The Republican Party has become the party of bold words and cowardly actions. They’re all too happy to hem and haw over Trump’s latest impropriety or blunder, but when the time comes to vote against him they invariably toe the party line.
Even more importantly, they refuse to even discuss the possibility of impeachment despite repeated demonstrations that Trump is unfit for office. This week’s Twitter threat of nuclear war should have shaken them all awake, but instead, they continue to stick their heads in the sand.
None have been more vocal in opposing Trump than Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). The two had a much-publicized feud on Twitter in October. The president singled out Corker:
Senator Bob Corker "begged" me to endorse him for re-election in Tennessee. I said "NO" and he dropped out (said he could not win without…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
..my endorsement). He also wanted to be Secretary of State, I said "NO THANKS." He is also largely responsible for the horrendous Iran Deal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
…Hence, I would fully expect Corker to be a negative voice and stand in the way of our great agenda. Didn't have the guts to run!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
Corker shot back with a now-infamous burn:
It's a shame the White House has become an adult day care center. Someone obviously missed their shift this morning.
— Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) October 8, 2017
Around the same time, a bombshell interview Corker did with The New York Times was released, in which the Senator warned that Trump could be leading the planet down the path to World War III. Trump responded in kind:
The Failing @nytimes set Liddle' Bob Corker up by recording his conversation. Was made to sound a fool, and that's what I am dealing with!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2017
But the feud wasn’t done there:
Isn't it sad that lightweight Senator Bob Corker, who couldn't get re-elected in the Great State of Tennessee, will now fight Tax Cuts plus!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 24, 2017
Same untruths from an utterly untruthful president. #AlertTheDaycareStaff
— Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) October 24, 2017
One would expect the spat to completely sour relations between the two, but despite their animosity, Corker ended up voting in line with the rest of the Republican Party in support of Trump’s regressive tax bill, giving massive tax cuts to the super-rich and saddling the middle class with tax hikes in the long run. Corker gave excuses for his vote and didn’t retract his criticisms of the president.
Now, Corker — who has announced he won’t be running for reelection in 2018 — has apparently decided to swallow the last scraps of his dignity.
ABC News reports that Corker will be joining President Trump on Air Force One to travel to Nashville on Monday, where he will attend a meeting with the president. The two men who publicly bashed each other just months ago will be spending time cozying up to together in the friendly skies.
NEW: Sen. Bob Corker will be traveling with Pres. Trump to Nasvhille Monday aboard Air Force One; the two will attend the Farm Bureau's annual meeting, Corker's office says. –@MKhan47
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 5, 2018
It’s a stark reminder that while Trump and his Republican critics might disagree in language and style, they essentially agree in substance. It’s why most of the GOP continues to provide cover for a clearly incompetent, ignorant, malicious president.
They know he will rubberstamp whatever toxic legislation they slap on his desk and support their broader agenda. Corker wanted to give the appearance of the opposing Trump, but at the end of the day, he’s just another willing Republican stooge. Shame on him.
