Mr. Corker, will you call for the impeachment of Trump or no?
Maybe you are waiting for Trump to dumb us into WWIII so that you can say "I told you so."
Actually it would be a good idea for you to return to Rocky Top and see how the cows are doing. If they "come home" will you impeach?
5
Thanks for starting a dumpster fire and leaving us to put it out. Your rebuke of the President is like spitting to put out the aforementioned dumpster fire.
8
I think we need to re-write that famous line from 'Top Gun'
Instead of Goose saying 'Mav ... We're going ballistic'
We can channel W ... and change it to read ...
Trump saying 'Matthies ... We're going nucular'
And what did the GOP expect when they supported this petulant, unqualified, narcissistic fool? If any other country were being run by the Secretary of Defense, The Secretary of State and the White House Chief of staff, Americans would be screaming about a coup. The ICP would be calling for military intervention.
13
OMG! The Left is now trying to create another John McCain for 2020!
1
Corker is doing it himself, a Republican, smart guy.
2
While I appreciate Corker's sudden honesty, let's not forget that he was complicit with his Republican Party in supporting Trump's candidacy.
He supported Trump's corrupt cabinet picks as they lied their way through Senate hearings to cover up their malfeasance.
He irresponsibly supported his party's bid to repeal Obamacare, knowing full well that argument for repeal was a gigantic lie and that the GOP had nothing to take its place, and would simply revoke the health care of vulnerable Americans in order to line the pockets of fat cat GOP donors.
Now, he's the first prominent sitting Senator to go after Trump. Great. Let's hope it's the start of the dominoes falling -- leading to removal of Trump from office. But let's never forget how corrupt, traitorous and dangerous the Republican Party has been and still is -- risking it all - WW3, nuclear holocaust, economic collapse, environmental collapse, healthcare market collapse -- all to satisfy the insatiable greed of the campaign donors.
25
@Saty13
Now is not the time to criticize or hold a grudge. It’s a blessing that Senator Corker came to his senses and made his honest statement. He will hopefully inspire other Republicans to do the same.
Time is of the essence. I don’t like feeling that we (myself and family, citizens of the US and the world) are like sitting ducks waiting for some action to change our current trajectory before it’s too late.
Hopefully this whole debacle will make us all more thoughtful and careful about who we nominate and elect as well as how we campaign in the future. Maybe, if the current politicians are willing to step up to the plate and work together to remedy this horrible situation, it will be the beginning of a new era of co-operation based on common sense, morality, more civil and respectful attitudes and a sense of duty and responsiibility toward our diverse body of citizens. I hope we can include a new code of conduct for our elected government officials who are supposed to be role models for all future politicians.
Otherwise, I sincerely believe this is “the beginning of the end” of respectability, progress and strength that the US has worked hard to achieve during the last hundred years.
6
I am so scared Trump's instability will lead us to a major war. He's impulsive and seems to hung up on ratings and attention.
The White House has become a bad reality TV episode. Too bad we can't change the channel.
15
The only reason Bob Corker is not running again for his senate seat in Tennessee is that he knows he cannot win reelection. He wants to save face and not be disgraced within his party. He is a loser in more ways than one. I hope he enjoys his retirement and his fifteen minutes of fame.
What is it about the job of Senator that these people want it so badly? I know that senators get respect from all the Washington sycophants and flunkies but good heavens! Only when they are on their way out of office do these people have the courage to publicly say the things they say in private. I wish one politician would be able to speak the truth (or at least not avoid taking a stand) without already having announced their plan to retire. If the people vote you out for speaking the truth then so be it - but it surely must be better to have your self-respect than to be a senator, forced to lie, dissemble, and mislead because you're afraid that your know-nothing constituents will replace you with someone who has even fewer scruples than you do.
4
what sounds better to you? trying to make a difference and failing or giving up never trying at all
1
Not a very high bar being set by Corker here. Extraordinary powers of observation are not needed to see what a debacle this administration is and has been no matter what side of the aisle. Its time for Democrats to surgically look ahead at what can be improved regarding messaging and framing issues that are truly most salient to voters ahead of the next 2 elections.
3
As a supporter of President Trump, why in the world would he want Senator Corker to run again. Part of "draining the swamp" is purging the Republicans in Congress of the majority GOP Establishment "centrists"/"moderates"/liberals and RINO's, especially in a state like Tennessee where the chances are extremely good to elect a Trump-supporting populist conservative to replace another pompous, patrician, sitting-on-their-laurels, legislative bottlenecking gentlemen's club GOP politician.
The President's tweet was unnecessarily inflammatory (again), but Corker took the bait, as he obviously let it get under his skin.
As for saying that "Trump’s Recklessness Threatens ‘World War III’" , note the following (per The Chattanoogan.com):
"Corker Praises Trump's "Direct Approach" At The United Nations"
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
"Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement regarding President Donald J. Trump’s address to the United Nations General Assembly.
“President Trump sent a very clear signal yesterday about what America stands for and who and what the world must stand against,” said Senator Corker. “After years of ambiguous messaging, the president’s direct approach was a welcomed change, and I shared that with him when we spoke this morning.”
Jekyll and Hyde , or just hurt feelings and pride?
2
There are a lot of comments to the effect of, "Corker was an early and ardent supporter of the Trump presidency so these words don't count for much."
I would argue that the fact that Corker was an early and ardent supporter of Trump actually makes his criticism more valuable.
Shouldn't the end goal be to get all of Trump's original supporters to admit that they voted for a dangerous lunatic?
42
Admitting it isn't enough. They need to get rid of him. They made this mess -- now they should do the decent thing and clean it up.
12
except this is everyone's country and Trump is everyone's problem. its not responsible to push the blame onto others, and pettiness is the last thing we need more of in politics right now.
1
Mr Corker does not care enough to do anything about it. He is no better than Trump.
7
Those of us on the Intelligence and Compassion side of things could see Trump's flaws as clearly as the harvest moon from the beginning; for us, he held no allure whatsoever. That anyone thought his show was worth a 4 year deal represents a tragic denial, or loss, of common sense.
25
I am glad Bob Corker has said what he has said. But when saying the obvious makes you a hero, oh dear.
31
The important sentiment is not that Senator Corker said out loud what most GOP Senators are thinking, it is that none of the other Senators have the nerve to do so in the last 9 months.
It is pathetic to consider a party with sophisticated and thoughtful intellectuals and movers/shakers in the 1980s resembles the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz today. Perhaps the party should change its symbol to the Cowardly Lion (before Oz) as it seems more fitting than the stalwart elephant.
23
Saying what you wish when you are free to leave, looks like cowardice, if you have not said the same previously !
6
When will DEMOCRATS do something? Anything!
If this was a Democrat in the White House, the GOTP would have a plan to be shrieking in unison, such that their actions would monopolize the airwaves - and the entire national conversation. I am utterly ashamed of the entire Democratic Caucus. It stuns me to think they will come looking for my vote, after doing Nothing!
Nuclear War is possible. Millions of lives are on the line. Those who wring their hands and say they can do nothing... may have no need to worry about reelection if a nuclear war starts!
What will it take to move the most passive, whining political cowards our country has ever seen in DC? The Country comes first. The lives of millions come first. Both Democrats and Republicans own every hour Trump remains in the White House! History will consider in horror a President who is daily recognized as unfit, yet remains entirely unrestrained.
To say, "who knew Trump was that mad?" after the missiles start flying will avail politicians nothing. Trump has clearly been this unbalanced since long before the election. No excuses will suffice.
27
I agree. Compare Trump's new demands tied to the "deal" he made with "Chuck and Nancy" regarding "Dreamers", to their rhetoric about said deal at the time.
Nancy "thinks she's worth" the price of all her failures, And Feinstein said recently she hold's out hope Trump can be a good president.
Anything they touch has the inherent frustration that they are getting rolled - like when they both consciously let the Bush administration get away with torture and going to war on false premises.
There has for years been an all out war on truth and anyone who subscribes to it from the right and their mouthpiece Fox, and there has not been one memorable instance of an effective Democratic rebuttal or counter strategy.
11
This is completely correct. The Right would be talking impeachment everyday. Why are dems failing the country by being silent? Hoping for favors from the same man, reelection? Actually, dems. Libe, and Reps, anyone who is in disbelief should be daily calling for the president to be disciplined or impeached. Where is everyone?
2
The GOP Senators meeting in their caucus should decide quickly on who will bell the cat. Maybe a bunch of them should band together for the common purpose. Not enough to mumble and mourn in private about their leader in the WH.
9
Amen. For those of us who are psychologists, and knew of Mr. Trumps psychological disabilities way before he ran for President, having him elected to our Country's hugest office has been a truly scary thing. Narcissists enjoy a fight, as well as the resulting audience and sense of power, and this one does not care where it leads, even to the destruction of the earth as we know it.
31
"...the destruction of the earth as we know it.:
Really? As we know it?
I assure you that there are plenty of checks and balances in place to prevent Mr. Trump from doing anything that would lead to "the destruction of the earth as we know it."
I mean, he cannot even get a health care bill passed with Republicans in control of all branches of government.
3
Yes, luckily Trump is more incompetent than he is obnoxious.
2
Corker's wrong; Trump wants a war to rescue him from the debacle of his presidency and in particular the inevitability that the special investigator is going to produce evidence of impeachable offences. He would risk the lives of American soldiers and the fortunes of our country to make himself necessary as commander-in-chief. When will the congress and elder statesmen of the country stop pretending that the emperor has clothes on?
28
you're right on sadly.
3
"He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation."
republican responses? Only private rebukes. From every Senate republican.
Not profiles in courage, as we stumble into war.
13
Nevermind all the outrageous things Trump's said and done, he should be removed from office because he refuses to do anything about a foreign adversary interfering with our elections.
The greatest threat to this country is our president. For God's sake Republicans, do something.
26
Nice that Mr. Corker sees the light but how to explain his denial or silence the last 18 months? Dotard Trump turned out to be the exact president he “promised” to be as a candidate. He lacked stature, temperament, knowledge, attention, style, intellect that is required in that job his whole adult life. He was most comfortable not as a business man but as a reality TV personality promoting his brand and pretending to be the boss, a total fake, a con man. There was no hint in his biography promising a transformation of his persona, unless you believe in miracles. Republicans behaved as collaborators in a crime against democracy. It’s time to come clear and hope for a mild verdict from history.
8
Once again, Trump has demonstrated that those who give him loyalty can expect (at best) nothing in return and at worst, attacks even more vicious than those he has leveled against those who opposed him all along.
Why on earth would an incumbent senator have to beg his party's leader for an endorsement? What kind of party leader would refuse to give such an endorsement, especially to a supporter? And yet, by Trump's own account, this is exactly what he has done, and for no reason he has deigned to give us.
Remember this if you get the chance to impeach him, Republicans. You will get no thanks from him if you try to protect him.
16
How incredibly frustrating a GOP Senator will finally speak up when there are no real ramifications. The rest of them now sit on the sidelines chewing their nails. And we suffer, day in and day out.
11
God Bless Mr. Corker for having the courage to speak truth to power and call out the president for what he is.
7
Let's hope it's not all talk and no action.
4
Courage??!! Seriously?! Courage would be those that aren’t retiring speaking up! Courage would be the house impeaching trump! Not much courage speaking up when your term is almost up and your retiring.
11
I applaud Senator Corker for stating what his colleagues appear to be either too scared to admit or too blind to see. I also applaud him for staying true to the calling of the citizen- legislator and not seeking to remain in power at the cost if his soul.
5
“I don’t think he appreciates that when the president of the United States speaks and says the things that he does, the impact that it has around the world, especially in the region that he’s addressing,” he said. “And so, yeah, it’s concerning to me.”
Really? And you just figured it out now? We have no choice now other than to trust and believe in your confidence that the situation is under control, by at-least three people around him, to make it to the next election. May God himself bless you with the wisdom to know when the line has been crossed and the courage to begin proceedings to oust him.
7
If the vast majority of the Repulican caucus understand that what they are dealing with as Sen. Corker says, then why won't they do something about it before we find ourselves in WW III?
9
Tax cuts
2
Don't just stand there, U.S. House and Senate, -- DO SOMETHING! Impeach and remove Trump before we're all killed! A robust impeachment and removal process would not only save untold numbers of lives but would restore respect for our political system.
26
If Mr. Corker believes what he has said, perhaps he ought to consider how it will affect the rest of the world.
I only know one thing about Mr. Corker: he devised a way for the United States Senate to evade the Constitution's requirement to approve treaties.
This was similar to how Truman and Kennedy brought us into wars.
This is more important than how Mr. Corker actually voted.
6
The biggest problem with Senator Corker's theory that if you care about this nation, Trump's actions and words would have to concern you, implies that his "base" actually cares about our country and its future. Between chants of "Lock her up" and yelling about burning their NFL jerseys, they have little time or thought to process what is actually happening. Freedom of religion-check. Denying science, and repealing any and all legislation dealing with the effects of climate change-check. Making sure that unfettered access to any and all weapons remains in place-check. Taking the ACA apart piece by piece-check. These are the flag waving, National Anthem singing, Trump supporting no matter the consequences to the country they profess to love, base that this admininstration panders to each and every day. And even when they don't take a specific directive from Trump, they go out and decide that people like Roy Moore should hold an elected Senate seat. I appreciate Senator Corker's words, and of course he is spot on, but where was this courage to speak up when it might have actually made a difference?
24
At least one former Trump supporter from Congress is now standing up to Trump--many more to go. What will it take for all of them, or even a reasonable number, to admit they were wrong to support Trump?
How many have the courage to publicly stand up to the worst president in American history? I won't bother to list all his flaws as they are well known, from lying to cheating and bigotry and more.
I urge other people with power to follow Mr. Corker's lead.
21
If it's common knowledge among Senate Republicans that Trump's "advisors" have to contain Trump every day to keep the country safe, then they have to know the man is not fit to be President -- as the President is not suppose to be a threat to his own nation. The question arises whether these Senators are fit to be in the Senate, given their failure to protect the nation from the spoiled brat in the White House.
38
Senator Corker is a light out of the darkness. I hope there are more.
9
we need more retiring Republicans. It's only when they aren't running for re-election that they feel safe to condemn him
16
..., well, allies must be thinking #MAGA - Make America Go Away.
Such a sad state of affairs.
Despite the fact that nobody outside of the Oval Office echo chamber is really paying attention to POTUS45, the damage that has been done already will require multiple presidential terms with a capable individual at the helm to “rollback the chaos, uncertainty and flat out ridiculousness” brought in by Donald Trump and his unfathomable incompetence.
“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.” (Red Adair)
11
So, let's get this straight.
1. We have a powerful Republican concerned POTUS is gonna start the third World War.
AND
2. He called him a child that needs to be managed. Hourly.
So, why is the loon still in the Oval?
Can't Congress, SOMEONE take these quotes from Corker and use them to invoke the 25th Amendment? Can a citizens committee do this? I'll serve as chair.
24
You speak to my deepest fear of blind armed followers starting a civil war in a country no longer ruled by law and reason.. Unbelieveably I can now imagine this happening in my beloved country. The horror!
8
So basically he lacks the knowledge, character and tempermant to be President? I've heard that someplace..
13
A pox on both their houses. When will we call a spade a shovel and admit that, despite their handwringing, the Republican Party laid the groundwork for, nominated, and elected this dangerously incompetent peacock as President? Trump and his Party are one in the same. Unfortunately, there is no organized Party to take them on, as the Democrats act like the generals in Vietnam who could not bring themselves to believe that they could possibly be losing. Heck, they'll probably nominate Hillary again. I feel ill.
10
Time to split up both parties. This two-party nonsense no longer comes close to representing the American people, if it ever really did.
I'd like at least four parties from far left to far right and proportional representation. Then politicians will have to build alliances and consensus in order to govern.
It works pretty well for the rest of the west.
Too bad it doesn't have a chance of happening here.
7
We have climate change with rogue hurricanes decimating our coastlines, we have hotter than normal summers drying up our lands and rivers and producing terrible forest fires, we have a very nervous and unsettled climate for governments around the globe which has made the voters desperate for anything that will shake up the system and produce something that works. Unfortunately, no country is better than its environment, and the environment is under siege. Stability is going.
Trump is a product of this unsettled political climate, but we don't need a man who shoots without thinking from his gut instincts, we need a steady hand, a clear thinker, thought through goals, and the ability to work with other countries.
This is not the time to have a bull in the china closet mindlessly breaking things up. We risk terrible mistakes and the end of an era that will find us heart broken and miserable. We have to find a way out of this situation.
9
Shame on so-call Republicans who are standing in this stinking mess. All honor to Senator Bob Corker.
5
I wouldn't be so quick to honor Corker. He's known what Trump was like from the beginning, like every other GOP politician, but endorsed him anyway. They have sold their souls to the Republican Party-before-country.
It's a good thing that Corker and McCain have reclaimed some dignity -better late than never - but moral courage seems to be in very short supply amongst out politicians. So good for Corker. But honor? No.
14
This politician has backed Trump and now he wants his filthy slate to be cleaned. No way!
7
you bash republican senators for not taking trump to task. and when corker comes out against trump you bash him too. you cant have your cake and eat it too. and is there no room for someone to change their opinion. have you never changed your mind on something, ever? and when you changed your opinion from something less correct to something more correct, would you feel it fair for you to be held to your less correct opinion?
9
What took so long?
12
I'm glad you finally grew a conscience Corker, but we should not forget that you, as much as any other member of Congress, are responsible for this monster in the first place. Until you decide to do something other than show "concern" you need to just keep your trap shut!
9
Senator Corker
As long as you avoid addressing Trump's fitness to hold office, he is right about your lack of guts. Are you a statesman or just another survivor? Trade in the fate of a country and perhaps a world, to manage your 'career'?
What are you Bob?
7
Now there are at least two people on planet Earth, idiotic and very dangerous activity must be stopped immediately: "President" of Russia V. Putin and American "President" Donald Trump.. before it's too late
6
Speak out, Senate Republicans! Please, for ALL of us! Protecting this country and its citizens is why you are there. You have nothing left to gain by NOT speaking out, truly, for if you are still riding the line deciding at just which point you are going to jump ship, the gig is UP.
11
Senator Corker is not George Washington, and he should stop trying to be someone who he is not and cannot be. Speaks and appears like Sour Grapes as President Trump did not nominate him for a Cabinet post. Now, one wonders as to whether he can even win his old seat. Thus, all these avoidable nonsense!
Senate and House leaders from both parties have to visit the White House and tell this clown to stop with the dangerous and divisive tweets. His reckless rhetoric is going to get people killed. No administration generated legislation should be brought to the floor until Trump can demonstrate leadership instead of buffoonery. Enough with the carrots, take the stick to him.
9
From the article: "The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Mr. Corker’s remarks."
Proving that, once again, someone on the White House staff has hidden the president's phone.
9
Yup that’s what we are all concerned about. He needs to go!
6
Maybe by coming off the leash Corker will inspire some of the other nincompoops in Congress to let Trump have it?
7
Don't hold your breath...
3
"“I don’t know why the president tweets out things that are not true,” [Corker] said. “You know he does it, everyone knows he does it, but he does.”
The GOP screams when black NFL players kneel to the flag, but the fact that our President is a liar, and lies almost every day is of such little concern to them. What has happened to American values?
21
It seems to me that Trump is deliberately trying to alienate certain countries who are or who want to develop nuclear weapons and also destroying the credibility of the US in the world. He seems to be encouraging NK and Iran to move ahead in developing nuclear weapons which can be used against the US and its allies, putting us all in extreme danger. Now he has also alienated Turkey and Venezuela. Why can't he keep his twitter finger still and let his advisers work on decisions with him? And follow through? He really is so stupid and thoughtless that he is endangering all of our lives and those in Europe and Canada as well.
Furthermore, if the Republicans in Congress distrust and despise him so much, why are they not impeaching him? They must know what a menace he is, in every sense of the word. The only possible answer to this question is that these so-called lawmakers are benefiting somehow from his corruption. Follow the money!
I think it's time for the Republicans in Congress to earn their pay. Impeach him before his Cabinet and his relatives steal the country blind and we are actually on the brink of WWIII!
9
The other elephant in the room: The replacement, Pence, was worse in many ways prior to Trump, but has now drunk the kool-aid served at the daycare. If you think it is bad with Trump wait until someone just as hateful, bigoted, sexist, racist, xenophobic, bible-thumping, constitution-ignoring, enemy of the poor, and champion of the wealthy gets in there and knows how the system works and how to work it.
14
And I except for the Bible thumping, how is he any different? He's not, but he knows how Washington works and could do more harm, if that is possible.
3
Yikes - good point!
