MEMPHIS, Tenn. — He was once on the long list for vice president and the much shorter list to be Secretary of State.
Now U.S. Sen. Bob Corker is persona non grata after the Republican from Tennessee spent the weekend engaged in a social media battle with President Donald Trump.
And Corker is once again questioning the president’s diplomacy and temperament.
It started Sunday morning with a Twitter battle over Senator Bob Corker’s decision not to run for re-election.
The president said his refusal to endorse Corker was the reason. Then, he said the senator didn’t have the guts to do it.
Corker, whose office says the president did offer to endorse him, fired back, tweeting the White House has become “an adult daycare” and someone “missed their shift.”
Appearing to continue that narrative, Corker later told the New York times that President Trump`s reckless threats towards other countries could set the nation on the path to World War III.
“The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability, nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful,” Corker said.
Indeed, a number of Republicans and Democrats either partially or fully agree with Sen. Corker’s comments.
“The president is out of control,” said Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis. “He’s an unstable human being and he’s in charge of our government and our defense.”
Shelby County’s Democratic Party chairman agrees that many of President Trump’s comments may be inappropriate, but doesn`t think any of the ones he`s made so far will lead to World War III.
And in a statement Monday, Corker`s fellow Tennessee senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican, called Corker a “terrific senator,” adding he’s “disappointed Corker decided not to seek re-election.”