Developing…
Tennessee Senator Bob Corker has become the first U.S. Senator to question Donald Trump’s competence or, put differently, to implicitly ask if the President is mentally fit to serve.
To be clear, it’s just a matter of time before more lawmakers begin to ask if Trump is in full possession of his faculties and the evidence seems to suggest he is not.
You can watch the video here.
And for those who want to cut to the chase, here are the important bullet points:
- “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, and we need for him to be successful
- “He also recently has not demonstrated that he understands the character of this nation. He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today.”
- With the polarization in country, “We should hope that he aspires, that he does some self-reflection, that he does what is necessary to demonstrate stability, to demonstrate competence, to demonstrate that he understands the character of our nation”
- Corker warns nation “is going to go through great peril” otherwise, says there need to be some “radical changes” at the White House
- “It has to happen”
- Says on Charlottesville, Va., violence, president has not “appropriately spoken to the nation on this issue”
- Corker says Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. “is one of the finest human beings I’ve ever met” and the “White House would be well served to embrace the character and the substance of someone like Sen. Flake”
Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017
- Separately, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., tells Vice News that Trump’s “moral authority is compromised”
Question: wasn’t Corker at a time a big Trump supporter? I might be confusing him with someone else. If not, this is a big about-face for one of his sycophants. Time for others in the GOP to show similar backbone.
I stopped being lazy and did some searching of The Google. Looks like Corker was definitely all-in on Trump around a year ago. Looks like he was considered a potential running mate. Verbal sparring aside, these guys need to actually take action.
I do not think that this is the first. The GOP has not been in lock step with Trump from the get go.
Corker may be the most explicit so far. But I would not call him the first Senator to question Trump.
Not sure but my guess is no. In my state, Rob Portman, OH, rode Trump’s coattails and even became an anti-trade agreement candidate but never, ever mentioned his name, good or bad. What a joke. I’m retired, don’t really have the proverbial “pot to piss in,” but I do have time (lol, well not a lot). Next time, I just may travel the southern counties, knocking on doors. I’ll just ask one, simple question: what has the GOP ever done for the average American? Conversation will be interesting.
DAN, wrong – conversation would be short – one word response – ‘nothing’. Need a road warrior passenger? If you are passing thru Texas, pick me up.
– Murphy
Corker is a conservative Republican with a track record of comporting himself in accordance with cogent and right thinking men of his ilk. He’s a serious man when it comes to duty and country. Although he’s not be my cup of tea, he knows how to use language cogently and precisely. I’ve seen him conduct hearings on C-Span as chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and he’s got a sharp mind. So when he uses the words he chose he meant those words to precise. He wasn’t being being buttonholed by a reporter as he was running down a hallway while he was blurting out a short curt comment. This was an extended interview with a theme. He had contemplated and reflected long and hard upon it before he said exactly what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it. Read H’s bullet points and then go watch that video because, IMHO, it’s the most powerful statement yet from any Republican on Trump’s failure as President and the reasons why. Although Corker calls upon Trump to make effort to meet the challenge of being President, it’s obvious Corker knows it’s not possible.