2
It has been suggested that pence is behind the recently declared war on women and children: to wit dropping coverage for birth control... unwanted pregnancies...or back-alley abortions where two people die...loss of health care for children. I don’t know if he had any part in drafting the bills where 22 million of us lose our health insurance.
We have to find some way around a pence administration. He can get this odious rep legislation passed. We are not in a good place
2
Bob Corker has been a United States Senator since January 4, 2007 for over a decade; what has he or prior U.S. Administrations done that has been effective in stopping North Korea's nuclear bomb development program or its threats to attack and destroy our nation? The answer is nothing that has had any lasting effect whatsoever.
One wishes politicians who have accomplished little or nothing and are making an exit stage left from their jobs with cushy golden retirement and medical plans courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer at least have the decency not to sling mud on others and put a cork in their pie hole. But I guess humility is not a character trait in most such pompous politicians.
2
I find it amusing that the supposedly sophisticated readers of the Times rush to the banner of a time serving, conformist, old grafter, poseur and incompetent like Corker. Liberals would take the side of the Devil if he said ugly things about Trump too.
Where has Corker been for the last 25 years as nuclear proliferation burgeoned on Corker's watch? Getting a hair cut and posing for pictures?
4
If the Republicans in Congress had any courage at all, they would invoke the 25th Amendment to remove such a dangerously ignorant and uncaring man from the Presidency.
7
Trump inherited a great economy and a relatively peaceful world. He hasn't yet confronted a major challenge. But that will soon change. Probably very soon. And when it does, Trump will not be able to handle it. Get ready America, this is really going to hurt.
9
Donald Trump is rapidly losing support in his own party! We should be on the road to the invocation of Section 4 of the 25th Amendment.
"Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President."
Given the rapidly escalating and dangerous situation with North Korea - the long time frame of the impeachment process might be inadequate to prevent the possible outbreak of World War III. The Republican leadership needs to join with the Democrats to remove Trump's "powers and duties of his office" as quickly as possible. Many millions of lives and the future of our country hang in the balance!
9
The Republican Party needs to show some courage by removing Trump from office—even if it puts their political office at risk.
5
I applaud Senator Corker for speaking the truth. He is not only admirable and principled, but also somewhat consoling to those of us who are genuinely concerned about what President Trump will do to hurt this country further by his instability, impulsivity, immature behavior and his skewed perceptions.
Senator Corker has his head on his shoulders, not in the clouds, nor in the sand. He is willing to suffer the wrath of the twitterer-in-chief. The majority of us know Trump lies (a lot) and is particularly uncouth when it comes to slandering those who are not constantly feeding his ego and supporting all of his ideas
I can only imaging how much time and effort is devoted to keeping Trump in line, in some state of normalcy. But I differ with the prevailing thought that Trump can be constrained. It is clear he is already out of control and unfit for office.
The sooner Mr. Meullar, the Congress and Senate, even the Supreme
Court are willing to accept this reality and do something about it, the less likely we will be headed directly for a nuclear war. Not to mentions numerous other benefits for the citizens of this nation and our mental health, and increased respect and trust the United States will receive from it’s allies.
1
He's not running again, so he can speak the truth. He says what most Republican politicians are thinking; but, they're afraid that if they speak out, they'll lose Trump's base and then ultimately lose an election to the hated Democrats. Whatever it takes to win an election. Since, 2007, the Supreme Court under Roberts has severely weakened campaign finance rules. So instead of the getting the best of the best in our electorate, we get the fringe candidates or the liars, cheats and self-serving charlatans. If this same Court doesn't rule against political gerrymandering, our representative democracy is doomed.
4
Read the posts. It is simply amazing the amount of wild fact free theories, hate and irrationality emanating from Times readers. Not one in a hundred thousand have ever met Trump. But all of them seem to be qualified to psychoanalyze Trump without reference to facts or reason. Also without considering the disastrous record of the establishment who have brought us to the brink of international, national, economic and cultural dissolution. Whatever one may think of Trump he didn't make this mess. The establishment, like Corker did. America knows that. Why don't the "sophisticated", self-anointed elite readers of the Times?
I also wonder what would happen if the individual sanity of those readers was questioned in a newspaper without facts or evidence. Also, why does the, oh so ethical, Times allow this level of hate and irrationality in its pages.
So you are qualified to psychoanalyze people you've never met based on the content of a couple of anonymous posts, but they aren't qualified to analyze the behavior of a public figure with decades of on-the-record remarks and behavior?
And I'm sure you've never had anything to say about the character of a liberal politician you've never met, correct?
13
Senator Corker's statement that Trump doesn't understand the power of his office, while true, misses the larger point, which we must keep in mind: that Trump cares ONLY about himself. (For him, his family is just an extension of himself.) Caring only about himself, he see the "power" of his office wholly in terms of what it can do for him. For him, that's all being POTUS is about. Thus it is, for him, indistinguishable from a reality TV show, in that the only thing that matters is how he's doing as the star (i.e., focal point) of a program that's all about him. He is, indeed, that self-centered.
6
Why is it that only Republicans who are retiring can muster the moral courage to speak out against this weak and clownish White House?
Does a self-centered "can't risk losing my seat" thought process really trump preserving the well being of the United States and its citizens? Is there any such thing as political courage?
6
To put this in perspective, Mr. Corker has done the country a great service. As a teacher of Physics in the early 60's, I was selected to attend nuclear fallout protections seminar and training session for the community of Benson, Arizona and learned additional information of woud be the horrible extent of a nuclear war. The Union fo Concerned Scientists producd an authortive study of the effect of a nuclear war between Pakistan and India. Everyon looses including the world since the effects are not confined to the adversaries alone. This is no time for an unstable and ignorant person to have access to nuclear weapons.
9
Senator Corker and Secretary Tillerson may try to act as our saviors from chaos, but the show Mr. Trump is performing is "Dr. Strangelove."
2
Living in AZ I can tell you Sen Flake has supported every vote put up by McConnell supporting tRump. Just because he chastised tRump in his book (title lifted from Barry Goldwater) does not make him vote for the best interests of citizens from AZ. Mr Flake voted YES on every horrible healthcare legislation supported by tRump. Honestly you can't have it both ways. Why does Flake always vote for tRumps legislation if he doesn't support him? He supported every horrible cabinet appointment of the worst cabinet ever put together by the unAmerican billionaire Mercer family.
Flake is just that, a flake trying to stay on both sides of the fence, hoping to fool both sides. I can tell you I will never vote for Mr Flake, ever, he does not earn my respect just trying to play in the middle without getting caught.
Just view Flake's voting record, a Trumper 100% of the time when voting. He can lie with the best of them but his votes speak volumes.
5
"...treating his office like a "reality show" with reckless threats towards other countries..."
Doesn't that sum it all up? He needs to be stopped before we are at war.
5
For those praising Senator Corker as a voice of moderation, this is far too little, far too late.
The president is variously called a child, a creature of show business, a wild card. He is what he is--a dictator. And when I use that term I use it as I would when talking of the dictators of recent history. The president is clearly and patently contemptuous of democracy, the rule of law, and the checks and balances built into the three institutions of government: the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. He only believes in himself as the leader. His conception of government is the executive above, far above, the legislature and the judiciary. This is a recipe for disaster. The opinions voiced by Senator Corker are, sadly, far too inadequate to address the danger ahead.
10
Bob Corker may not agree with President Trump, but his public criticisms of him to the media and especially the New York Times is a sign of blatant disloyalty and very disrespectful. I guess he does not care as he is leaving office after his term ends. I think his political career is over even if he wished to return. Who would ever trust this man again? Who would vote for him after such disgraceful behavior? He sounds as if he has an axe to grind and is taking it out on President Trump. He will not be missed.
Leaving Sen. Corker out of this for a moment, who would honestly trust Trump? Who would continue to support him after the disgraceful behavior he has exhibited over the past nine months? Whenever it is Trump vacates the Oval Office, I doubt many people will miss him, including members of his own party.
But now back to the senator: considering that Trump has been publicly and vilely critical of any number of people, both on Twitter and to the media, since taking office, why shouldn't the senator publicly criticize him for his reprehensible behavior? We've never had a president behave in so egregious and unstable a manner, and the senator is correct in his assessment of Trump. And disloyalty? You've got to be kidding me. Why in the world should anyone, Republican or otherwise, be loyal to this hideous excuse for a man? It's obvious by now that Trump can and will throw just about anyone under the bus. Loyalty and respect are things that are earned. Trump doesn't get to demand them simply because he's president, the office of which he continues to disgrace daily.
2
The politics of division began with the take-no-prisoners partisan approach of Newt Gingrich. The flames were fanned by talk radio/TV and the result is the Trump/Bannon/Miller. A triptych that rivals the right side of Hieronymus Bosch's 'Garden of Earthly Delights' for moral depravity.
9
Great, Senator, welcome to the club. Now, what are you going to do about it?
8
Time to 25 the 45 before it's too late.
16
Adult Day Care is no exaggeration. It's awkward and embarrassing to most of America that the President's tweets read like he is tweeting from a high chair.
Word is that most of the GOP realize that Trump is in way over his head and unfit to be President. How far does Trump have to sink before his own party intervenes?
Apparently a lot further.
15
“As long as there are people like that around him who are able to talk him down when he gets spun up, you know, calm him down and continue to work with him before a decision gets made, I think we’ll be fine,” he said.
Well, if that’s not a ringing endorsement....
Good think we didn’t elect that nasty woman, huh?
12
This is insane! Where is invocation of the 25th amendment? Do congressional Republicans think voters will forget their passivity? Help!
8
It is deeply disturbing and sad to see a person grow old, but not grow up.
It is a 'not-if-but-when' disaster when adult-children are leaders. And exponentially worse if a President is a craven adult-child with a deeply ingrained maladaptive reckless personality.
This President is a walking time bomb-literally and figuratively.
8
Nice to hear the uncorked Corker. He's right. It's not rocket science that Trump could be the catalyst for WWlll. He's our Dr.Strangelove. Ever since he's become president we've witnessed one catastrophic event after another. It's as if a plague has hit us. The man is insane, incompetent, and irascible. I wish more republicans spoke out against Trump. To paraphrase Corker, when little Donnie has a temper tantrum, the whole world suffers. He's the doomsday machine. And there will be three more years of pestilence, poverty, and panic.
7
Is there any President in the history of the country who is so ill suited to the job?
11
I live in Tennessee, where our two senators (Corker and Lamar Alexander) are both reliably partisan Republicans on every vote that matters. It says a lot that they are both considered moderates only because they aren't foaming at the mouth, spewing hate and bigotry with every utterance.
I applaud Senator Corker for finally saying what, according to him, the entire Republican caucus believes. But why did it take so long? And where is the chorus of those fellow Senate Republicans who see Trump for the existential danger that he is? This isn't hard: he is the identical Trump who campaigned like a spoiled, spiteful brat, and whose personality disorders have been obvious for at least a year. Is it only because Corker is unshackled from the need to think strategically about re-election? Of course it is.
So, yes, today Corker is a hero-- because he's surrounded by cowards. I'm sure more Congressional Republicans will slink out from their twitter-bunkers soon, but only because Trump is becoming daily more unhinged and therefore more toxic.
Better late than never, but there would be more to celebrate if we had a chamber where the members were first and always putting the country ahead of personal ambition.
26
Trump might actually think that he can project military force against North Korea and not bring about a wider and more destructive conflict as a result.
He is rather uninformed about world affairs and history and he listens to conservatives who are clueless, themselves.
The conservatives in the Republican Party never were able to understand the world order which the U.S. created as the most powerful and influential country following World War II. They always held to two principles, avoid alliances because they constrained acting according to national interests, and maintaining such an overwhelming ability to project force that all would fall quivering to their knees in fear before doing anything which upset our national interests. The history of Europe and it's empires had clearly spelled out to anyone who was intelligent that these principles did not work an they tended to lead to big nasty wars like the two which erased the European empires entirely. Peace and peaceful international cooperation and relations was the means to peace, war was a last resort which could bring very big surprises and result in unintended consequences which were impossible to correct. Sadly, the old stupid right wingers in the Republican Party have returned to stubbornly trying to undo the world order and to restore to the conditions which brought war and national ruin to so many countries during the two World Wars.
10
"...President Trump was treating his office like “a reality show,” with reckless threats toward other countries that could set the nation “on the path to World War III.”
These are words that will be printed in history books. It's time for the rest of the Republican party to join Senator Corker and stand up for our democracy. Trump has done so much lasting damage to our country, I fear that if he's not removed from office soon he'll really do something crazy.
18
I join other commenters in thanking Sen. Corker for belatedly speaking out. That said, there is much more going on here than the comments of an outgoing Senator who knows he no longer need pander to Trump voters.
We all know Trump is an existential danger not only to all of us, but also to many millions of people around the world. He is simply insane. Many commenters here continue with their hand wringing and their pleas for this Republican Congress to begin impeachment proceedings. Of course this will not happen, no matter what Trump does, literally up to and including starting World War III. He is only limited by his imagination and the laws of physics.
Members of Congress are afraid of a lot more than their re-election prospects. They know Trump has created a delusional, heavily armed base of millions of people who are, as he is, itching for a fight. Losing an election will pale against the consequences of removing Trump from office. We will see tens of millions of our most heavily armed citizens in the streets, and they won't go quietly.
Those of you who have spoken with Trump voters recently know exactly what I mean. They will follow this man anywhere, do anything for him, including, at his slightest urging, committing acts of savagery against non-Trump supporters, the likes of which this country hasn't seen since the Civil War. And this is why he will remain in office indefinitely. Only Trump may remove himself from the White House - and his followers know it.
6
What's the use of having the 25th Amendment when it's so clearly needed to be implemented and it isn't used.
11
They can only enforce one amendment at a time. Currently busy with the second one. At all costs.
3
The full Congress must rein in this president’s power to destroy millions. It is their duty.
7
Who got us into the messes with North Korea, Iran and ISIS over the last 25 years? Who made Trump a television star and a national figure at the same time and made hundreds of millions doing it? Where was Corker and the rest of our genius establishment?
Whoever made the current mess it wasn't Trump. Shouldn't we question the intelligence, sanity and ethics of those responsible?
2
World War III has always been a threat – but most-especially so, after some American President Who Will Not Be Named gave North Korea ICBMs and nuclear technology.
We gave something far, far beyond "weapons of mass destruction" to a group of psychopaths. (And I mean that word very literally.) What were we thinking?
President Trump isn't "about to start World War III." Rather, he is (maybe) forcing the World to realize the danger which it already faces. Did we seriously think that, if we sowed the world with intercontinental missiles and nuclear warheads, only "sensible people" (with "the good sense not to actually use them") could play our deadly little game of chess?
Did no one consider that they could instead fall into the hands of ... psychopaths? In the hands of men who care nothing for any other person, including the people of their own country?
But Senator Corker is a very sensible and intelligent man, and I detect an underlying intent in what he says. You need to "read between the lines" to discern the actual exchange that is taking place here.
If Trump gets us into WWIII, the US would be the country others would be trying to defeat. We wouldn't be the "good guy" coming in to save the day. We would be the nemesis others are trying to overcome. I'm glad Corker is showing some spine. Now let's see if he can do as McCain did and stop Trump from creating a perpetually seeping wound in our country.
4
Corker is still just another person, this time a congressman to waste our attention challenging Trump's comptence and likely sanity. Reporters, please focus on what Trump is doing to the country now. Gossip, verbal attacks can be fun to hear, but we are taking our eyes off the ball. I need to read that republicans are coalescing to declare him incompetent and are working publically, legally to remove him...hopefully before we accidentally fall into WWIII. Short of that, report what he is doing even if it's under the radar. I don't care about a food fight.
7
A man finally speaks his conscience, we are aiming for the other 51 the VP
1
I really don't think the majority of your readers understand what happened in the Republican primaries, much less the Presidential election. Remember, Trump beat people like Lindsey Graham, Rubio, Jeb Bush, and Ted Cruz. How is Bob Corker any different from people like Sen Graham? If he had run, Trump would have beat him, too. So I strongly suggest that Mr. Corker get his bland personality out of my face.
1
what...so failing to become president means you must give up your voice???
any/all of the men you listed have every right to vocally criticize the occupant in the oval
7
I never liked Bob Corker. I feel his "call me" ad against Harold Ford were racist, albeit subtly. I never like his seeming like a sane person while following the Republican party line. When Wayne Morse broke with LBJ, at first he was alone; but events drove other people to join him.
The thing I don't understand is this: The Republican senators (and Congressmen) are mostly rich men who aren't going to suffer one bit if they stop being office holders (just a few need the paycheck). Can't someone (other than Corker) put the fate of the country before their personal ambition? They're supposed to do that; but the percs are just too intoxicating, I guess. They've had their fun and lived like lords. Can't they just do one thing to help the poor people in the gutter before they live the rest of their lives in luxury??
6
Question is: Where are the rest of the Republicans?
They all know it's true. Their silence on this topic is reprehensible.
13
Remember, it was not until US Citizens demanded that Congress act that the proceedings to impeach Nixon began.
The people of the United States must stand up and demand that Congress and the Senate now do their job to protect the United States and the Constitution!
7
We are well and truly caught, facing the nightmarish choice of Scylla or Charybdis: Trump as he is, or President Pence. I'm leery of over-turning election results, but if President Obama and I are both alive in 2020, he's got my (write-in) vote.
5
There are lots of ways to finish the sentence "Hillary Clinton would be likely be president if...". Consider one way that has implications for the next elections:
Hillary Clinton would likely be president if she and her party did not push for gun control in the 2016 campaigns.
The presidency is, in modern times, a unique position in the world. It is a position of global leadership on human rights, the environment, international law, nuclear weapons and trade. If derailed, there is no other person or institution capable of filling the void. Absent some certainty that the opposing candidate and party would address such global issues similarly and competently, differentiating on divisive and largely settled domestic issues is not only bad strategy, it is irresponsible.
Donald Trump was smart enough to dismiss questions on marriage equality with "The courts have decided". Are Democrats capable of referencing the 2nd amendment and previous court decisions to make a similar dismissal when asked about new gun control?
In short, was it worth it?
It really is telling how difficult it is for people who get invested in ideas cannot see them in clear perspective when the evidence goes against them. The ability to retaliate against an aggressor does deter aggression but peace only comes from peace, that is productive and mutually beneficial interactions which make war which would upset them unacceptable. Strangely it was not until two world wars destroyed the great European empires and ravaged all the works of generations across the civilized world that it became clear that military force and projecting that force does not bring about peaceful relations between nations, it tends to lead to further wars. Now we have a group of right wingers who again think that peace is the result of superior military power and projecting it, alone.
8
It's not too late to fire up the time machine the military has hidden at Area 51. There's nothing in the Constitution that says we can't travel back in time to change a catastrophic election result. But of course, impeachment might be a bit more possible and less drastic than time travel.
3
Thank you Senator Corker. It's time for your Republican colleagues to do what is best for the country and impeach Trump, instead of running for cover. If they don't do this, then they'll be running for cover in their fallout shelters.
5
Hopefully, this is a watershed moment for the Republican party and steps can now be taken to minimize the damage Trump inflicts on the American people and the citizens of other countries in the coming years.
5
I very much appreciate Corker's forthrightness now, but I wish he'd spoken up long ago. Perhaps after working with him as advisor on his transition team. Surely he must've gotten a glimpse of how unfit and unstable Trump was since he was up close and personal with Trump, behind closed doors, where I'm sure Trump wasn't putting up the act he did in public in the early days. Why did it take months of being on the brink of nuclear war, his decision to retire, and ominous hint dropping for him to speak up? I agree with Corker, Trump has given every signal that he's determined to go to war with someone, either Iran or North Korea, maybe even both, and this is all a game to him. He also doesn't believe in diplomacy or even know what it is, thinks he's "good at war," and wants to show the world how "strong" he is. The last time he received nearly universal praise and was called presidential was his missile strike on Syria. His approval ratings are at their lowest, he hasn't passed any major legislation with the year running out, Mueller's closing in, and the abysmal Puerto Rico response is dogging him. He doesn't care if millions die because it won't personally affect him, it'll serve as a distraction, and at the very least, his supporters will cheer. That's all that matters to him.
6
I don't understand how a responsible public official can say on the one hand this guy may be leading us to WW111, but then says he likes the guy.
4
Now that he has helped put this scary creature into the highest office in the land, he should try to stick around to help protect us. Now the he is being honest about the man. Let's not forget he DID support trump during the campaign. He knew him, he heard all the dog whistles, etc.
3
I see sour grapes from a Senator who was refused the position of Secretary of State and cannot survive a primary challenge from a far right Republican. Remember Eric Kantor? Trump is impulsive, ofter vengeful, unthinking and unfit but World War Three he won't start with a country who already possesses the bomb and the means to deliver it. The North Korean regime wants to remain in power. They do not covet land from other nations. Things will settle down and even a nit-wit knows that. We have another nuclear state. Accept it. This is not comparable, to those old enough to remember, to when we demanded the Soviet Union remove missiles fro Cuba, Russian ships were en route to Cuba and we declared an embargo. That was world war three staring in the face with a nation with a sufficient number of nuclear weapons to wipe out (mutually) both nations.
"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs....."
Mr Corker could use his wisdom and courage to stabilize our perilous position in the world if he would appeal to all in office to follow his lead. This president is the most dangerous threat to our security.
18
Thank you Sen. Corker for having the guts and smarts to stand up to the madman in the WH. Please convince your fellow Republicans to join you in stopping Trump from his threats of war and his insane childish behavior.
19
Unless more Republican Congress men and women develop some true ethics and some backbone, as has Mr. Corker, they will bear the responsibility and shame for the outcomes of this incompetent, childish, narcissistic, misogynistic, racist, bigoted, arrogant, moronic, unempathetic, hateful, vindictive, unGodly (wolf in sheep's clothing) man. How the Republicans can continue to stand by this man (or try to function independent of him) will for ever remain a mystery to me. Is reelection more important to them than doing what is best for this nation and the world? Shame on them.
17
"anyone who cares about our nation". so, what is corker telling us about the many trumplets? does ignorance or malice "trump" concern for our nation?
5
Trump supporters are like the woman in the parable of Solomon and the infant. They would rather destroy the country than let someone else "have" it.
4
Senator Corker — did you just now discover that Trump is off his corker?
Are you still glad that Trump is president instead of Clinton?
If you answer yes, then you are, as I expected, full of sheetrock.
11
Finally some truth telling from a Republican. Now all those senators who think this in private need to speak up. Your volatile, compulsive, immature, ego driven, fragile President is a threat to the country and the world. Wake up before you take us all down a dangerous warpath.
14
Mr. Corker is not a hero, as one writer labeled him, he is a coward who only found his spine when he decided not to run for reelection.
Republicans (and all other elected politicians) care only about one thing and one thing only----remaining in office.
This particular bunch is, in my mind, particularly loathsome because they made a decision early on to support this clown regardless of how they harm the country and our democracy. Party--first, last and always--country an extremely distant second. This is beyond sad, it is tragic!
12
Corker should run in 2020.
1
Mr. Corker told reporters that Mr. Tillerson was one of three officials helping to “separate our country from chaos.”
Ummm...hate to break it to ya, Bob, but that ship has sailed.
12
When Trump does this sort of thing, I wish the lies were called lies. Don’t say , “ that’s not true.” Say “he lies.” I
10
I wonder whom Corker voted for last November...
4
And nothing will happen because the accountants of the GOP sold the party to Koch et al.. They like and by now need the $$$.
Corrupt.
3
What a joke, democrats are all owned by Hollywood, Silicon Valley and hedge fund wall street donors and lobbyists, get a clue
2
Corker or Mc Cain should run for president in 2020.
3
Where does Bob Corker get off calling Trump an "adult"?
11
not normal, this is so not normal
11
Could Trump's behavior set us on the path to WWIII? And what would that world war look like? World domination as motivation, like in WWII? No. I'm thinking more like reckless ego's and mind numbing stupidity, like in WWI.
Obviously Kim Jong Un is renting space in Trump's head. But a world war is just that . . . it requires a world at war. Given Trump's adolescent behavior, my fear is that the world may take sides, and we won't be the ones' leading the charge.
8
The smug, pompous, out of touch, increasingly irrelevant, failed establishment wails, groans and creaks as it fades into a well deserved obscurity. Let us ask a few simple questions. Who made the current national and international mess? Where was Corker as North Korea obtained nuclear weapons? Where was Corker as Iran pushed for nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles and ISIS rose? Where was Corker as many of our jobs and plants were sent over seas and our economy crashed? Where was Corkers as ever greater national divisions grew stoked by Obama and Democrats pushing identity politics and class war? Where was Corker as our national debt doubled under Obama and Obama Care was forced on the nation? You get the idea. All of this happened on Corker's watch not Trump's. America has turned on the posturing, narcissistic old poseurs of both parties and they can't stand it. Trump is no one's first pick for anything but the same, tired establishment made him too.
1
Have you reviewed the history of Korea after World War II? That country became a battlefield from shores to the borders, and ruined over every square yard from the war that began with North Korea attempting to takeover the entire country with the blessing of Stalin and the rescue from being annihilated by Mao. The best that we could do without starting a nuclear war with Russia and China was an armistice which allowed South Korea to become a free and prosperous country while the North remained in as state of war and harshly repressed. No President after Eisenhower dared renew that conflict because it was clearly not going to end with just North Korea going down and going away. It was going to grow into a wider Asian war.
7
This smacks of a pre-2018 Amendment 25 play by the GOP...that may be their best bet to retain power.
5
From Trump's perspective this is probably little downside to starting WWIII....he would become (in his mind) the Supreme Commander. All talk of Mueller would be washed away with patriotic support for the all mighty Commander in Chief. I bet you anything DJT thinks like this. GOP needs action now to stop Trump...hopefully they have plans written up and ready.
9
At least Senator Corker has the human decency to speak out about Trump. Where is the rest of Congress? Of course silent as they want to keep their seats instead of protect American democracy. Shameful.
12
The Dems have been speaking out against him since Day One.
3
It is always sad when lovers lose that loving feeling and relationship ends and the accusations and nasty remarks begin.
" I always hated you anyway "
Who will get the dog and the albums and the turntable ?
5
Bob Corker will get the books. I can't imagine Donald Trump having any.
7
I find there are 2 words missing when people talk about Trump . Those 2 words are " mental illness ". I wish people acted besides speaking . There is a remedy for this situation . It is called the 25 th Amendment of the Constitution.
18
Well, your President worries anyone who cares about our planet! On all accounts Trump & Co. are global menace by now. Oh yes, there are more of those pranksters and dangerous persons around unfortunately, but this certainly is a bigly one, in a democracy, so get rid of this guy and the lot, including this Pence, same ideas and such a groveller. It is of course the GOP which has the responsibility for this unbelievable development, assisted by complete commercial and over the top media. The status of the USA goes down the drain every second of these White House occupants and cringing Congress.
13
Thank you, Senator Corker, but to the rest of your party:
GOP,
I’m a registered Democrat but I have voted for Republicans in the past.
You’re continued craven support for such a manifestly dishonorable, dangerous, destructive president has so upset me, that I can’t image ever voting for a Republican again. I will remember on Election Day that most Republicans did not support and defend the Constitution and put party before country.
“Your silence will not protect you.” - Audre Lorde
12
I am deeply concerned, and have been for some time about the stability and fitness of the President to serve as Commander-in-Chief. He acts like a child most of the time. He cares NOTHING for the dependents and troops he puts in harms way with his loose and reckless talk. There are protocols to be observed when dealing with Asian nations. Trumps ignores them and insults these people on a regular basis, not caring about the grave insults he is throwing around. No one can tell him ANYTHING without him turning on them and annihilating them. He would start a war on a whim to satisfy his personal grievance. It is estimated that between 1.5 million and 3.4 million could be killed in the first hour in S.Korea of a nuclear war with N. Korea.
We have troops and dependents there. He doesn't care. We have American citizens dying now in Puerto Rico. He doesn't care. He is not connected with reality. He lies constantly. He doesn't care. What ever fits his reality. He spends hundreds of thousands to maintain his reality show by sending Pence to perform in Indiana. Corker is right. There needs to be adult supervision in the White House on a daily basis of the President. If this guy were a Captain of a nuclear ship, he would be removed in a straight jacket for cause.
We are on the precipice WW111 all for the benefit of Trump's ego and sense of grievance. The Senate Republicans must stop him.
19
I don't think that a nuclear attack on North Korea would necessarily result in WWIII.
We may have a buffoon in the White House, but we should not assume that the people in Beijing and Moscow are equally insane and suicidal. Why should they blow up a world that has just been handed to them on a silver platter?
The US will have destroyed all its alliances. The dead and radiated in South Korea and Japan would serve as an object lesson to our other allies.
The world would sink into a Great Depression, as all nations cease trading with the USA. We would have to vacate our military bases worldwide.
The only Great Powers remaining would be Russia and China. Britain and France would provide the nuclear umbrella to protect Europe.
The USA would sink into autarky and anarchy. The democracy may have endured a great Civil War, but it won't endure this.
5
I agree. If Trump nukes N. Korea it is the end of the United States as a world power. The consequences will be catastrophic (and well deserved). That's why I'm leaving this country of my birth as soon as possible and will never, ever come back. A people who would elect and support this toddler don't deserve my tax dollars to support them.
4
Well if you’re not describing WWIII, whatever it is you’re describing it horrific. Why speculate? It isn’t a game. He’s unfit and dangerous. I think I’ll keep repeating this in every comment.
5
It isn't good, that is for sure, and it probably means hundreds of thousands, or even millions dead.
But it isn't nuclear winter or the end of human life. That might be the outcome of an actual full-scale nuclear exchange.
My preference is that Corker and other Republicans take immediate steps to remove the President from power, and to hamstring his control of the military until that can be accomplished.
I don't expect that they are brave or patriotic enough to do that, so I contemplate what may happen instead.
1
I'm with Bob. Enough is enough of this. This man is a threat not only to our reputation, and that of the reputation of his office, but also to national security and to the rest of the world. This must stop.
16
So, what is he doing about it? Is he waiting until the smoking gun is a mushroom cloud?
2
Could we call on Twitter to shut down Trump's account for the good of the country and the rest of the world? I am not on Twitter, but don't they have a policy against inciting violence that could apply to threats against North Korea?
12
Whatever is said to be going on in the White House is "Fake News." It's probably twice as bad as that. And it's probably time to read or reread Sinclair Lewis's 1930s novel, It Can't Happen Here.
8
I hope this is a tipping point. The Senate needs to come to a bipartisan agreement to nullify Trump and in particular to keep him away from any red phones or "footballs."
8
Mr. Corker, you and your cohorts have duly witnessed the evidence; please work to get him removed. Trump’s awful traits clearly demonstrate insanity. Is there a reason to wait it out? The answer is NO. It takes a lot of guts to stand up to this mess. I can’t do it myself, but you could. You have taken a lead. Guts. YES.
12
Just amazing that the Republican party continues to support Trump at all. He is worse than useless as president, and he is a clear and present danger to the national security of the United States. Thank you Senator Corker for your honesty and patriotism.
13
Hats off to Senator Corker for showing the guts to say that the ‘emperor’ is stark naked.
The emperor’s loose tongue and erratic tweets may not lead to the “World War III” that Mr. Corker fears. There is hardly any country in the world that will support the schizophrenic behavior of person who by a quirk of fate got catapulted into the presidency of the most powerful country in the world. But the possibility of such a behavior’s provoking a nuclear war with North Korea cannot be ruled out. That is, the outcome of Mr. Trump’s irresponsible behavior may be a bilateral war between the U.S. and North Korea, though not World War III.
The nuclear-armed North Korea is presided over by a person who is not just a schizophrenic, but a paranoid schizophrenic. A paranoid schizophrenic, who is constantly made to feel insecure, could snap any moment. If the only way he can feel secure is by using the most powerful weapon he has at his disposal, he wouldn’t hesitate to use it. And the entire North Korean population has pledged its support to him in everything he does to deal with Mr. Trump’s threats. Mr. Trump, as we all know, has threatened to destroy all of North Korea if it poses any threat to the U.S.
Can we expect more Republicans to come forward to join Senator Corker in his efforts to restrain ‘Emperor’ Trump? They owe it to the world.
7
Kim Jung Un has demonstrated WAY more self control than Trump has in all this. He's barely commented personally to LOADS of personal insults from Trump. Kim Jung Un is the SANE one on this scenario. The whole world is counting on his rational response to increasing provocation. What could go wrong?
Bravo to Mr. Corker for having the courage to tell the truth about this very scary president. Now, where are the other Congressional leaders who also care about the welfare of our country, and preventing WWIII? Speak up!! Trump is clearly, clearly UNFIT for the office!
10
Where is John McCain's voice in all this? Now there's a guy with truly nothing to lose who could ruin Trump publicly.
1
I am actually starting to wonder if it will be Kim Jong Un who will keep this from escalating to war.
Trump seems to have made up his mind.
Mattis, Kelly, McMaster and Tillerson, may be on the verge of unprecedented disobedience to the commander in chief. I can't imagine that any of them want to do a first strike against NKorea.
They see the larger complexities involved and the massive risks for stability on the peninsula, and beyond. A move to war, or any type of preemptive strike could lead to greater destabilization in ways Trump is simple incapable of seeing, or believing.
All because Trump is addicted to childish macho posturing, name calling, and chest puffing.
What a sordid choice we are left with: Impeach/Disobey Trump, and the alternative of Theocratic Pence – it is like having no choice but to jump in to a raging inferno, but you can shoot yourself in the foot first if you want.
15
Too bad that Mattis, Kelly, McMaster and Tillerson cannot stop Trump from unilaterally launching nuclear weapons short of physically stopping him from giving the order.
Anybody who think Trump cannot start WWIII any time he wants should read up on presidential powers to initiate a nuclear strike. He needs nothing and nobody and can do it any old time he wants and nobody can (legally) stop him.
Cindy,
I agree and I fully understand his authority, but it takes many military people to concur with the authentication codes of the order in the field – the built in safety steps to prevent mistaken or accidental launch. Trump can't just press a button.
What I am suggesting is a refusal by the aforementioned to the order and then others in the chain who may be predisposed to follow Mattis/Kelly/McMaster as military men they respect.
A disastrous series of events should we find ourselves there. I understand that I am essentially talking about a coup, but that may be all that stands between us and a total disaster.
So, Corker essentially DID answer the question posed in the next to the last graph with his tempered quote: he doesn't understand the power of his office, aka, he's not fit. Still equivocating.
Why should we be grateful to a Republican Senator for saying something that anyone with eyes, ears and enough working brain cells could see from the beginning of the campaign? They were so blinded by the idea that the GOP would be in the catbird seat, with the WH and Congress, that they ignored all the red flags and bullhorns. Too little, too late.
5
Better late than never. It is just a shame this didn't happen 12 months ago.
9
Those who tell the President's critics to shut up and get behind the President for the sake of unity should perhaps consider telling the President to be quiet and get behind the congress (or at least the GOP members of congress) for the sake of unity. Just saying.
5
So what has he actually done to stop the guy? He and other Republican buddies all endorsed him and have approved all of his horrible cabinet members, so I wouldn't put much weight on these very late in the game comments by someone who could have stood up to him before.
8
If Mr. Trump is as unstable and such a threat to peace, which I do not doubt he could be, why did Mr. Corker spend months currying favor with the Trump administration, angling for a position in the cabinet, and urge Republicans to rally around Trump? Why did he wait until it was politically opportune for him to denounce Trump? He seems to care more about his career than his country...
6
Let's keep our eye on the ball, where the real problem is.
This prominent Republican must have intellectually impaired, then, when he gave his support to Donald Trump's presidential campaign? He knew perfectly well who and what DT was. As did the entire GOP "leadership". Not a moral leg to stand on, Bob Corker. No respect for you.
5
“As long as there are people like that around him who are able to talk him down when he gets spun up, you know, calm him down and continue to work with him before a decision gets made, I think we’ll be fine,” he said.
Sad and terrifying.
How did we get here? Altogether, now..
BUT, HER EMAILS!
Thanks to Fox News and Breitbart, for the constant drumbeat of sexist, unfounded claptrap about Hillary. Thanks to the rest of the media, for giving that story all kinds of air. Thanks to Colin Powell and any number of Bush cabinet members who also had private email for sensitive communications, but were too pusillanimous to speak up. Thanks to James Comey, for the two dopey non-statement statements about Hillary's email. Thanks of course to Anthony Weiner for popping up at the 11th hour and precipitating Comey's second statement.
But most of all, thanks to all those who voted for Donald Trump, a third party candidate, or who stayed home on election day. It might not hurt yet, but it will.
9
And thanks to the Russians, with whom Trump collaborated.
1
At what point will Republicans realize that the amount of energy and political capital they have to waste daily to contain our wholly unqualified president could be better spent on governing than babysitting? Will it come before he Forrest Gump's us all into a catastrophic war or after?
5
So basically Republicans are willing to risk nuclear annihilation because they want their judges and tax cuts (largely for the wealthy)? Good to know.
11
Isn’t this something most of us already know? Nevertheless, it’s important that a respected Republican has spoken out and we need more to do so. I’m hoping this will chip away at the sentiment I hear from my Republican friends and family. When the topic of Trump came up recently (and I’m not the one bringing it up), I said, to a very good-hearted, educated conservative, well, you have to admit he’s very erratic, and he said, yes, but you have to admit he’s been treated worse by the press than any recent president. So what can you then say? It’s not okay to report that he’s erratic? You want to look the other way when the truth is reported? I wish more people would watch the Vietnam War documentary and realize, this is what happens when our leaders lie. Can’t we all agree that we need to know the truth? Trump is unfit for this position and is a danger to us all. Those in power are the ones who can do something about it. Speak out!
4
Hopefully, Senator Corker's "Emperor Has No Clothes" statement will be a tipping point, which will release a cascade of other Republican senators to make their private views public.
5
What is so shocking about all this, is the fact that he is only now making this point about this presidents lack of ability, indeed dangerous rhetoric, as regards his suitability for office. if it is the case that most of the republican senators think the same way, then it is about time they put country before loyalty to this totally irresponsible and dangerous president and took him out of office.. To not do so is beyond belief.
4
How long is the list of Corker's bonafides? Real accomplishments only, no credit for participating...
The fact that the Senate has not passed legislation to remove Trump's ability to launch nukes on his own authority is stunning. Somebody, for the love of humanity and indeed of Earth itself, take away that nuclear football!
3
Since Republicans agree with Democrats that trump is a danger to the country, and the human race, they SHOULD be forging ahead with the necessary preparation for impeachment. In the meantime they SHOULD pass the bipartisan bill introduced by Adam Schiff to strip him of the ability to launch a first strike with nuclear weapons, or to commit the US to any war of aggression. The latter would be a good thing to keep in place for EVERY subsequent president. Excepting President Obama and Clinton every president since Carter has launched some ill fated military aggression.
3
Haven't most of the Republican senators realize that Trump's behavior is not normal? This is much more serious that protecting their jobs as senators by not publicly denouncing the insane spectacle that we are seeing every day coming from the White House.
Time is running short before this man takes the country, and perhaps the entire world into catastrophe.
Putting politics aside, he needs to be removed from office before is too late.
4
I worry that even if Congress does finally face up to the fact that Mr. Trump is unfit and a danger to the planet in his role as President, he will not go willingly. I can imagine him declaring that he has a mandate, and will not be stopped by a "do-nothing, ineffectual Congress" who couldn't even manage to accomplish any of Mr. Trump's goals, and therefore Mr. Trump would call on his supporters, who have supported him through every slander and lie spread by the evil mainstream media, to defend him. His "good guys" are well armed and will stand up to the "bad guys' who won't let Mr. Trump make America great again. After all, during the campaign, he said that he was the ONLY one who could save America. I imagine him saying that this revolt by Congress (or action by the special prosecutor) must be beaten back - take America back again. . . They will NOT be replaced.. HE will not be replaced. . . .
But then again, maybe I worry too much.
I'm a die-hard Kennedy Democrat, but lived in Nashville for 15 years. Corker is the only Republican I've ever voted for. Gun control aside, the guy is level headed and understood and used his position to further the greater good; one of the few politicians in office today maintain that stance. Corker should run for president and take Trump out well before the primaries.
A WWIII scenario is not only real, but I'd predict it will also send the US into chaos, given the racial and religious divides in this country right now. I can easily see Asians, Muslims, Latinos and others in the U.S. in danger of harm from Average Joe citizens that are armed and lathered up into a frenzy by Fox News, right wing radio, alarmist websites and podcasts.
5
AudioGuy,
Exactly. Thank you for speaking out.
1
Senator Corker says "we'll be fine" as long as we have three or more babysitters "containing" the PRESIDENT.
Huh? So this is what we call "LEADERSHIP"? I weep for our nation.
5
This is a demonstration of the failure of our political system when a congressional leader can only be honest about our president when he is not seeking reelection.
16
I don't see it arising from a problem with the political system but rather an enormous problem with the character and worrisome thoughts and actions (i.e. tweets) of this president. He plays games, much like a young schoolyard bully, and he does not have the reasoning ability, the knowledge, nor the self-discipline for this job. Indeed, he's frightening, and a worldwide joke. But he has major bully power and malice so I see why Congress keeps its mouth shut. I still cannot fathom how this egotistical, politically and militarily ignorant (at the minimum), crass misogynist, got elected. Who came out of what woods and how? Evangelical acquaintances tell me God forgives all, that nothing exceeds the limits of forgiveness for believers. They think he's Christian? On his knees perhaps as he tweets? Did they think he'd share his wealth, make all of us wealthy through his negotiation abilities? He is disgusted by poverty and if anyone doubts that go watch videos made of him as he ran over long time property owners in Scotland to build another golf club that caters to the wealthy on water's edge in Scotland. How could voters not have seen the utter crassness and overbearing ego of this dishonest man? He is a travesty to our nation.
1
"...before a decision gets made, I think we’ll be fine,” he said." Read and re-read that quoted paragraph. The Senate GOP, almost in its entirety, continues to support the professional malfeasance taking place within the Oval Office-- grotesque. All of it for the sake of tax "relief" primarily to those not needing it and taking benefits from those least able to afford it.
11
That the liberals are now falling over themselves to thank Bob Corker of all people for criticizing Trump - whether or not those criticisms have any basis in reality - just demonstrates how intellectually bankrupt and ineffective centrist politics have become.
Corker's criticism of Trump was less a criticism than it was a paean to the militarists and big oil faction within the executive branch. They certainly are more clever and more rational than Trump, but just because they aren't Trump does not mean that their intentions and motivations are any more noble.
If your hatred of Trump is so great that you will praise any one who takes a shot at him, no matter what their ideology or agenda, then you aren't helping things. Trump isn't the only bad guy out there.
1
Corker was an enabler during the campaign, one of many in the GOP. They could have stopped this then. It isn't like it is a surprise.
2
Trump is certainly not the only "bad guy" out there, but he's the one with the most power and no idea how to use it for good, along with his inability to think he has anything to learn from much of anyone. Clearly he was able to reach a large number of bad folk and they voted for him. This presidency was totally predictable.
1
Much of the article and others about Corker raise the matter of Trump's ability to execute on an agenda and the challenges he faces without Corker in his corner due to the GOP's slim senate majority. Ha! The problem here is that the writers (and good thinkers across the land) presume that Trump has an agenda related to governing. If you accept that Trump has no agenda other than to be in power, well, then, good riddance Corker! Sure, Trump talks about how McConnell and others let him down on repealing/replacing Obamacare. He'll say (or Tweet) similarly if tax reform goes down, but only as an act to pretend he actually cares about outcomes. If Trump has demonstrated one thing thus far, it is that he doesn't care about leading or governing. In that light, everything he does and says suddenly makes sense!
4
Yes. If Democrats can garner him a win based on an entirely different outcome, he will go with that.
You hit the nail squarely on its head. Thank you.
Indeed Corker did the right thing warning us all for Trump - however way too late. My friends in Europe, normally not interested in politics, already let me know this past November that something went totally wrong in the US. They offered their deep empathy and a Swiss "hang in there."
4
Norway offered a laugh when they opened an "Authentic Mexican restaurant, including the fence!" We are an international joke and folks abroad cannot figure out how we elected such a clown.
1
"In an extraordinary rebuke of a president of his own party, Mr. Corker said he was alarmed about a president who acts “like he’s doing ‘The Apprentice’ or something.”
Senator Corker, the majority of Americans understood throughout Trump's campaign that he was nothing more than a joke of a reality TV host on "The Apprentice" and, if elected, would be a danger to this country. Why did we understand this? Maybe because we weren't considering the possibility of being named vice-president or appointed to a cabinet position. Your criticism of Trump would carry so much more weight had you not supported this man with a shady business past, no governmental experience, no allegiance to the country, and no clear agenda for improving the lives of Americans. The only upside to your comments is that perhaps other Republicans will follow suit and start proceedings to get rid of this sham of a presidency.
5
We have a madman as President.
What are we going to do about it?
Where are the Patriots?
28
The only Patriots I know are in Foxboro, Ma.
1
Republicans:
When it becomes too late to stop our so called president...well, it will be too late.
Remove him NOW!
31
By running away, Corker has set us up for another Roy Moore debacle with the back-stabbing Bannon at the reins. When Bannon declared War, he meant it: war on the Government, war on the GOP, and maybe, as some evidence would suggest, actual War against the world. Just note that Bannon is now promoting the ultimate War Profiteer, Erik Prince, for the Senate, while his minion, Stephen Miller, is still the voice behind Trump's divisive, racist, and inflammatory policy.
Yeah, Corker's remarks are good, but we're headed for the brink here. If the Republicans don't do much, much more than just express a few concerns as they walk out the door, they won't just lose their jobs to right-wing fascists, the world will lose millions of innocent lives.
27
The most scary question after listening to Senator Corker is the following: "How long should the country suffer this 'Adult Day Care' institution that the White House has become?" It is obvious that this institution cannot be sustained for far too long only to trigger, in Senator Corker's indictment, the WWIII!!!
7
You think the World is where it is because of one man ?
6
No, but with the world in the shape that it's in, one wrong man in the wrong place, unfortunately, can destroy it. And all the rest of us with him.
4
I don’t know about “the World”, but the US is enjoying great prosperity that happened under Barack Obama and also suffering terrible divisiveness that is being fueled by yes, one man. And where the world is right now isn’t really as important as where it could be if Trump pushes his North Korean taunts too far. This isn’t a game.
3
Yes. I do. Don't be too smug over there in London. Radioactive winds DO blow your way.
4
Someone has to say the Emporer has no clothes! Go Corker!
10
These are bone-chilling facts to consider.
7
It's past time for Corker and the Republicans to invoke the 25th amendment.
18
While I welcome Senator Corker's acknowledgement of what most of us long ago realized about the real and imminent threats posed by an infantile and reckless, unfit President, the Senator (and any other Republican legislator who secretly harbors the same insights) owes the nation much more. They have a moral imperative to move with nettled intent to remove him from office before it is too late. DT has been consistent. He reliably does the very worst; he takes the lowest, most reckless road; he does the greatest harm possible. That is a given. But if our legislators will not act, what is OUR moral imperative? Don't we, the people, need to step forward and call for a general strike if that is what it will take to stop this imbecile from starting World War III? At what point do WE go all out to rid ourselves of this wrecking ball? When we are bathing in radiation? The fate of the Nation, of the world itself, is at stake when when we are all talking about WWIII on a Monday morning in the NYT and know our President is eager to get it on.
17
so intensely do Republicans despise Hillary and any notion of forward social progress that they willingly invited Trump to step up to the plate... and then with the help of gerrymandering in Republican controlled state houses and our enemies, the Russians, conspired to get him into office.
and now they complain?!
chutzpah!
3
Yes, Corker is right.
But where was he last year when he was a Trump campaign advisor? Trump was clearly reckless, racist, delusional, thin-skinned, cruel, and an unstable narcissist then. He's like Sessions, a Trump bootlicker who suddenly realizes he's a sociopath because of personal attacks.
And why is it only when Corker is not running for reelection that he will speak the truth? This could be seen as cowardice. At least the two senators from Arizona have guts, regardless of their politics, Sens. Flake and McCain.
Is anyone else going to stand up to this guy?
I was never a Romney supporter, but he has taken Trump to task numerous times, as has every ex-President alive.
21
When you drain the swamp, the residents of the swamp get uncomfortable.... this is what fear looks like....this is what a lack of courage looks like...
4
Sounds like you bought the original package! Listen, the swamp was never drained. It is a writhing, festering, stinking, growing thing the size of the Everglades with Trump at the helm. Corker is actually being brave right now, and I applaud him for speaking out about the danger that is obvious to everyone except the 12% of the population that still believes Trump speaks for them. The rest of us have already realized that our commander in chief is only in it for himself and a handful of other one-percenters.
4
Which of the following is possible:
a. Trump wants a war with N. Korea because he thinks he will be the hero who defeats them.
b. Trump wants a war (any war) to detract from the Russian investigation.
c. Trump wants a war because he wants to see a nuclear mushroom cloud.
d. all of the above.
20
e) a wartime president often gains undesereved support and is more likely to win reelection because voters don't like to "change horses in midstream".
You're no hero Senator Corker. You have only stated the obvious fact that Trump cannot be trusted with the power of the Presidency, and he's a threat to peace and stability. A clear majority knew this from the beginning and voted against him. You supported and enabled this. Now, you think everything will be OK because the White House staff will keep him in line. It is NOT okay to depend on the White House staff to prevent something truly horrible from happening. What are you and the other Republican members of Congress going to do about this? Will you be the man who starts the removal of this unfit President? Please start now, otherwise your statements are only a hollow attempt to distance yourself from what you did.
20
Just another RINO auditioning for a unaccountable slot on CNN or MSNBC, following the path of Charlie Sykes, George Will, Steve Schmidt, William Kristol, Joey Scarborough, David Frum, Nicolle Wallace - notice a trend here. They ran out of employment options in the GOP. Amazing what tricks folks will perform for a buck.
3
A comment from another critic who thinks he knows best who is a "real" member of one of the political parties.
Using the RINO label is just plain smugness.
2
"Republican in Name Only"
So what is a real Republican supposed to be like?
1
Jean, it's the "no true Scotsman" logical fallacy. You say "All Scotsmen drink scotch." I say, "I'm Scottish and I don't drink scotch." To which you say, "that's because you aren't a TRUE Scotsman."
In this case, you can't be a true republican unless you unquestioningly support Trump. Even if you campaigned for him.
It's kind of amazing how many right-wing taking points are explicit examples of logical fallacies.
2
The hypocrisy is coming home to roost.
4
Making mountains out of molehills again. We are not even close to World War III. Who would be on the other side?
Bob Corker and Donald Trump have a little war of words and it gets reported like it means something. What has happened to this country? And to our journalists? Can't you find any real news?
2
The experts don’t agree with you, I’m afraid. If a nuclear confrontation with North Korea wouldn’t cause WWIII, it would certainly kill millions. Is that making a mountain out of a molehill?
Corker’s repudiation of Trump is real news and is important. That their “little war of words” is what caused it is immaterial.
Even with nuclear weapons, North Korea and Iran are not going to use them. Why would they? Their leaders are not crazy. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose by using a nuclear weapon.
And Donald Trump is not crazy either. He has no intention of mongering war and has nothing to gain by doing so.
I just get tired of journalists making such a big deal out of such small things. This whole Russian scare is a case in point. So silly.
Only trump can incite World War III and Civil War II simultaneously.
12
I have to agreed with Mr. Corker that the WH is a adult daycare center.
Adult in term of age and body only , rest of the so call " adult " is nothing more than someone who is so egoistic that his immaturity and ego alone can built a " Great Wall " of America.
6
May be this will open the flood gates, and these republicans one by one wll say what they already know, which is this president is a walking time bomb. Lets just hope hope he self destructs before the american do
6
As I write repeatedly Trump is the most dangerous man in the world today.
5
And, if a needless war starts and Mr. Corker and his fellow Republicans merely remain "concerned," can they all be impeached for treason?
5
At long last!!! Thank you Senator Corker...however, acknowledging the extreme danger our nation is in is not enough. This unfit, incompetent, seriously mentally ill President needs to be removed from Office before his recklessness results in a war where hundreds of thousands are killed. Everyone who loves our country and who cares about humanity should work toward that goal.
13
Looks like Corker wants to get invited to the Jimmy Kimmel show...
2
Thank you Mr. Corker. But what woke you up to Trump? It's been so obvious and yet I'm sure you voted for him.
7
This is very reminiscent of what Al Haig did as NIXON was being impeached. Haig worked with those in control of nuclear arms to put the Triad out of reach of Nixon, who was a distraught revengeful person. Nixon was an adult but Trump is a spoiled brat child who must always get his way. Trump lies constantly and knows full well he is doing it. But he does not care.
Mc Master, Tillerson, Mattis and Kelly keep our country from going entirely off the rails.
We created this situation by voting for this seriously deficient narcissist
9
speak for thyself, Frank.
the majority of us did not vote for President Trump.
so, besides a terrible president, we have a seriously flawed national election system.
Trump will not live forever but the Constitution has no sell by date. it is up to us to ammend it to protect against future Trump style catastrophes...
should we live so long.
3
A sane Republican. There is hope.
5
Who's calling Trump an adult? Am I missing something?
5
"he did not regret standing with him during the campaign last year" Really? Have you learned nothing? Was he a better choice than Hillary?
4
Trump's personal doctor Dr Harold Bornstein should be disbarred and jailed for lying to the country about Trump's health, specifically his mental health.
4
Will Bob Corker be to Trump what Ashely Judd is to Harvey Weinstein?
We can only hope!
“He concerns me,” Mr. Corker added. “He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation.”
3
All you on the Left still just can't get over the fact that you lost. Would you like some cheese to go with that whine?
PS - you get another chance in 2018 if the world still exists, better start doing something constructive if you want to present a viable candidate!
1
What good is your money and power if you are a small pile of radioactive ashes?
3
It's nice that you're giving interviews to the NYT. And what are you actually going to do about Trump?
4
I respected Bob Corker, and voted for him, before Trump wandered onto the political radar. How this smart, hardworking, decent senator could actively support a deranged, racist conman was beyond me.
Senator Corker, you've opened up a bit now that your leash has been loosened. Isn't it time you gave us a full explanation?
6
Hats off to you Senator Corker. The president contiinues to display a terrible poverty of mind, of imagination and a poverty of heart. To permit ignorance is to empower it. To do and say nothing as the leadership in the White House and the Congressional legislative body continue to proclaim absurdities is a crime of complacency.
3
This guy is hardly courageous. He's abandoning the ship of fools before it hits rock bottom, likely because he realizes that he's gotten as much as he can expect to get from the President.
Corker embraced Trump even after he heard the man brag about assaulting women. He knew about Trump's business dealings. He's fine with voter suppression and gerrymandering. Good riddance.
4
Democrats also need to step up to the truth plate a little more forcefully.
2
Corker has little or no moral authority and those lauding his "courage" should stop to recall the degree to which Corker has aligned himself with Trump and Trump's agenda (see, for example, https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/bob-corker/).
The fact that Corker stumped for Trump in the 2016 election tarnishes his outrage, imho. http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/05/corker-campaign...
1
Sen.Corker please reconsider and run again. Many Dem's in TN would vote for you (since there's no chance a Dem would win). Are you going to leave us with Marsha Blackburn? That said, now please lead the effort to invoke the 25th amendment. And pass legislation that all future/present Presidents must be mentally and physically fit. I don't know what the issues are with 45 but there have been letters sent to Congress/Senate by Psychiatric professionals detailing their analysis.
2
I'm ready for his impeachment. Grounds: he's unqualified to be president.
4
as anti Trump as I am, please let me jump to his defense:
President Trump is qualfied to be president in that he was over 35 (ok. way over) by inauguration day,lives in the
United States, and is American born. for all you originalists, he is also a white male property owner. I don't believe there are any other legal qualifications.
although he did not win the popular vote, he carried enough rural districts with commited votes in the EC to carry out the will of angry and fearful uneducated elderly white people whose world and grasp on reality had slipped through their fingers. just because he had no experience and no knowledge of government or statesmanship, and very little understanding of the issues of the day, he was the perfect candidate for these left behind counties because he was just like them, except rich, a valuable qualification in itself.
he is a man of the people. but which people? somewhat fewer than half those who got off the couch to vote.
If Trump starts WWIII, which it looks increasingly like he will, the demonstrations against the war in the US and around the world will be important and will over shadow the demonstrations against Vietnam, which will pale by comparison.
2
If Trump starts WW3 and it is nuclear, no one will be around to protest or march.
3
As a centrist Democrat I would be thrilled to send a campaign donation to Senator Corker for any office he decides to run for, including president.
It's stupid that far-left Democrats seem more intent on shouting "I told you so" rather than welcoming this powerful voice of truth.
2
All Republican Senators are weaklings. Afraid of getting Primaried from the right they sit on their hands and see how they can profit from the ridiculous, insane, freak show that is the Trump administration.
Corker only became emboldened after deciding to leave. Where was he a couple of months ago? Voting for Trumpcare. And now he's a tough guy? I don't think so Missy. You can go back to sleep now Bob.
Facing deep, real harm to their constituents, McCain, Collins and Murkowski are the only Republican Senators who have shown any spine at all and efficacy of office. Remember? Your supposed to represent your constituents. All of them. Not just the rich.
3
Who did Sen. Corker vote for? Trump the President certainly no less nuts than Trump the candidate. It seems you have to be retiring or dying to feel inclined to share the obvious truth with the people. Trump can't help himself. So-called responsible Republicans, like Corker, are to blame.
3
Dear GOP,
You can't have everything! You like him there to try and promote strict GOP agenda (which isn't going very well,) but you aren't getting rid of him either, even though you can admit how dangerous and unmanageable this situation is.
1
What would you expect a 71 year old cowardly dishonorable and unpatriotic military draft dodger who inherited his wealth like Donald John Trump to do other than be naturally reckless, intemperate and insecure while tweeting and talking about waging war?
But Corker is only one among 52 Republicans in the Senate. And 35 year old Kim Jong Un has more nation state governing experience than the Trump cabinet and White House combined.
3
Trump has a severe narcissistic personality disorder with sociopathic tendencies and this will not change. The Republicans won't stop clinging to power rather than impeach Trump, even while such phrases involving 'creating WWIII' are on their lips. Will rank and file Republicans ever understand this and face up to it?
3
Corker for President! Sir, keep talking. We need to have ever word you say, spoken out loud, spoken out loud loudly, for everyone to hear. Takes courage. Takes a person who loves his country with the whole of his/her being to risk everything to save it. Where are all the rest of our so-called representatives? Representatives?! Give me a break. Greed sick losers, is my take.
1
“Look, except for a few people, the vast majority of our caucus understands what we’re dealing with here,” he said, adding that “of course they understand the volatility that we’re dealing with and the tremendous amount of work that it takes by people around him to keep him in the middle of the road.”
There is not a word in the English language that carries enough weight to express how disgusting I find this. The GOP has smeared, trashed, and tarnished so many true public servants for far less than the literally hundreds of things this president has done on nearly an hourly basis since being in office.
The GOP members of congress are repugnant. Shame on all you!
5
I thank Sen. Corker for have the guts as Wells's the savvy to speak his mind and tell the truth in public. But he may have failed in his diagnosis of the Ptresident's condition. I fear that Trump, who never learned the first law of holes, namely that when you are in one you should stop digging, now thinks that starting a war is the way to dig himself out of his falling poll numbers and the threats from the Russia Investigations by Mueller and the Senate and the House. Others have tried this before, but never against a country with nuclear weapons. The risk isn't World War III, but mass annhiliation a la Dr Strangelove.
2
He is so right Trump is very unfit to run our country. He needs to be impeached. It to bad he leaving we really do need sane people.
1
From the Goodreads website:
“I have formed a very clear conception of patriotism. I have generally found it thrust into the foreground by some fellow who has something to hide in the background. I have seen a great deal of patriotism; and I have generally found it the last refuge of the scoundrel.”
― G.K. Chesterton
2
It is not enough to talk, Corker and the Senate (if it is true they are mostly in agreement) need to put in motion deliberations to remove this man and his whole corrupt administration from office. He is a threat to our nation and the world. The emperor has no clothes. Until they publicly acknowledge this and act upon it they are all accomplices. Shame shame.
3
Finally, a GOP senator willing to state the obvious and be quite honest while doing so. Now, all we need is the rest of the GOP Congress find a pair and start impeachment on this stain against our democracy.
2
. . . and, while the name calling goes on, Pruitt and Zinke quietly remove protections for our environmental health, deVos brings us Christian madrassas for our education system, and the transition in the federal judiciary toward dominance by those who believe the Constitution supports plutocracy continues . . .
2
corker insulted adult day care facilities, implying that participants are demented and live in chaos--he should apologize--he could have made his point by comparing white house to child care facilities and nobody would have been offended--instead corker insulted elderly and handicapped persons most of whom understand what corker said and what he meant--many people in adult day care are just escaping the hazards of loneliness--so many of your readers state that corkers comparison of the WH with adult day care was "funny"--but I don't think it was funny at all, and I was not amused
Okay, this is the kind of post that Trump supporters love. Humorless and PC and it misses the forest for the trees.
2
Spencer, it sounds like this is a sore subject for you. I offer you sympathy for that, but I also do not think it was meant as an insult to those who need the safety of adult daycare.
1
So what are Corker and other Republicans doing about this unstable man, who can't tell the difference between reality TV and real life and dealth issues and seems itching for war, and disruption? They do have some options, and trading insults, as he propels our country to war with North Korea, Iran to a nuclear bomb, and greater racial hatred aren't very effective.
3
Senator Corker: “As long as there are people like [Mattis, Tillerson, Kelly] around...I think we’ll be fine.” So maybe Trump won’t be allowed to start a nuclear war?!?!? That is not exactly the most comforting perspective to hear from a senior Republican Senator with a “behind the curtain” vantage point.
The Trump Administration- regardless of whether it lasts a full 4 (or heaven help us 8...) years will no doubt go down in US history as a catastrophe on both the foreign and domestic fronts. The level of incompetence and corruption has been staggering (e.g. Flynn, Price, Manafort, Donald Jr., etc.) and even if we through good fortune, circumstance or General Mattis avoid reigniting the Korean War our international reputation is in tatters and will take decades to restore trust with our critical allies, if that’s even possible. I understand that the majority of Trump’s base don’t care about that, and perhaps even relish that prospect. America First, FTW. Great bumper sticker.
Senator Corker: If Trump concerns you, then now is your chance to lead the GOP and remove Trump before you leave office. Please don't stand by the sidelines like all the other Republicans and do nothing. While you have been brave enough to speak the truth, stupid enough to vote for him - now is your chance to show your moral compass and do the right thing by America.
2
“'I know for a fact that every single day at the White House, it’s a situation of trying to contain him,' Mr. Corker said in a telephone interview."
Really, Senator Corker, you waited 8 months to finally put a voice to what many of your Republican colleagues have thought since shortly after Trump was inaugurated? And you only have the courage to speak out after deciding to retire? If you truly feel that this president may take us to the brink of nuclear war, what in the world are you going to do about it other than leave office? You, sir, are a coward.
1
Trump is everything we teach our children not to be. Vain. Greedy. Jealous. Vengeful. Disrespectful. Boastful. Prejudiced. Untruthful.
2
I only hope that Sen Corker has enough pull in the Senate to keep from imposing new sanctions on Iran. New sanctions gives Iran a legitimate way out of the deal which will satisfy the hardliners in Iran and isolate the U.S. from the other signatories to the deal.
This is what we get when an ignorant lying sexual predator birther becomes a minority president.
We get the government we deserve.
3
"...in order to be successful.” How about, "..in order to be taken seriously?"
Corker was the Republican who uses some racist campaign propoganda to win his seat against Harold Ford. He gets no credit just because he's now at odds with Trump. The GOP and its voters shouldn't have put such a hate-filled and stupid man in office in the first place.
1
Even a broken clock... whether you love him or hate him, admire or despise him, he is, unfortunately for our nation, telling the truth. Don't shoot or hail the messenger - pay attention to the message!
clarification: "him" = Senator Corker.
Senator Corker's candid statements (underscoring Mr. Tillerson's alleged comment that "Trump is a moron"), and Trump's childish responses to those comments, continue to demonstrate that, indeed, the White House is, in fact, a (big) kid's playground.
The more Trump opens his mouth, the more he violates my great-grandfather's dictum, "When you speak, your mind is on parade." When Trump speaks, all we get is an incoherent stream of complaints and self-aggrandizement: "I'm so great! Why is everyone picking on me? Why do they refuse to see the world the way I do?"
As the days pass and the ineffectiveness and chaos-driven insanity/incompetence that is the Trump administration is further exposed, one crucial question remains unanswered: If Trump thinks that being president is so trying, and if he genuinely feels so unappreciated, why doesn't he quit?
Trump's refusal to resign (likely because his businesses are raking in so much money) flips on its head Harry Truman's belief that "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Daily, Trump demonstrates instead that he is willing to pull the nation down into the sewer with him.
2
So there it is: A Republican Senator, albeit one with nothing to lose, states flatly that the US President is a liar, ignorant and incompetent about government and politics, and so emotionally unstable that the White House staff spends most of its time and energy keeping him from inflicting disaster on his own presidency, his party, the country and the world. (Given how much mayhem he nevertheless manages to cause, the idea of him acting without such restraint is truly terrifying.)
None of Senator Corker's colleagues has so far refuted his assertion that almost all of them share his profound concerns, but neither have any spoken up to support him, yet.
This is one of democracy's most serious weaknesses: when an extremist movement pushes a country in a predictably destructive direction, fear of being attacked by the extremists prevents those who hold corrective power from acknowledging and acting to avert the obvious peril.
Hopefully, Senator Corker is just the first crack in the Republican dam, but the fact that he waited until he was personally in the clear makes the hope faint at best.
32
Not only is it an "adult day care center," it appears that the generals are running the show. Why are there so many generals? It's like Nero surrounded by the praetorian guard and a complete failure of civil government, as though martial law has happened without even being declared.
3
Mr. Corker, you could do us and the rest of the world a huge favor and start proceedings against Trump. He is unfit.
7
Really? I thought Trump throws a mean roll of paper towels... (sarcasm intended)
1
While it's reassuring that Corker is stating the obvious out loud, I have to wonder why he supported Trump in the first place. All this erratic, unstable, self-centered behavior was on prominent display throughout the campaign. How could he miss it? Why didn't it bother him then?
5
Bob Corker is correct. He's following a moderate path in his two terms in the US Senate and has worked hard to reach across the aisle in the spirit of compromise.
He's also right when he say competence and stability are not words that come to mind when describing the attributed of Mr. Trump.
Oh and a free piece of advice for Mr. Trump. Throw your phone in the Potomac, and stop tweeting. Your tweets may appeal to a tiny fraction of Americans, but they make you look really dumb to the rest of us, and more importantly to the people of the world.
7
Corker and similar Republicans now belatedly afflicted with buyer’s remorse are playing Mary Shelley’s Dr. Victor Frankenstein to the monster he created. When the monster wakes up, breaks free, starts murdering, and ravages the surrounding countryside, only THEN do they begin entertaining second thoughts about the wisdom of what they did. I predict that, in time, Trump VOTERS will undergo the same slow-motion Damascene conversion, albeit perhaps amid the radioactive ashes or the economic chaos of some post-apocalyptic world. Those of us unfortunate enough to survive will have to be content consoling ourselves by cursing the Trump cultists who will be mercifully dead.
1
Donald Trump is the leader of the Republican party. He is the accurate reflection of who and what the Republican party has become. It is certainly understandable that Corker and others want this not to be true or to be less true, (and quickly). The American electorate is not going to be bamboozled by this. The so-called Right shook hands with the devil back before the Bush administration and this latest president involved knee pads and a 'real soft mouth'. Trump is the Republican party. Enjoy your albatross.
4
This is both a huge relief and scarier than anything that's come so far. They all know it: that's good. They've been doing nothing: that's unconscionable. Thank you, Senator Corker, for speaking up. What took you so long? And is there anyone else in the Congress willing to call out the emperor? Or are your colleagues going to continue propping up Crazy while pretending that those of us living fraught, anxious lives as this president bumbles along, are the crazy ones.
4
So much for a self-promoted deal maker who has managed to make so many enemies of our friends in a few short months.
3
A Senator who puts country over party.
While I disagree with many of the senator's positions, he is one of the few republican senators, like McCain, Collins, Murkowski etc. who do this.
This is not a liberal, conservative issue. Trump is a bigoted, rabble rousing, pathological liar, admitted sexual predator, ego maniac demagogue who is unfit for office.
The electoral college did not do their job. One of the reasons Hamilton lobbied for this group was to not vote for a candidate who is unfit for office.
The College failed, it is now time for the Senate (and House) to step up to the plate like Sen Corker did and talk out against the demagogue Trump and start the process of censure and if need be impeachment/trial.
5
So outgoing GOP politicians speak their mind about Trump but the others who are more concerned about their job security cower in fear. Shame on the GOP.
3
Senator Corker is pulling his punches. In 1950 against McCarthyism it took a woman, Margaret Chase Smith, to stand on the Senate floor delivering her "Declaration of Conscience" in which she pulled no punches. Aren't any of today's GOP Senators yet man enough, or woman enough, to declare the obvious?
2
I have no use for politicians of any persuasion. Here is the president clearly wanting nuclear war, and here is a senator quitting because he is about to be primaried all of a sudden becoming 'reasonable'.
I wonder if Donald is going to consult congress at all or precipitate an incident to use an excuse like LBJ did with the Gulf of Tonkin thing.
1
Let's be grateful that Senator Corker and a few other powerful Republicans are willing to publicly acknowledge the obvious truth: Trump's presidency is a matter of containment. His recklessness is not leadership of any kind- it's a heavy burden to be borne, a hinderance to fulfillment of their agenda. Senator Corker's remark comparing the White House to an adult day care center and the implication that Trump is mentally, as well as professionally incompetent is spot on.
We can rest a little easier now that at least a few responsible Republican leaders are willing to reassure the public that most of the GOP elite recognize the fact that Trump has demonstrated such an utter lack of grip on the facts of our shared reality that he must be treated as a dangerous fool. Trump lives in his own solipsistic, self-created and self-validating universe. There is nothing other than Trump in Trump-world- no God, no facts, no humanity to speak of.
Thankfully, elected Republicans in Washington are actually getting better, albeit slowly, at standing up to the mental and spiritual degenerate that is currently is holding us all hostage to his reckless whims. Over the past few months, they have begun to come out from "behind closed doors." Even though I am a registered Democrat, I am more than willing to give credit when it is due to a Republican. Thank you for your reassurance, Senator. Now your task is to encourage your fellow elected Republicans to come out from their own closets.
2
In other words: Trump is unfit as President. In the words of Sen Bob Dole, " I know it, you know it, and the American people know it."
3
Finally! It is about time that a member of the GOP has publicly put country before party. It is a shame that too many of the Republican members of the Senate are too afraid to do the same.
1
Corker, et al, is just one of the side shows to distract us from the facts of the country being undermined by Trump's Cabinet leaders. The State Department, EPA, health and education are being decimated.
3
Trump has become a source of national shame, a complete embarrassment without any redeeming qualities, who is also becoming quite dangerous to the nation, and the world. Trump should simply resign. Even though Pence is rigid and radiantly self righteous, I don't think he's crazy, or likely to start a war because he's in a bad mood.
4
Trump's behavior is a preview, one that America could have done without, if a President went to war with an excitable leader of another country. He makes us feel threatened. A loose cannon and a ticking bomb, the World is watching his antics. The Global Financial Markets are watching as well.
China to put a curb on the leader of North Korea, while here we may be running out of time with Trump. The stupidity and sorrow of it all, let America give him severance leave. Congress to put an end to these damming and dangerous games. Thanking Senator Corker for taking the lead.
2
If, as Mr. Corker says, his concerns about Mr. Trump were shared by nearly every Senate Republican, why aren't they acting to get him out of offic? Are we to assume that most Republican congressmen are cowards? Or afraid to lose their payoffs from various industries.
Trump is an abomination, and dangerous to our very existence by taunting North Korea's unstable leader, and our way of life by encouraging white supremicists, and by revoking all the legislation led by President Obama to make Americans safer and healthier.
6
Senator Corker is no stateman and is cut from the same cloth as the rest of the hypocrite Republicans. He ran racist ads in his first senate election campaign showing his African American opponent with a white woman to win that race. Trump has set the bar so low that any one from Republican Party who calls out Trump's crazy behavior as inappropriate suddenly looks like Winston Churchill. The country needs no such validation from opportunist politicians like Mr. Corker. All concerned citizens of both parties should demand that Donald Trump should be removed from office under 25th Amendment.
2
Can we hold off on the canonization of Bob Corker until he apologizes for voting to take away Health Care from 25,000,000 people and for voting to give the right to politicos from each state to determine whether or not its citizens deserve pre-existing conditions coverage. Then we can begin on the sainthood, thanks just the same.
3
Is the revelation and the courageous stand taken by Senator Bob Corker for America not a good reason to put a term limit of two for every Senator?
It would allow them to ward off the special interest and money men at least in the 2nd term and we as Americans would get some work done for us in the interest of US?
Thank you Senator Corker for shining a light on Senatorial term limit issues.
1
if only corker and other responsible republicans had spoken up a year ago. nothing about donald today is at all different from donald last year, except he has the football. how did it come to this?
3
You may not like the system of super delegates that the Democrats have but electing someone completely unfit to hold the presidential office would never have happened. I didn't like them either and now I'm rethinking my position.
I hate waking up each morning and worrying what else he’s done. It’s not a way for people in a democracy to live.
2
Better late than never. Thank you Senator Corker for speaking openly about the embarrassment to the nation that occupies the White House.
Trump's visit to Puerto Rico was a farce, where he insulted the island, behaved egregiously, and then gave the recovery and himself an A-plus. He's ratcheted up tensions with North Korea, striven to divide the nation over the national anthem, and left us numb with his tweet storms. What next? The nation can't take Donald Trump for a full term. We won't survive 40 more months of Donald. He's a menace to all and a disgrace to the office.
More Republicans need to join Senator Corker, but not just those who've decided to return to private life.
1
Meanwhile, take note of Pence's oh-so-delicate and selective sporting tastes. Careful, he'll walk out if he sees a chance to score brownie points. Be a Donaldite, drink the bathwater, I suppose. No point inviting that sort of guest.
Give me a break. The Clinton/Obama strategy to deal with North Korea was to bribe them into submission. That approach was obviously weak and a big fat failure. This is not a problem of Trump's creation. It is something he inherited from the foolish, extremely weak international policies of his predecessors.
Give me a break, Joe. The Clinton and Obama administrations were not perfect, but to act as if Trump is some innoncent flailing about in the quagmire that is North Korea is ridiculous. North Korea has been a problem for over 60 years; it's not something Obama or Clinton created and that poor, unfortunate Trump now has to clean up.
Trump wanted to be president and therefore he should act the part, and pouring the gasoline of his bombastic immaturity on the flames that are Kim Jong-un's instability is stupid at best and profoundly dangerous to the world at worst.
1
Thank you Mr. Corker for stating the obvious. Now maybe you and some of your colleagues can begin impeachment proceedings against an unfit to govern, willfully ignorant, corrupt, ego-maniac before we get to that point.
1
The overriding problem with Trump is that he is an incessant liar -- no other words will suffice.
Corker and others should state this plainly when refuting Trump.
1
History will not judge us well - It should not take this long to remove a blatant threat to our country. A threat to our constitution.
Amazing how no longer worrying about keeping one's position in the senate allows one to freely speak their mind. More GOP members should try this, it probably feels liberating!
I repeat in this space the need to conduct a complete neurological and psychological evaluation of the president at the soonest date.
His most dangerous behavior is to ignore the advice of qualified advisors for foreign policy. This erratic and impulsive emotionality is most likely to cause an emergency and crisis with an adversary like North Korea.
The Republican leadership must make this determination before we face a nuclear confrontation!
1
Senator Corker seems to suggest Trump is mentally unstable, perhaps some combination of a dangerous narcissistic and anti-social personality that needs to be contained for the sake of the country. He's not the first and certainly won't be the last to do so.
I'm glad he's finally grown enough of a spine to call him out. To the rest of the thinking populace, this is not news. I do not suspect that Coker only recently came to these realizations; if that is the case, he is not fit for public office or any variety of position involving critical thinking and analysis. So, thanks, Coker, for knowingly supporting this lunatic and helping to inflict him on the rest of us.
Pfffft! Clearly, Corker was not paying attention during the campaign when Trump repeatedly demonstrated that he was not fit for the office. Those of us who were paying attention are not surprised by his behavior. Elect a clown, expect a circus.
2
That's what i've been thinking. If Trump attack North Korea Kim Jong-un certainly will attack back. Countries will side with one or the other, forming allies, that's how world wars brew. I guess Trump can't wait to try on his misiles like an anxious kid want to try his news toys ..or two perhaps he wants to be known by the president that started and won the third world war (in his mind he will win, like there's 'winners' on a war world..) months ago out no where he started mentioning the third war world in a series of tweets unrelated with this matters, He was already toying with the idea..May Mueller hurry up, before this man destroy all..!
What would trigger an Article 25 movement? Do we have to wait until he tries to nuke North Korea when we already know that he is unable to deal with reality?
I don't think that Trump knows the difference between truth and lies. He only knows what props his fragile ego up and what threatens it.
1
It is refreshing that a high-level Republican is speaking out but I regret the measured tone. Someone has to stand up and outright say that the president is completely nuts.
1
Would have appreciated his candor when he was actually representing, and could look out for, his constituents.
The scab has finally been pulled off the Republican festering sore. Corker has admitted what not only any even casually interested observer has understood almost from the beginning and now even the unwilling Republican leadership must admit, Trump is an imposter who is incompetent and ignorant in the most basic skills and understanding of governance, government, domestic and foreign affairs, and the legislative process. A man with such crippling inter personal demons to make him mentally unfit and too unstable to be President of the United States. Time for a mental health intervention.
Hats off to Corker regardless of who he voted for.The other Republicans in Congress are so fearful of Trump's power at the polls that they seem like a bunch of quivering 5 year olds, crouching in the corner. from the big, bad 6th grader.The school bully looks at them with his deadly glare to elicit a collective shudder. One scary growl!
But we aren't 5 year olds. We're adult citizens of the greatest country in history.We are being governed by a madman. Trump is a bully and a coward. His purpose is to erase Obama's name from every pact, treaty, agreement, regulation, alliance and accord he has signed. I believe he'd do almost anything to accomplish this.
T is incapable of governing. He is reckless, loves chaos, hates to to anything that requires an output of government money (Opiods?)-like delaying emergency hurricane declarations.He hates immigrants and refugees. They will be a drain on government money.They are not welcome to live in America. Steven Miller wants to forbid relatives from other countries.
But it gets worse. Now he can terrify, not with a tweet, but with a few words. " The calm before the storm." "Only one solution for NKorea." "You''ll see." I'll let you figure it out."These taunts and teases are signs of his rage.He will only get more dangerous.
We cannot wait for Congress.The only people who might be able to talk him into sanity and rationality are the five ex-presidents.I have tweeted them. I don't see any other solution.He needs an intervention
1
This "man" deserves none of the praise and thanks he is receiving in many of these comments. He was part of the Republican criminal action of stealing a Supreme Court justice; he's been happy to be a Republican as long as only dog-whistles were used to accomplish his goals; he supported Trump and helped him get elected; and I'd be willing to bet if Corker had gotten the job he coveted he would be spinning and lying like Tillerson and all the rest. So now that there will be no cost to him politically he wants to put his name down so he can be remembered as being on the right side of history. Thanks for nothing.
28
Given his conduct, I have started to wonder if the current resident of the White House might not be something like a potential mass shooter, someone with a profile we really need to worry about, someone possibly with a crazy death wish for much of the world. If the Russia investigation rains down bad news on him at some point and he feels cornered with nothing to lose, will he risk all of our lives and the whole nation with some crackpot Hail Mary attempt to get out of it and save his own skin? I sound crazy, right? But given his extraordinary conduct, I'm justified to have these concerns.
19
Illinoisians would like to know what our ghost Senator, Tammy Duckworth, (Democrat) thinks of this mess. Immediately after her election last year, she disappeared and may be cowering somewhere in Washington. Who knows? What's the deal Duckworth? Are you working for us or not?
3
That is the same Bob Corker who was an ardent cheerleader for the Iraq War, for more troops in Afghanistan, for arming jihadist in Syria, for arming neo-Nazis in Ukraine ? That Bob Corker?
Judging by the comments here it clearly shows how the 'Left', if there even is such a thing in the US, is grasping at straws when Bob Corker all of a sudden becomes their savior.
What's wrong with you?
Reminds me of HRC praising Henry Kissinger.
The guy is a right-wing, war-loving opportunist who's on his way out of the Senate to a no doubt lucrative job, and is using this opportunity to pretend to have some integrity.
Puh-lease.
14
I think it is a matter of "my enemy's enemy is my friend". Purely situational.
1
"In fact, Corker opposed the Iran deal."
Corker’s INARA turned the Constitution on its head in a manner that ensured the Iran deal’s approval. The senator and his fellow Beltway buddies tried to camouflage this under a byzantine process, at the end of which Congress would inevitably “fail to disapprove” the pact — i.e., rather transparently approve it (and approve it is what they in effect did, no matter their indignation at being called on it).
But ... emails!
2
Senator, did this idea just come to you- where has your brain been over the past couple years?
Anyone who has any sense of history or politics cannot fail to have noted the danger presented by this madman.
Wake up. This isn't a bad dream.
7
Of course Bluster-Baby ought to be removed, and Senator Corker might well have opened the door to that possibility, but whoa, mixed feelings about that here. Pence and Ryan at the helm of the Ship of State? Just think about that.
While Pence would be unlikely to start WWIII, he and that other cruel hypocrite would be even more dangerous on the home front than the Twit-in-Chief, with his goal of imposing his nutsy Sharia and with full support from the Republican Congress to ram through every despicable deregulation and slice-and-dice every program that keeps the poor from abject poverty, just to satisfy the lust of their donors for every nickel out there and thus keep their own cushy sinecures.
If the "good guys"--Tillerson, Mattis, and Kelly--can keep the Whirling-Dervish-in-Chief from spinning completely out of control and three sorta-good Republicans in the Senate can thwart the worst of his vengeful tantrums, we have a kind of tenuous status quo that keeps his outrages and his obvious mental disorder in the public's face right up until mid-terms.
9
Don the Con, the second place finisher by about 3,000,000 votes, sits in the White House and destroys our country.
Why, why, why?
11
The view from within the media bubble...the same bubble that was stunned on election night last November, after having whiffed on the biggest political story of a generation:
"A former mayor of Chattanooga who became wealthy in construction, Mr. Corker, 65, has carved out a reputation over two terms in the Senate as a reliable, but not overly partisan, Republican."
Corker is "...a reliable, but not overly partisan, Republican."
Oh my...you couldn't make it up. The NY Times' "perfect" Republican, Bob Corker. Reliable...BUT NOT overly partisan, lol.
Can the NY Times similarly produce a list of "reliable, but not overly partisan, Democrats"?
I'd love to see that...wouldn't you?
2
"Nearly every Senate Republican" shares Corker's concerns. Half of Hollywood knew about Harvey Weinstein.
And yet.
Crickets.
Qui tacet consentire videtur.
4
This is bananas. The Weinstein accusations are front page news and he was just fired.
You’d think times “readers” would read before posting.
1
Finally someone from the republican party telling irrelevant Trump what an imbecile he is, continuing to lie against all evidence, to satisfy his sick ego...while endangering the country and the world with his big-mouth cheap talk, war his apparent aim, out of thin air and bombast. He must be stopped, not the least by the military, that should know better.
3
Trump is acting like the degenerate buffoon that he was running his businesses. His businesses were gambling where people lose their shirt at the expense of those who own casinos, but Trump went bankrupt owning casinos.
The stakes are much higher now that he is president. His buffoonery and degeneracy must be stopped before he brings on global holocaust, not just from nuking the economy, but from actual nukes that he has been itching to use them blithely asking "how come we can not use them?"
Patriotic Americans should break with party affiliations and unite to defend the United States and indeed defend our planet from the extreme incompetence (or is it evil?) of Donald Trump.
8
Well, the real message here is how gutless the republican leadership is in the Congress. They are standing idly by while the narcissist-in-chief destroys our country, our allies, our values and traditions, all while insulting them. They have a solution which will put the equally bad but less volatile Pence in the WH. They have no backbone to save the country.
8
Corker, hated by the left until he badmouthed Trump. Next week he will be back to hated status. Swamp dweller
2
just because we are happy Corker said it... what was the term again? oh yeah..."like it is" doesn't mean we've embraced his policies, which are still bad.
1
The bad news...
Corker will likely be replaced by reptilian Marsha Blackburn. She's Roy Moore without the "charm".
7
Yes, Blackburn worries me. I know a young woman in her family. The stories I hear portray Marsha as cold-hearted, mean-spirited, and spiteful, not to mention homophobic. We don't need this in TN.
Yes WW3 must be avoided at all cost. Pathetic that we must invoke external war to try to put an end to this administration. The never ending damage done at home is the social equivalent of a neutron bomb. Families and friends torn apart by this sociopath. Women degraded to new lows. Minorities pitted against everyone. Environment returning to the cesspool we worked for years to cleanse and repair. Police who have been making slow awkward steps toward more humane community based policy told to go back to their brutal past. Lastly and most damaging is the Republican parties Pandora's box of hate, mysogyny, stupidity this unfit buffoon has unleashed. People and groups we worked for two generations to overcome now control the levers of government at almost every level.
5
Kim Jung-un's Recklessness Threatens ‘World War III’
1
It takes two to tango. Kim Jung Un was the same before Trump took office. What has made the situation far more dangerous are the insults lobbed by Trump. In Asia "saving face" is far more important than it is here. Are you willing to experience - since none of us on this planet will be an unharmed bystander - nuclear war to preserve Trump's delight in insulting other world leaders?
It is difficult to fathom that anyone who grew up during the Cold War - which twice brought us to the very edge of nuclear war (saved, again, twice by Russians who decided it wasn't wise) - would toy with the idea of using nuclear weapons. Kim Jung-un did not grow up hiding under his school desk. I suspect Trump did, because the rest of us Boomers did. Yet, Trump asked like an idiot why we couldn't use them. Where was he from birth to the fall of the Berlin wall?
1
I'll go further than Corker: There's a mad man in the white house and there is a new book about the madness of king donald to which 27 prominent psychiatrists and psychologists contributed. So why hasn't the NY Times reviewed this book yet?
2
Mr. Corker, why didn't you run for President if you were that good?
Why put the 'North Korea-inspired War' blame on this crazy President when the problem was already there in the past 25 years? Waste more time and we'll all wake-up sooner with a fully nuke-armed stupid Kim Jun Un. He's about to fly another ICBM designed to reach the US mainland. That other crazy North Korean despot must be eradicated ASAP. Kim is the real threat to our national security. Enough with your political drama!
Are you trying to threaten Americans with World War III due to Trump’s recklessness? This generation went to war in Afghanistan, Iraq, et al. Where was World War III? Would you think China and Russia would favor defending North Korea and risk their Billion-dollar business trade with the US? If you were the current Commander in Chief, in the name of National security, what would you do?
This article is either deliberately misleading or a serious err has been done in reporting. The article states that “It began on Sunday morning when Mr. Trump (not President Trump), posting on Twitter, accused Senator Corker of deciding not to run for re-election because he didn’t have the guts.” Any person with the attention span of a human and a Twitter account will recall that the first attack came from Mr. Corker 5 days ago when interviewed by C-Span and asked to comment on Rex Tillerson’s purported use of the word “moron” (a claim that even prominent anti-Trumper Joy Reid had to delete a Tweet linking to an article stating that “it was only heard through the grapevine,” and thus not sufficient to report as fact) to describe President Trump. Senator Corker answered by stating that “ I think Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Mattis and Chief of Staff Kelly are those people that help separate our country from chaos.” Clearly an attack against President Trump’s leadership. This statement was the impetus for President Trumps tweet, a defense against an attack on him. This is stated towards the end of the article, in which the writers state that “...it may have prompted Mr. Trump’s outburst.” This should’ve been a caveat at the beginning of the article.
A simple glimpse of Jonathan Martin’s Twitter TL and Mark Landler’s tweets commenting on links to articles - coupled with the constant addressing of Trump as Mr. and not President, lead me to believe it is deliberately misleading
So that makes it any better? Our president needs to respond to any and all criticism of him? Could you imagine if Obama responded to all the hate speech spewed against him. No, of course not. Only Baby Trump gets to lash out at everyone because he's everything his base is. A bunch of babies.
Thanks to Senator Corker for his decency and integrity in putting the welfare of our country ahead of fealty to a president who's off his rocker.
Obviously Trump is endangering the world with his reckless threats directed at Kim Jong Un. It's frightening every day to look at Trump's latest stupid response to this situation. Trump's a moron who has no judgement whatsoever.
Senator Corkin doesn't even need to bother explaining that Trump repeatedly pressed him to run again as recently as this week. Senator Corker's reputation is such that I believe what he tells us.
Nobody with a brain believes anything Trump says. Trump's a pathological liar. Which is another reason he's unfit to be president - other reasons are that Trump's insane and that Trump's been completely corrupt his entire adult life. Trump shouldn't even have a hamburger franchise, much less be
president.
I hope Senator Corker is right that Kelly, Mattis and Tillerson are able to peel this crazy doofus off the walls. My greatest fear is one day Trump is going to tweet we about to incinerate N. Korea when Kelly, Mattis and Tillerson aren't watching him.
Trump's so unstable and stupid he shouldn't even be allowed to have a phone.
2
Trump's hardcore believers consider WW III to be the Armageddon promised in the Bible and welcome it with fervor.
1
Republicans and their "corporate cash" cronies justify their support of allowing the "baby",Don the Con, to play with nuclear weapons in his "crib"at the White House.........by relying on his adult "babysitters" to keep Donny from " misusing" his "childs" attraction for the "fascinating power" of the nuclear option !
This policy epitomizes the endemic institutionalized opportunistic corruption of politics.........by the Republicans who cling to power,putting the safety of their country and the world at risk by supporting a mentally unbalanced and incompetent POTUS !
1
Seems like the WWIII comment was over the top, but the rest makes perfect sense. That's why Trump and his minions won't listen. I expected every bit of this, surprised the NYT and others just thought Trump couldn't kind enough wackos to staff the government with Trumpians. Well, they were wrong. Another couple years of this wackoness.
Corker and others should just say it -- Mr. Trump is a deranged man.
Corker for President.
mr corker owes apologies for insults to the adult day care center industry and the seniors and the disadvantaged people who go to adult day centers--his pompous attitude toward seniors sharply downgraded my respect for him and he could have made his point saying that the white house reminds him of a child day care center, it is okay to insult children, but it is not okay to insult seniors and disabled people-- he -owes apology to adult day care centers in tennessee such as alexian brothers in chattanooga, raintree in knoxville, centennial or saving grace in nashville--- he can only redeem himself by truly investigating the savings to Medicaid when seniors go to adult day care instead of nursing homes--- he criticizes trump for not realizing worldwide impact of casual tweets, but corker has done the same or worse damage today by showing arrogant callous disregard for the people in adult day care centers who are not morons and deserve respect--mr corker should go to nadsa.org and learn something about senior day care
The republicans like Corker who are not running are stepping up and telling it like it is. Coming out, discovering patriotism. I'm looking for the other republicans to find courage who would really stand out and deserve to be listened to on all matters, but I suspect most of the GOP would put up with Hitler if he gave them the tax cuts for corporations and the top 2%. That's what their donors have paid for and they must deliver to keep up their funding to blast out the attack ads that determine election outcomes.
If only Democrat politicians could think for themselves...
1
Since Corker supported Trump during election and briefly afterward, Corker's comments are likely "too little too late" for most of us. Also, his hidden agenda is a probable run against Trump in 2020....meanwhile back in TN the notorious Marsha Blackburn as announced her run for Corker's Senate seat, and the far right Tennesseans are all drooling over her.
Screaming in TN!!!
2
The only solution to this nightmare is to emasculate the Republican Party and send it to the ash heap of history. The Republican Party is populated by racist and rich white men who are scared of losing their white advantages. It's time for them to go and accept the new reality--whites are in the minority.
2
Deeply appreciate GOP Senator Bob Corker for his willingness to stand up to Trump's power and pettiness, and even moreso for a Senator like Jeff Flake who is standing up to Trump and running for re-election. We need more profiles in courage like Corker, Trump, McCain, Graham... but we also need them to stay in office to act as a check and balance on this ideologically and impulsively mercurial White House.
1
Congratulations to Senator Corker for his courage. How sad is it that the only one in the GOP with the guts to call Trump out can do so because he's not running for re-election. I wish you wouldn't leave, Bob--we need you!
4
I agree with Senator Corker that Trump is treating the presidency as a reality show. I think Trump misses being on a weekly show where he can yell at people and they will grovel to be on the next week for more abuse. Easy job compared to being President and honestly, probably way more fun. Trump is unhappy in his new job and we might all pay the price. How did we get here? Turn on Fox news. I admire Corker for speaking his mind and telling his very conservative constituents that the emperor has no clothes.
4
The amazing competence of Mr Corker is staggering. A republican with integrity, simply stating it as it is brings tears of joy. Fearless in these Alice in Wonderland
times is remarkable.
2
You're just now figuring this out, Senator Corker? That Trump is not stable nor competent enough to be President?
Many of us have known this all along. Weren't you paying attention?
And will be fine?
"As long as "...."? But how long will that people? What happens when people around him are no longer to "you know, calm him down and continue to work with him"?
Well, at least you seem to be ahead of most Republican Congressman, Mr. Corker. "anyone who cares about our nation" apparently doesn't include your Republican colleagues.
5
I once had the opportunity to hear the former president of the Japanese Central Bank speak. When talking about the lack of decisive response to their economic crisis, he said "Whenever there is an option to muddle through, people will muddle through."
I often think about how applicable that is to many areas of life. Our leaders are muddling through the Trump presidency and hoping we'll make it out the other side.
2
Too little, too late, as far as I am concerned.
I believe that those Republicans including Bob Corker who "supported" Trump thought that Trump would be a prop sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office willing to do their bidding without having to do the work. They could give Trump "the credit" and feed his ego when things went well, or have him be a fall guy to take the blame when they failed. How anyone could completely underestimate Trump's ability to act solely for his own interests and ego is beyond me... Trump will fight with anyone over anything - it was all there to see to anyone willing to see it. So it is very convenient that Sen. Corker is choosing to retire, but what are the rest of those who supported Trump going to do about it?
4
Sen Corker and many like him in the Senate, Reps and Dems, are why Trump is so popular and successful, they are obstructionists who are in it for the $175,000/perks, moving the country forward is an incidental as long as people know who they are. They, like the Trump bashers, have not yet come to terms with the fact that the game has changed, fairness, equality and true justice are the operatives in government today. It's not Grampa's twisted rulebook anymore. America is being made great again.
1
"...fairness, equality and true justice are the operatives in government today."
A fake news devotee?
2
"Mr. Corker told reporters that Mr. Tillerson was one of three officials helping to “separate our country from chaos.” Those remarks were repeated on “Fox News Sunday,” which may have prompted Mr. Trump’s outburst."
"In August, after Mr. Trump’s equivocal response to the deadly clashes in Charlottesville, Va., Mr. Corker told reporters 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.”
"He said on Sunday that he had made all those comments deliberately,"
With a supposed close supporter publicly taking issue and rebuking the President what did he and his own backers expect the President to do. The Senate is replete with preening, grandstanding Republicans, actually RINOs, who cannot fulfill their campaign promises and the liberal, progressive media make heroes of them.
Corker is right, as usual, but it would have been more convincing if he had made these comments before pulling out of the race
1
When you see respected Senators talking this way, the writing is on the wall. Trump is on his way out.
1
So, Senator Corker. What are you going to do about this? You hold an extremely powerful role as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Will you use that to put forth legislation that would prevent this president-child from starting WWIII? Your words are appreciated; now your actions are essential.
3
We could only hope that Bob Corker find other disenchanted GOP senators to make common cause and form a unified voting block within the the Senate similar to how the Freedom Caucus operates in the House.
A group that would list out its principles and priorities in terms of how they will work for ALL citizens and not just vote for the far-right ideology currently controlling the Republican party.
Where as the Freedom Caucus has 36 members, a Corker-group needs only three members to hold the upper hand in the Senate. The health care bill was defeated because John McCain, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins said "no".
Imagine if Corker could find just two or three other like minded colleagues that would stick together and vote as one. They would have as much or more power over the trajectory of the Trump administration than the rest of the Republican caucus combined.
2
We need the interest of the people first.
WWIII would only benefit the military-industrial complex, and they have an army of lobbyist inventing benefits for it.
A great recent article showed the millions of dollars the NRA donated to individual politicians, guess which way they will vote.
We need to take some of the insane military budgets and start making peace and the environment a priority. If these funds were used to employ some of the worlds most desperate people, and help them build a future they would be less likely to sign up for all kinds of civil wars etc. How about a clean water and farming initiative. That would be a legacy I would like to leave my children, not another war to further alienate our potential friends around the globe.
2
I have of course been saying and writing about this since Trump took office. Nor should this be seen as an ego driven reaction by Corker. It is the bald face truth- and what is means is that the Trump resistance may not be effective enough, fast enough.
I am not sure what it would take to remove Trump (quickly). But when factoring in the risk of nuclear war and WWIII- the calculus is clearer.
And on WWIII- wars generally start through a series of miscalculations and chain reactions. The path to war is often rapid- and the exit- excruciatingly long. In this case the threat is to more than just one nation- but life on the planet.
3
It is simply astounding to me that Corker, knowing what he now knows about Trump's inability to comprehend and act on the political reality of the presidency, does not regret the support of his candidacy. This simply does not compute. To Corker and the entire GOP, and everyone who voted for this dim-witted charlatan, I say "behold the monster you have created and foisted on the world."
2
"Mr. Trump’s feud with Mr. Corker is particularly perilous given that the president has little margin for error as he tries to pass a landmark overhaul of the tax code ...."
Please Senator Corker, step up on the tax issue as well. We do need an overhaul, but the proposed "overhaul" is more of the same thing: all the money going to the very few. It's well-known that this level of disparity causes economic problems, let alone the injustice of it all.
Not passing the tax legislation would be a Republican victory if it were presented at the real Republicans vs the Trumpists.
2
Well, Sen. Corker is speaking his mind but brave, courageous? Not so much. He has nothing to lose now since he is not running again so what gives? If he was that worried about a WWIII what's he doing about it? I see no profile in courage here. Other GOP Congress members will not follow Corker because there is no 'lead' here. Sen. Corker has told us nothing new about Trump.
Will Sen. Corker vote with or against Trump on Taxes or Iran? He's still a Republican so who can tell.
This is theater for the benefit of? Distraction? Or the media cluelessly following every stupid tweet of the Dotard.
1
Good for the senator. If only he, McCain and my senator Susan Collins (none of whom has anything to lose because they are not coming back to the Senate) would threaten to caucus with the Democrats, Trump's recklessness might be reined in. Or, if Chief Justice Roberts would threaten to resign unless the gerrymandering issue is resolved and every person's vote is counted equally, there might be some hope for democracy in this bruised and confused nation. The dangerously petulant bully who holds the White House might have his wings clipped. I don't think we'll see a 2/3 impeachment vote, though, to say nothing of getting it first through the GOP-dominated House. The aroma of all that money ("tax reform") will prevent that.
2
Oh, sure, he says what he really thinks, now that he isn't running for re-election. Just like all the other "brave" legislators. Lie, lie, lie; toe the Party line while putting IT before Country; betray every moral fiber you ever claimed to have for political gain. Then after quitting, trying to regain some moral high ground. Well, it ain't gonna work. Sen. Corker is part and parcel, bought and (well)paid-for.
1
Thank-you, Senator Corker. My sincere hope is that before Trump flings the world into a nuclear war, other responsible Congressmen and women will find the courage to follow Corker, Glenn, Collins, Murkowski, and the Democrats into acknowledging that we have put the fate of the world into the hands of a madman - and do something about it.
Thank you, Senator Corker, for speaking what is on everyone's mind. Of your many insightful comments, I am most struck by the one that it takes two generals and a top former CEO to keep Trump somewhat under control. What a sad comment about the state of the presidency. Definitely sounds like grounds to utter those famous words: "Your fired!"
1
Finally a Republican senator who has the fortitude to speak out against the ever metastasizing malignancy of this presidency. Where are the rest of his spineless colleagues? Here we have a reality show type who fancies himself and his delusions as the center of the universe, who is speaking and behaving recklessly and indeed could, even inadvertently, cause his all too similar opposite in North Korea to suspect an impending attack, whether a reality or not, from the United States and initiate a cascade of enormously tragic events, including the deaths and injuries of millions, a nuclear winter, and really the end of our own country as we know it. When are these people of little courage and less accomplishment going to realize that this man must be removed from office before he causes irreparable damage?
,” with reckless threats toward other countries that could set the nation “on the path to World War III.”... Is this the "Calm Before the Storm" ? Corker speaks the truth and the rest of the republican congress better realize that unless Trump is removed from office the fate of the world is in peril.
The truly, deeply disturbing aspect to this account is the fact though most Republicans in the Senate and the House share Bob Corker’s views on our Dear Leader’s mental stability, they’re all pretending it poses no threat to our national security.
2
Isn't it amazing how honest politicians become when they don't have another election? Can you even imagine Trump's behavior in a second term with no election on the horizon? His last hurrah? I'd build a bomb shelter.
1
For the sake of this country, when are Republicans going to do something about Trump, et al?
It's about time that US politicians of ALL political persuasions join together in pointing out -- and repudiating -- Trump's dangerous games-playing with our nation's security and world peace! An utter menace to the world order!
3
Senator Corker's condemnation of an obviously unfit President Trump would be much more meaningful if it were not for the fact that Republican pandering to the extreme right, disinformation, and outright lying over the years are what gave us Trump.
2
Bob Corker should be thinking about a presidential run. He is absolutely correct about undermining his own administration - one has to wonder if Trump appointed some of these people to top jobs just so he could humiliate them later.
Senator Corker: Thank you for saying what many of us have been thinking.
1
Looks to me like patriotic Republicans are trying a strategy that is almost guaranteed to work. Insult the President on a daily basis and watch him destroy himself by Tweeting.
I have talked to a number of Trump supporters at my gym. They are adamant that they do not care if we have a nuclear war with North Korea. They actually say "we have to teach them a lesson!" Like children playing with matches who do not care if they burn down the house and kill everyone in it, they, like Trump, have no idea what a nuclear war is and treat this as a reality show they can watch on TV and enjoy the fireworks. Almost to a person avid conspiracy nuts, there is no talking to them. No reasoning. They want a conflagration even though they have no idea what that entails for the planet and our children.
4
Really? and by what means will that benefit mankind?
1
I do not applaud Mr. Corkers efforts. He will not run for reelection like a rat abandoning a sinking ship. The reality for us, is that he is leaving the rest of us on board with one less authoritative voice to counter this mans destruction of our country. "Concerns' is the understatement of the day. Corker's concerns are WAY too little and WAY too late. If he were a true man of integrity, he would stay and fight for impeachment. That at ANY point he supported what we all new was coming and did nothing to prevent it is beyond the pale. The GOP leadership will go down in history as the greedy, sickening representatives of the egregious downfall of our Government and the once proud country that was the USA. The threat to the rest of the world , the pain and suffering caused by his policies and actions including the blood spilled at this man's behest, is squarely on their and their voters hands.
1
Anyone with any brain at all knew this already. I live in terror of nuclear war, a risk that apparently doesn't bother the President, whether because he cannot see consequences to what he does or says or because he doesn't care. He does have grandchildren, so one would think he cares about the continued existence of the human race. Apparently not.
2
Who could have possibly predicted Trump's volatile nature could possibly ignite a new war?
1
So this is what a Republican Senator with a backbone looks like. Very impressive.
Corker said what every member of Congress and the Senate, Republican and Democrat, should have been saying in unison since January. There is no leadership in Washington, only a pile of self-interested and cowardly political hacks. Where are the statesmen(women)? Trump gets called out on nothing. At a minimum, he should have been censured after his NATO and Paris Accord statements. Good god, the United States has given up its global leadership.
2
By speaking as it is...
Senator Corker won my respect.
1
OK, time to take action Mr. Republican senator with power! We are all scared and need your folks to step up! While they have not shown any resolve to stand up for their own party from the start when he attacked John McCain, a real war hero and then every other old school candidate with his trash-talk. We shall see if threatening to dismantle their party from within helps the old school republicans get some resolve and get back to supporting our country now under siege.
2
We have a fool in the Oval Office. His undereducated base doesn't recognize it. The Republicans wear blinders to reality: It doesn't matter that The Donald occasionally does something right (a broken clock is right twice a day). What matters is the enormous damage he does consistently and predictably. Congress needs to join ranks and get rid of this menace to our very survival.
2
Actions speaks more then words! He needs to bring "impeachment" in the Congress' talks.
2
Senator Corker's words “Look, except for a few people, the vast majority of our caucus understands what we’re dealing with here,” he said, adding that “of course they understand the volatility that we’re dealing with and the tremendous amount of work that it takes by people around him to keep him in the middle of the road.” It is time for Republicans who Care to speak out. This is not about the Party we have a man in the whiteHouse that contues to say and tweet things He Knows are not True. This man is unfit for the office and his rants and bluster will take the country down a black hole.
2
Trump, and all of his limitations, were well known prior to Election Day 2016. Corker supported Trump prior to his election. I am less than impressed by his current renunciation. Any adult male who would brag to Billy Bush in the manner in which Donny did demonstrated his unfitness to be a toll attendant on the Jersey Turnpike.
2
Senator Corker must be commended for intentionally making the conversation about Donald Trump's conduct, as unbecoming a leader, and certainly un-presidential.
I sincerely hope his speaking out gives courage to other republicans to speak their mind (and speak to our shared fears) about this childish president. Republicans have been letting this moronic bully bully them.
We need to throw out donald trump, and __Take__Back__Our__Country!
Trump is indeed unfit for any adult leadership role.
2
Even impeachment has its limits...
The VP's shameless antics at yesterday's football game reaffirmed once again that the majority of American voters have no good choice. We have two self-serving corporate-owned bigots occupying the White House.
Too bad the Constitution contains no prescription for removing both of these unqualified buffoons at the same time... But even then, we'd only be left with another aberration: President Ryan.
In the last election cycle, despite voter suppression and Russian meddling, Democratic candidates received more votes than Republican candidates for House seats, Senate seats, and the Presidency. Yet, the system is corrupted to the point that the Democrats control nothing.... And, worse yet, the majority has no legal way to remove this unpopular Republican malignancy from power.
The game is rigged. And those pulling the levers behind the curtain - Wall Street robber barons, mass polluters, war profiteers, big pharma drug lords, etc... are all laughing in unison while they sell America out and cash in.
1
No, the game isn’t rigged. Our electoral system and legislature balances population and geography, and was always intended that way. HRC needed to campaign harder in the swing districts. She completely ignored Michigan and Wisconsin. The Democratic Party cannot ever assume safe states, and that was the failure in this past election. Trump is most certainly a black swan and signal for really bad times ahead. But his win was not due to his campaign brilliance so much as HRC’s failure to campaign where it counts.
I get tired of everybody whining about all of DT’s shortcomings. It’s time to get off our collective derrières and do something about it! A five million wo/men march on Washington. It’s been done before...what’s holding us back??? Mr Bluster?
1
If Tillerson's replacement is John Bolton, we will have a head at every major department who wants to destroy that department (except for Defense)
2
Corker is a prudent, honest man with much courage to tell a foolish , powerful bigot, he is wrong.
1
"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." [Sinclair Lewis]
4
Do we have to wait for war (North Korea), emergency war powers, and a Wilsonian sedition act?
1
The interesting thing is during the primaries Republican reaction to Trump was tepid. Afraid to alienate "the base" and mistakenly believing Trump would fizzle, they allowed Trump to run wild like a bull in a China shop. I am not saying Corker isn't expressing his honest opinions, but it would have helped the nation had he and others spoke out against Trump far earlier.
Where are our heroes in congress? When are they going to do what is necessary to rid us of that stain in the oval office? Will they step up five minutes before the first of many of the world ending bombs go off?
1
A suitable title for the White House published outline of changes for the tax codes is, " Let's Make the Kochs, Trump & All Billionaires More Filthy Rich." And the demands for it's support for passage of Dream Act, Now you
Senator Schumer and Congreewoman Pelosi should gather their charges on the steps of the Capitol
It is really astounding that an early Trump supporter has come to the conclusion that his president is unfit for office. Senator Corker is still hedging though when he makes a statement that he liked Mr. Trump and wished him “no harm.” Trump is no one's friend and will lash out at anyone that gets in his way and Corker should not be playing the I still like you even though I disagree with you game. Hopefully, there is going to come a day when most Republican senators and representatives will start to publicly acknowledge that they are backing an
unqualified president. Rex Tillerson is up close and personal with Trump and he called him a moron. Enough said. Remember, elect a clown president and a circus will follow.
2
Twitter fingers, indeed.
Mere EPHEMera, the twits are nonetheless dangerous.
Senator Corker, thank you.
Before the election of this stuttering buffoon, I thought Republicans were just xenophobic and greedy. Since November, however, my default position has become darker and far more malevolent and when bad things happen in a red state, I think it's their punishment for being a trumpian. I recognize that this is the evil inherent in this old man and his administration seeping into me, but I am powerless against it; all I can do is reflect all the poison back on the idiots who afflicted the rest of us with this monstrosity. It has been impossible to find any reason to like Republicans, and this includes one of my best friends who voted for this imbecile ("I'm Republican!) but refuses to acknowledge how disastrous it is ("They're all the same!") With your pithy and too true comments, you remind us that reasonable people can disagree, that not all republicans are mere dupes to this clown, that there are thinking people on the right. I hope your words help other republicans find the courage to admit their tragic voting mistake and in 2020, we can relieve ourselves of this despicable character.
Corker for President 2020! On the Republican ticket!
Donald Trump is a toxic individual. But it is not enough to just say he is unfit for the office of the President of the United States. He is a real danger to our national security and his position as President must be ended immediately.
As bad as Trump is, I'll take him over Pence as POTUS. Trump's only priority apparently is to be on the front page every day. His stupidity can be contained and will not result in policy. Pence as president would be a successful politician, and leverage Republican control of both houses to bring his own form of devastation to our country.
1
Senator Corker is truly the canary in the cold mine. Trump's bombastic nature only emboldens the warmongers in America's Industrial Military Complex, American Neocons and their desire to invade (no surprises there) Iran on behalf of Israel's extremists who now under Trump are not compelled to dismantle Israel's apartheid system. While Trump's polls and legislative success are truly the worst ever, Trump beats the war drum with his eyes on the polls and Fox Morning News.
How refreshing to hear a Trump cohort finally speak his mind.
Perhaps Melania is the chief nanny-governess.
Clad in one of her prim uniforms, with that grim disapproving expression on her face - she accompanies her charge everywhere.
1
If only Shakespeare were here.......what a play to be written.....how Power,Money,Position,and Duplicitousness ......invade our Governments...should give a lot of writers material.......
The silence of the other members of the republican caucus is equally concerning. The fake president is right about the "guts" thing. All of the republicans are sorely lacking in nerve. They're spineless. Their cowardice is an abdication of responsibility. They will take us to WWIII as much as the bratty, brooding, bad-mouthed boy we stupidly call our president.
1
About time that a republican told the truth
1
To all the republican "leaders" and those who voted for DT - you KNEW the catastrophe you supported, this was NOT a surprise, you made him possible. Thank you for deliriction to your duty as patriots!!!
1
"The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump a must read"! 27 prominent psychiatrists weigh in.
1
"Bob Corker Says Trump’s Recklessness Threatens ‘World War III’"
Sherlock!
Could we please just put a fork in it?
We are done, done, done.
I spent 5 years in federal prison for a marijuana offense. My cellmates were murderers, rapists, armed bank robbers, child molesters, kidnappers...
I never encountered a person as vile and hate-filled as Donald Trump.
Are all these cowardly, silent Republicans ready for the "i" word yet? Doubtful.... Corker, say "impeach," just once, in public...pretty please!!
1
One can only imagine what it is like at the day care center this morning as Kelly tries to restrain The Dotard. This all would be hilarious if it were not so scary and sad!
1
People who speak the truth only when they are leaving office is neither brave nor effective. Maybe it eases his conscience, but it does the rest of us no good.
12
Speaking as a former long-time Republican, I think it is shameful that there are not a lot more Republican politicians that are willing to speak up like Senator Corker has. Senator you are a true patriot, and have my admiration!
Hopefully he will win re-election as a write-in candidate. Now wouldn't that make a statement?
1
Senator Corker should have just came out and said Trump is unfit to serve. That's been clear from the beginning when Trump saw crowds at his inauguration that didn't exist and lied about everything. That was enough for me and Corker should have manned up and said it. Corker is not a deliberate man and his holding back on the truth could actually add to the danger of this president holding the office he now holds. Had he told the nation his real opinion, other Senators like McCain, Collins, Murkowski and likeminded people in government could have said what the nation already knows and the topic of the 25th Amendment could have been discussed in an honest and productive way. Putting party before country is NOT helping, a bad habit Republicans have recently embraced.
So, Mr. Corker, next time tell us the entire truth so something could be done. Tillerson, who I don't really care for did call the president a moron and although he didn't have the spine to admit it, it is extremely telling that these events are even taking place and should be a wakeup call to anyone in government with the sand to admit it. After all, congress isn't doing much anyway, so they may as well save the country from madness. You Republicans are letting only 33% of the nation hijack the government you swore to support and defend from enemies foreign and domestic.
Get busy.
5
Finally, someone with guts! People, enough is enough: Donald Duck will get us all killed if we don't resist together! Congress -- reconsider all those cabinet appointments -- and do it quick! They're all selling us out. Stop talking politics and get with the science and reality. Democrats, you better wake up on Monday morning! And, McCain? Any thoughts on guns? Healthcare? Climate change? Birth control? Sending in the Navy -- check out those aircraft carriers -- the ones that could bring supplies to Puerto Rico NOW! (Don't worry about money, be happy!)
Let's hope that someone doesn't miss their shift on the same day at the adult day care center in North Korea
2
Too little too late?
1
Did the reporter ask Corker whether it was worth unnecessarily putting the world on the brink of nuclear apocalypse for the sake of Neil Gorsuch?
1
Since we have been on the path to WW3 since January 20th, we must find a way to get ourselves off that path. Perhaps Corker could be the "doer"....SOMEBODY has to do it, else we will soon lose our country to to the likes of Trump and Bannon and their owners and handlers. Wake Up, America! The Prez must back down and get sane when it comes to international relations......if there is still time.
It was my understanding that the FBI, Secret Service, etc. all take an oath to protect America against all foes, foreign and DOMESTIC, so why don't they arrest him? Since 45 was clearly going to be in violation of the Emoluments Clause the moment he took his oath I don't understand how Roberts administered that oath, nor that such an oath would be legal, binding, or valid. If you get married and are already married the new oath isn't binding, or legal. How is this different? Which begs the question. Who should be President? Because it appears Pence has serious legal woes of his own.
"...people...around him who are able to talk him down when he gets spun up, you know, calm him down...before a decision gets made..."
Will stop thinking of him as an immature adolescent when they stop handling him like he's an immature adolescent and he stops acting like he's an immature adolescent. Snowballs in Hades...
Senator Corker is spot-on in his description of Trump as a reality star huckster spewing reckless threats that will put us on a path toward World War III. Perhaps that's exactly what we deserve: We elected a psychopath with zero political experience and no understanding of leadership, and we will reap what we sow. We might as well just get on with Armageddon and put us out of our misery. Life under Trump has become virtually intolerable anyway. We have no one to blame but ourselves for allowing a crazed, greedy, psychopathic criminal to assume the presidency.
1
You thought you had it bad before Trump came in, but you truly see how bad things are with this clown in office, Make America Great again by getting rid of Trump.
Thank you, Mr. Corker!
Trump is the most dangerous person on the planet.
Unfortunately, we have given him this power.
Furthermore, no one person should be able to destroy the human race.
We must change our Constitution.
Meanwhile, the military should refuse any orders to use nuclear weapons, and we should withdraw from S. Korea.
So comforting that the biggest threat to our national security lives in the White House.
The republicans will learn the hard way that to align themselves with Donald Trump is to put and end to thier political careers and permanently stain their character. 2018 will be a wake up call to them, but for them it will be too late. Donald Trump is so incompetent as a leader, and so temperamental and immature he is a real danger to our National Security. He has got to get the boot NOW!
Let's just hope Trump's just fighting propaganda with propaganda. They show a picture of their leader with all their military people, we do the same. They show off their weapons in a parade, we do the same. Childs play really but it seems to appeal to the childish dictators and stupid/damaged 45 million American. But that's the Donald.... and that's America in 2017. Have to live with it.
Thank you Senator Corker. The American public & everyone who works with Trump know that every single thing Corker says is true. There's no "news" here, but it's gratifying to hear it from a widely-respected senator.
As Trump and his ilk would say, "have I got a deal for you!" Trump the fool, with the mind of a playground bully or Pence the toady with the conviction of a moth. Not even Bob Miller can save the republic now.
You think Trump's nutty, undisciplined, and dangerous now, wait until the people want to remove him from office.
As for Corker and the rest of the GOP, they're like Tolkein's ents in taking forever to mull and state the obvious.
Much of the recent Republican disaffection with Trump reminds me of Germans who denounced Hitler, only after it became clear that Germany had lost the war and had been utterly destroyed. Too little, too late and too convenient. I'm glad Sen. Corker spoke out, but his timing is that of, as Thomas Paine would say, a "sunshine soldier and summer patriot". If only he and others had spoken out in 2016 when it mattered.
1
Isn't it already time to invoke impeachment proceedings? Republicans in Congress had better follow Corker's lead before the Tweeter-in-Chief gets us into WWIII.
The moronicity of the President is taken as a given. The task of the political elite, who through sheer negligence allowed his election, is now to assure the world that he is safely contained in his crib and that his infantile outbursts are to be safely ignored.
Funny Mr. Corker should so say, and raise concerns about the future of America.
He has no moral standing on the issue. His entire career has been devoted not to the future of America, but to the future of his America that excludes everyone but the southern white christian males he represents. His hatred for Obama was attributable to a rather unsavory vestige of southern history. That the man gets to serve on the foreign relations committee speaks poorly of us. He is of the ilk that swift boated Kerry, attacked Max Cleland for being unpatriotic, and placed pamphlets about McCain's adopted child as an act of unfaithfulness.
Mr. Corker has found religion on his way out; that counts for nothing. Not a thing.
Kalidan
We need republicans to start being and acting like true Americans who care about our country more then there next election. That is what we need. Trump is the worst thing America has ever had to deal with and nobody past this guy has the nerve to say the truth. Shameful. The country should come 1st and it is being thrown under the bus. We should all be outraged. Do the right thing for the right reasons! Enough is Enough!!! So much of my children's future is being destroyed by this state of being. Enough is Enough!
Too bad he and the Republicans who are now bad mouthing Trump in private did not recognize that they were dealing with an ignorant dotard in 2016. Lots of us recognized it long ago. The most pathetic thing about the Republicans is that they thought they could bring Trump to heel so they could pass their miserable plans to further enrich the rich and take health care away from the rest of us. They are a craven lot of grifters and liars and fools. Corker may be speaking out now; he should have seen Trump for what he was a long time ago.
If Trump is a dangerous maniac, what does that make Senator Corker--who supported his run for President? Corker didn't notice before that Trump was a traitor, a crook, and a conman? He knew all these things, but like all the Republicans, he thought he could use Trump to get tax cuts for his rich donors. Sure, Trump is a cobra, creeping around in a day care center--but the Republicans are the men who let it loose in there.
1
As badly and rudely as some highly placed politicians treated President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, I don't recall any of them publicly calling them 'morons' nor opining that the White House had become 'a day-care center.' That those accusations come from members of Trump's own party and cabinet makes them even more cutting.
2
He is the cork in Trump's bottle. A needed stopper.
1
At least someone has the nerve to say " the Emporer, he has no clothes". Every new tweet ( what a terrible means of communication ) just shows us how the White House has become an adult daycare. The problem is, no one is editing what he says....sad. Keep it up Mr Corker.
While not a fan of S. Corker, he earns some credit of bowing to the obvious. However if what he says is true, that white house officials must talk him from the ledge of hot tempered moronic stupidity (my interpretation of his statement, everyday. That almost every republican senator is aware of this in private then it seems to me that we have a case for the 25th. As a progressive, Pence is the second worst person I could want in the white house. At least he won't start WW III.
Trump's Tweets have turned into Taunts.
Taunting feral creatures like Kim Jong is asking for trouble. You never know when they will snap.
1
It's time to remove Trump from office, but then a homophobe takes the office. What's worse WWIII or a rightwing homophobe who believes wedding cakes are something other than a product?
Trump is simply hopeless.
1
Laurels and kudos to Republican Senator Bob Corker for rebuking his President and exposing the lies and treachery and bullying of Donald Trump, which we the American People have endured for years by the`you`re fired!`white supremacist apprentice president. No worries - our unfit and ignorant president won`t pass any major legislative achievements in his first (and last?) year as our 45th commander in chief. We need to `decertify` Donald Trump. The Senate and the House are all whispering about the bonkers and reckless baby-in-chief, the chaos and mayhem in the White House. Let`s hear the shouts out loud!
NYT seems to be seizing on comments of a disgruntled and soon-to-be former employee that suddenly now can be interpreted to support the opposing side. It feels like NYT is pulling the reader around like a dog on a leash. Such 'picking and choosing' of statements from an otherwise questionable source to make a argument, of a non-opinion piece, seems irresponsible to me. These articles should direct the reader to footage of the ENTIRE interview with reporters, as well as the Fox News interview, so that we can determine if this reporter's description is a fair one. With apparently so much at stake, we should be extra careful to avoid being jerked around.
Amen !...finally someone on the Republican side of the Senate with some sense and guts....makes Mickey Mouse McConnell like the wimp that he is....you go for it, Senator Corker....the nation is at one of the most perilous points in history....glad you are where you are at the moment....even if you are not seeking re-election.
I have this feeling Trump is holding America hostage.
At some point, everyone will learn to just ignore the loon in that house. Kaiser Wilhelm was a loon, with weird ideas and clippings he foisted on everyone, expecting to have them followed up on. They never did...things just kept moving on...oh wait...that didn't work out so well did it?
I can't imagine anyone with half a brain, and who has watched Donald Trump pathologically lie since he first started running for President, believes his tweets regarding Bob Corker or many of the other bits of nonsense.
Only the most bind Trump sycophant thinks that Trump is not lying in his tweets regarding Bob Corker.
So, will that be enough to impeach him?
I hope the adults act to remove the President before he starts WWIII!
Tennessee should be extremely proud of their Senator. Its nice to finally see a real man speak the truth of what's going on in OUR White House. Real Men sacrifice for the country. And TN should respect Corkers decision to get out while he can do it with dignity before the "Moron In Chief" disgraces the Republucan Party and OUR Country even further. Its a shame there aren't more real men in the Rep. party. Every fiber in my being became sick, when I woke up that November morn to find that HRC lost. Not because "my" candidate lost (she was not my first choice, she was obviously the most experienced candidate) but because soneone digusting, vile and ignorant won. I was literally scared for my family and my country and my gut instincts have proven me right! I just wish the Republican party could wake up and do the right thing before this dangerous "reality TV person" gets us all killed. As gor Senator Corker, this diehard Democrat would vote for you if she lived in TN. The first Politician to put MY country first in a long time. You Sir are a true Patriot!
8
Republicans do not take the presidency seriously because they don't take government seriously, except as a means to fleece the country. Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer's while in office, W was an idiot frat boy--their feeling is that if you surround the "president" with people who can keep them all at the trough that you have succeeded. They felt they could do that to Trump but he is a different kind of animal; the very crazy and not controllable kind. Plus, Trump only cares about how many scoops of ice cream HE gets, not what they get. Virtually all the Republicans can see he's unfit but, alas, as with gun control, the obvious doesn't get them into action. They are okay with continuing to get their one scoop, the country be damned.
8
All of the Republicans who feel that every day at the WH is a circus to contain Trump, yet do nothing to remove him because they want him to rubberstamp their plans, are evidencing deriliction of duty and should be immediately recalled.
I suspect many of the republicans in congress will be replaced in the next elections by people more like-minded than Trump. The republicans might not realize it, but that is where their base is at currently, and it will remain so as long as economic growth is not strong enough to provide for the many parts of America that the economic recovery has left behind.
6
When does “the base” realize that Trump is robbing them blind? How long will it take for them to see that they’re just mules for the great Trump heist?
Corker comments that Trump's "reckless threats toward other countries could set the nation on the path to WWIII." It may be WWIII or it may be something else, but the fact is that the country cannot continue to be led in such an irrational, uncontrolled, and divisive way without something really bad happening. Corker seems to have woken up to this terrifying reality. It's time that the rest of the country's leadership starts trying to figure out how to stop this really bad thing.
Republicans need to realize that their short term gain (tax cuts, border wall, gutting health care, etc.) is not worth the destruction of our country in the long term. Some may say this is an exaggeration, things are not so dire. But if they wait until a nuclear bomb is dropped, it will be too late.
29
This President should be removed from office. While it is great to hear/read this outpouring of sentiment and to see a leading Republican speak up, where is the action committee? Where is the effort to remove Trump from office? How many of the 1476 current commenters are doing anything to move that ball forward? Michael Moore says that Trump will be re-elected.
18
If Trump survives and is re elected it will be the result of massive voter fraud. Believe me, they already have a plan worked out.
Needing people around him to keep him in check; knowing how volatile he insists on being; realizing that he lives in a permanent Reality Television world; recognizing how thin-skinned he is ...
Wow, not conducive to relaxing with this man in the White House. Way stressed out.
6
Trump is the Wizard of Oz and we're all getting a peak behind the curtain. He's just like the Wizard revealed, moving the controls crazily and booming his bluster and threats via Twitter. The guards all saying "No one can see the Wizard!" Where's Dorothy and Toto when we need them?!
11
I am a native Tennessean. I was particulalry ashamed when then Candidate Corker chose to engage in racist attacks on his democratic rival, Harold Ford Jr. over a decade ago to win his Senate seat.
However, Senator Corker has grown into the job and has shown thoughtful leadership over his tenure in the Senate. He has saved the best for last. With a handful of exceptions, the Republican party has been AWOL in condemning the outlandish, bizarre, and often unconstitutional behavior of Trump. So it is refreshing to see Senator Corker speak truth to power and offer accurate assessments of the President's unfitness for office. The candidate for emperor had no clothes. The emperor remains unclothed. SO let's not pretend otherwise.
GOP leaders who think they can somehow save themselves and their party from greater ruin (Senator Grassley comes to mind) by mealy-mouthed assessments of the Whitehouse will only increase the long-term damage to the Republican brand, such as it is.
We stand behind you, Senator Corker. Don't hold back.
42
Republicans have always been inclined to hatred and anger and always create enemies to focus their followers and win their admiration. It isn't just Trump that is starting World War III. The entire Republican population led by the Congress that enraged them is being worked up into a froth by the abnormally energetic lynch mob rabble rousing leader, Trump. I never thought for a moment that I would see the day when a President was helped into power by a foreign adversary of opposing political principles to destroy our nation from within only to be supported for so long. Corker is correct in stating that Trump's recklessness is risking World War but Corker and the rest of America's Republican population and the Hate filled Congressional Republicans that allow this demagogue to endanger our nation are equally responsible. I cannot view Corkers statement any other way than the shirking of responsibility for helping Trump get power and remain in power. Pleading to this publication to gain atonement is no excuse for Congress allowing this zoo of a Governing administration to continue in power. Corker must go beyond his public expression of concern to act to prevent what he professes.
16
When will congress pull up their big-boy/big-girl pants and ACTUALLY do something? All the "pro-life er's" need to protect the current population before it's too late. They say they stand for "life" yet are not brave enough to take on Trump and save the human race from destruction. What will it take to get some action from our so-called representatives? If you are only thinking about your re-election, possiblity- -consider leaving him in office and we may never have another election cycle. Tyranny anyone? Or Ashes to ashes?
Tuned in people have known this from day one in the Trump campaign - a lightweight, loose cannon, not dealing with a full deck - and access to the nuclear codes. How do you spell nightmare? TRUMP.
Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, holds on one of the most important posts in his party, and the whole government. That this respected and highly accomplished "Republican" is speaking out this way, at this time, has to be taken with the utmost seriousness. Now we will see how many other real patriots there are in the Republican party.
14
If only Corker and his colleagues had the power to do something about it...
5
Yeah! Oh, wait....
They do have that power, don't they?
They do have some power, but they refused to use it. ALL the lies about NOT having met with foreign officials during hearings and in paperwork submitted for the post; should have caused them to negate that person from the post! Forcing Trump to look for someone else.
ALL they care about is tax cuts for themselves and those rich people who pay for their elections.
Wow. Way to go, Bob Corker. Now it's time for some other - make that all of the other - Republican leaders to speak out.
7
Thanks, Corker. Did it honestly take months into Trump's administration to realize that he's dangerously unstable? That he was a liar? All of his faults have been on display since he rode that escalator down and announced his candidacy.
Yet you were a public supporter. You helped pout him in office. You and the rest of the Republican Party-before-country. A pox on all of you.
13
Article 25, article 25, article 25, please. Otherwise the GOP are complicit accomplices to this insanity.
20
Considering that it would supposedly be the third time around just goes to prove it's not the end of the world like everybody makes it out to be. More like tradition than insanity, if there is a difference.
I see this all the time. Even in regular work places. "Yes, we know he's a weak and ineffectual leader. Very aware of it. But we will continue with him and see if he gets better."
No. We shouldn't. Cut the losses.
10
I would think by now that foreign governments would react to Trump the way most of us in the U.S. do, i.e. ignore him since he's likely lying anyway.
7
What I'm afraid of is the Kim Jong-un, who doesn't seem stable himself, will not ignore what Trump says. I'm afraid that Kim will decide that Trump has declared war or that the US military exercises on the Korean Peninsula are an attack and launch a strike. I think Trump is going to stumble us into war. I think Trump wants war because he thinks it will raise his ratings just like bombing an empty Syrian airfield did. I think Trump is too narcissistic to understand that it matters that other people die in the war that he starts. After all, other people don't matter to Trump except as fans.
If the good Senator truly wished to be a countervailing force against Trump & his minions he could change his party allegiance and join the Democrats. That might be just enough to get Sen. Collins of Maine to do likewise before she, too, quits the Senate to run for governor. That would surely demonstrate the seriousness of his opposition and the peril of letting the president run amok.
It would also stop the Republicans dead in their tracks
8
This is what chaos, a deliberate strategy of this administration, looks like. Our foreign policy is in ruins because inconsistent and divorced from the reality that Russia is deliberating destabilizing the world so it can take back its empire. absent reality. Turk, a critical ally, is becoming an authoritarian dictatorship, moving closer to Russia and has taken hostages to compel us to extradite someone they want for false crimes. Saudi Arabia, another critical ally, is also moving closer to Russian, buying Russian weapons and yet we continue to sell them our most advanced defense systems which they will no doubt turn over. Finally, Russia is now providing internet access to North Korea in case China cuts them off as part of a broader effort to contain their nuclear weapons. Decade of hard work are being squandered. And the Republicans think Democrats are soft on defense?
8
The fact that only those elected Republicans who won't or can't run for re-election are speaking out, shows how utterly corrupt the GOP has become.
As others have already pointed out here, a president who corresponds to the description that Corker is giving, should be immediately impeached by his own party.
Putting party before country when we're talking about nothing less than WWIII and even the risk of a full-fledged nuclear war has now become reality, is not a matter of politics anymore, it's pure treason. There's no other word for it.
Today, Trump and the GOP are putting America LAST.
There are no longer patriots in the GOP, and if you cannot be a patriot, you cannot possibly be a conservative, period.
12
While it's heartening to see a politician's views evolve, especially a GOP member, it's also hard to forget that Corker was an early Trump supporter. You reap what you sow.
10
Trump, is the Republican's Vietnam. They know it is a costly no win situation: but can't figure out how to get out. According to Ken Burns, there were something like 46 dead in 1963 by 1973 there were 56,000 dead. Today, with Trump it is like 1963, let's not let this go on for there will be many many millions of dead with the same lament "for no good reason". It will be said by those who envy the mountains of dead, that it didn't have to be this way.
10
Republicans, note to selves. You can still hold power, this is an opportunity!
1.) Impeach (and jail) Trump
2.) Acknowledge that the whole Trump term and your support was a mistake
3.) Work across party lines to fix all trump has ruined. Fix health care, in a bi-partisan manner.
The democrats still can't find a message other than look at what trump is doing. And that will be enough. But if you get him out of there, and then work towards solutions, who knows. If you leave Trump in, and if we as a world survive (big if) then surely you will lose your power and prominence for the foreseeable future.
7
Wow! Senator Bob Corker is our hero!
May God bless him and protect him as he works to save us from a certain doom under Trump!
5
It's regrettable that partisan politics seems always to skirt the truth. In Senator Corker's case, who is closing his political career, this is no longer an impediment to speaking the facts as they apply to the president. Trump, thin-skinned and puerile in his approach to governing, continues to voice his unhappiness in twitter storms of lies and misdirection. Most worrying for the nation is his repeated saber- rattling. This from a man who avoided serving his country, under the pretext of a physical disability, which also turned out to be another Trump lie.
11
This NPR interview is especially chilling. (Be afraid, very afraid):
"President Trump, like every president before him, has sole authority over the use of nuclear weapons. He can ask for advice, but the decision is his alone. "
http://www.npr.org/2017/10/03/555266383/why-president-trump-has-exclusiv...
8
Mr. Corker has shown his ability over time to develop a sophisticated understanding of foreign policy. Now Mr. Corker has shown courage and a willingness to call a spade a spade. It will be a great loss to the country if he does not run again unless he participates in another fashion. Corker for President.
3
"I think we'll be fine."
I think we'll be fine?!! What part of that makes sense or makes me feel safer? Alone with his Twitter account in the middle of the night, he is the most dangerous man on earth.
Senator Corker, I appreciate your taking a stand but you've pulled your punch. So much can go wrong as trump moves along in the dismantling of our country. I feel time is running out to stop this train wreck. I don't "think we'll be fine" at all.
1
Ah well, I guess better late than never. Politics does make strange bedfellows.
1
Trump is not president of the United States. He is figurehead to those who attend his rallies, the president of his base. He certainly isn't my president. He doesn't need Corker to get his policies passed because he has no idea what a policy is and how it might affect people, business, health care, economics, our allies, or our adversaries. I don't know how else to say it, but we have a ego-maniacal fool occupying the White House. Everyday, he makes me ashamed when I remember he is president. Can't something be done to stop this insanity?
5
The founding fathers foresaw that a demagogue like Trump might run for president. They set up several checks, all of which have failed so far. The electors of the Electoral College were supposed to exercise independent judgment to stop somebody like Trump. (State laws attempting to restrict electors are unconstitutional and void because electors are federal officials exercising a constitutional power when voting as electors.) The electors of the Electoral College failed. The impeachment process is also supposed to remove a president like Trump. So far, the Republicans have failed to exercise it even though they control both houses and must know that Trump is incompetent and probably criminal. The 25th amendment is also relevant here as Trump is also clearly psychologically unfit for the office.
1
All fine and good that finally a lone Republican of influence (or maybe two if you count Tillerson) has the necessary physiology to go public. Shame on the 39% of GOP self-identifiers who continue to support the madman in the White House. Perhaps they should go on a vacation to South Korea so that they can enjoy the result of the "plan" that the pres will (wink, wink) announce soon. Our greatest threat lives in a house owned by our citizens. It is time to evict him and put him in a safe place where he can't do harm to himself and others. Give him closed circuit TV, a camera and a microphone so that he can broadcast his alternative truths.
3
For many of the religious right, this is not a bug, but a feature.
1
Too little, too late.
Most of these comments are asking for the republican congress to stand up and do something that they cannot do because they are so afraid of their next elections.... it really must be Mr Mueller who takes charge... the lap dog pence is also unfit for the job... this goes deep and we need Muller
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Trump increasing the risk of WWIII should be the focus of the article instead of political bickering. How about exploring existential aspects of Senator Corker's comments first?
Why is it that only a lame duck Senator is able to call a spade a spade? Will the rest of the Repubs who agree with Corker speak out now that he has opened the gates? I doubt it. Why? Preservation of their positions, power, and public personas trumps their commitment to public service for the good of the Country.
And so, Trump continues to betrump the gullible and ignorant among us.
2
World War III rhetoric—
Is more than a bit alarmist, especially calling it WORLD war, and is a slingshot back from Corker. We are not the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the early 1900s, nor are we Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
BUT we do have an erratic unstable completely unfit individual in the office of president.
The wheels are moving to correct this anomaly, to which I add:
O Mueller, miller,
Grind swift and sure,
That Trump be debunked,
And good endure.
1
Come on the rest of you Republicans, speak truth to power on behalf of the powerless!
1
WW III. I agree. Do something about it, get your colleagues to impeach him.
1
Finally a Republican who stands up against this president!
Trump should be removed from office. Since he prevailed b collaborating with Russia, the 2016 election should be awarded to Hillary Clinton.
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Why? Because it's her turn? Or do you just want to restart the Civil War? If there was interference by the Russians you have no idea how the election would have gone without it.
It's my belief that Trump will attack North Korea by air with conventional bombs. North Korea will then quickly send a half million man Army south and capture Seoul, South Korea with 72 hours. A million deaths will occur, including a hundred thousand American in SK. Trump will then order a massive land invasion of SK in order to re-take Seoul. Tens of thousands of American soldiers will be killed. At least one aircraft carrier and a submarine will be sunk. China will eventually come to the aid of North Korea. The Second Korean War will ensue. We will push back North Korea to the demilitarized zone. Trump will be impeached for utter incompetence as he continues to play golf and tweet about idiotic things.
It's time to stop playing with Trump and his base and put a stop to their idiotic buffoonery and dangerous warmongering. Both these factions represent a real danger to the world and should not be tolerated. That the GOP continues to back away from rational action in the face of an irrational situation and the Democrats cannot find it in themselves to fast take action the time is fast approaching when measures like national strikes and more will be necessary.
NUCLEAR WAR IS NOT ON THE TABLE.
Whether the feared WW3 turns out to be a reality or not, but the way Trump is abusing and insulting others, he's bound to push the Republican party to the brink where it is really at war with itself.
1
The lies Trump told about Corker is vintage behavior for him. He anticipates shameful or embarrassing revelations about himself by preemptively lying--or accusing his opponent of doing the very thing he's guilty of. He blurts out the things he's most ashamed of doing. Pursued so compulsively and aggressively this is deeply abnormal behavior.
1
GOP Senators are souring on Trump but that will not hasten any impeachment as it is the House that must start the process. So far there is no sign that House Republicans see Trump as too dangerous to remain in office, rather the majority continue to say he is doing a fine job in the face of all evidence to the contrary.
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Did you see the 60 minutes segment on how The Con Don's social media "guru" stole the election for them? Chilling. Please watch and send this viral. This is how Steve Bannon and the other Robber Barons plan to try to take over OUR governments. Scamming unsuspecting voters who don't know any better with mind games. WE THE PEOPLE must stop them.
https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/secret-weapon/
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How many Republicans will follow Senator Corker's lead and speak out? I'd guess very few. Why? Why such cowardice? Money? Ego? Power? It can't be the willful ignorance that I see here in the hinterlands of the USA. Republicans in Congress interact with Trump & his minions every week, so they have to know how dangerous he is for the country but they say nothing. Apparently, they don't care. How can any of us conclude anything else?
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Senator Corker, please initiate impeach proceedings and save the the country and the world.
Only the House can bring a Bill of Impeachment.
Mr. Corker, one of the few decent republicans, has stated the facts about that person in the White House and his cohorts. Now bring on the straight jackets and the duct tape. He ( t ) keeps having mental breakdowns and of course is unfit to hold any office. Moving on, how dare pence waste the taxpayers money on a PR stunt. Of course the other one has wasted more of the taxpayers money than any other president by dashing off to his golf course in NJ every weekend and then in the winter down to FL. For his info, Camp David has a golf course that suited other Presidents very well. All this wasted money could be better spent on more important issues. Think of infrastructure. Every morning we hear about his idiotic tweets that are so dangerous. We must get rid of him. This is not a one man TV show.
1
Yes, Trump is a pathological liar, unfit for office, amoral, utterly unqualified, and incapable of controlling his impulses. But I'm sorry, how was any of this a secret? It was as plain as the nose on my face (and it's a heckuva schnoz) back when Trump burst onto the political scene as a "birther." I do not believe anyone who claims to be surprised now.
Corker was completely fine with putting a man like this in charge of the country if it meant getting things he wanted. He's only upset now because he thought he would be making out on the deal and that it would be other Americans, not him, getting hurt. The honestly might feel refreshing, but this isn't an innocent child pointing out that the Emperor has no clothes. This is a heist gone south and an accomplice turning State's witness.
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Every day I keep thinking I'm watching Biff Tannon in "Back To The Future,"
in the political news. Then I realize it's not true... Biff Tannon is a lot smarter than Donald Trump.
4
Enough of the stone-throwing. It's time for the Congress to move on to the 25th Amendment or the impeachment process to remove this dangerous, unfit-for-duty person in the White House. Lead the way, Senator Corker!
1
I think Mr. Corker is right. It is horrible that a bully on the other side of the country can make so many people scared and uneasy.
So this good Republican soldier supported Trump's campaign but just discovered his character ...
3
Bob Corker is becoming a good argument for term limits. Freed from the shackles of a re-election campaign, he's grown a backbone.
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Republican mud wrestling. I love it. Honestly, I know very little about Corker. But compared to Trump, I’ll take him.
America has jumped the shark. Were Trump to drop dead tomorrow, the poorly educated whom he and apparently Mike Pence both love — and who represent a massive failure of our public education system — would still be a deranged and destabilizing force along with Fox, Limbaugh and Bannon, et.al. Plus almost the entire Republican Party who've been more than happy to enable to Trump but who are clearly incapable of legislating let alone governing.
H.sapiens' big brain clearly ain't what it's cracked up to be, and our evolutionary tribalism, territoriality, xenophobia, and penchant for religious myth will ultimately outweigh our evolutionary empathy and sense of fairness and sharing.
There's no safe exit or soft landing from what America has become.
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