A GOP senator's remarkable admission about Trump and Mueller

[DonViejo]

By Greg Sargent March 21 at 10:13 AM

President Trump just uncorked a new round of Twitter attacks this morning on special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and on the English language, quoting one of his staunchest legal allies as follows: “I think President Trump was right when he said there never should have been a Special Council appointed because there was no probable cause for believing that there was any crime, collusion or otherwise, or obstruction of justice!”

Yet Republicans appear increasingly dug into their position. Their stance is that of course Mueller should be allowed to finish his investigation, but they will not act legislatively to protect the probe, because this is not at all necessary, as Trump would never dream of taking action against it, since he would face severe consequences that Republicans will not enunciate in advance. But a Republican lawmaker has just given away the real game behind this carefully crafted straddle. Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.) was pressed by the Washington Examiner on why Republicans are hesitant to protect Mueller, and this is what happened:

Republicans in Congress are hesitant to antagonize President Trump ahead of ahead of difficult midterm elections, wary of sparking a backlash from a committed grassroots base more loyal to the White House.

Amid sky-high Democratic enthusiasm and a developing “blue wave,” Republicans can’t afford a war with Trump that depresses GOP turnout. Republicans might be worried about Trump’s attacks on special counsel Robert Mueller, but they are reluctant to push back, much less support legislation to curtail the president’s ability to fire Mueller and sideline the federal probe …

“The president is, as you know — you’ve seen his numbers among the Republican base — it’s very strong. It’s more than strong, it’s tribal in nature,” said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who decided to retire when his second term concludes at year’s end, after periodically sparring with Trump.

“People who tell me, who are out on trail, say, look, people don’t ask about issues anymore. They don’t care about issues. They want to know if you’re with Trump or not,” Corker added.

This is a candid glimpse from a leading GOP lawmaker into what’s really driving the Republican straddle on Mueller. As I’ve noted, Trump’s attacks on Mueller are putting Republicans in a tough spot. The educated swing voters who are driving the Democratic anti-Trump resurgence support the Mueller probe and may vote to oust Republicans who won’t check Trump’s excesses. But Trump’s attacks probably rally GOP base voters, large percentages of whom see the Mueller probe as a witch hunt, making it harder for GOP lawmakers to protect that investigation.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/03/21/a-gop-senators-remarkable-admission-about-trump-and-mueller/?utm_term=.e5d5e7fe7bcd

[blake2012]

1. Shorter: the Republicans are cowards

We already knew that.

The question is why Corker, Hatch, Flake, and many GOP not running for re-election aren’t banding together in an organized fashion to promote activities to slow down or stop Trump or introduce legislation that Dems can co sponsor or back which protects Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation.

Just so many words.

[Blecht]

2. This needs to be repeated even if we already knew it

Republicans are cowards.

[dchill]

3. +1000! Indeed.

[Va Lefty]

6. Not only cowards but guilty of violating their oath of office!

[tblue37]

11. They could go I and caucus with the Dems, but they support everything the

GOP is using iDJiT to ram through, so their main concern is that Trump is embarrassing, not that he doesn't work for their goals. He just turned their dogwhistles into trumpet blasts that are harder to disguises and deny.

[MyOwnPeace]

12. As you stated, Blake...............

"The question is why Corker, Hatch, Flake, and many GOP not running for re-election aren’t banding together......."

They still have to protect their own a$$es for when they go "job hunting" when they retire - or opt to run for something else later on. They can't "offend" the base, nor can they afford to offend the party powers should they need them later on.

Another clue: Watch what the DO, not what they SAY - they're still VOTING the party line - tax cuts, destroying regulations meant to protect the 99% (banking, EPA, health care).

No matter what they claim, they're all FRAUDS, HYPOCRITES, and LIARS!!!!!!

[Stuart G]

18. About "banding together" perhaps..just perhaps...it isn't the correct time.

Maybe in the summer that will happen. I believe there have been talks about this already. Timing is everything in politics. Perhaps we will see that in late summer. Enough time before the election to make a stance, and yet not going to war with Trump till later. As November approaches there maybe some who do just that.

[exboyfil]

27. Just two GOP Senators caucusing with the Democrats

would mean a full and uninterrupted Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees investigation of Trump.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. That being said, perhaps

after the Mid-term Elections and a major across-the-board loss, perhaps republican support for Mueller and/or impeachment could be entertained as a means of getting better ratings.

[onecaliberal]

5. We need to completely decimate them, send them back to the rock from which they emerged.

[BSdetect]

8. I'd prefer to eradicate them but decimation will probably do.

Think I'm being harsh? Tough.

[onecaliberal]

9. Nope, I'd be really good with that too.

[central scrutinizer]

15. Decimate literally means take out one in ten

Not enough by a wide margin

[BSdetect]

19. But in the vernacular most people assume its eradication.

[CrispyQ]

7. They can't win without his base.

Besides, they're getting what they want - tax cuts, shredding the safety net, & possible one-party rule.

[Kirk Lover]

10. Sometimes you just have to do what is right....and that is what David Jolly said encouraging

other R's to do WHAT IS RIGHT..and to not worry about their jobs because "the water is just fine out here".

So yes they are cowards...scared of the deplorable base that they have been a party to cultivating.

[MyOwnPeace]

13. Correct, Kirk!

What they are doing is what "the party" needs - not "what is right!"

It's a sellout to their oath of office...........

[Kirk Lover]

14. The just desserts will be them losing their seat anyway. So then they could look back in

hindsight and say damn I should of done the right thing....but it will be too late because History already recorded that chapter. And sellout is right!!!

[MyOwnPeace]

16. Hopefully...........

in their "retirement" years they will have to live with the "should have / could have" dilemma and lose countless nights of sleep from it.




HA! I crack me up!

Those pigs will not lose a single second of sleep - they would need a conscience to entertain that dilemma - and they have none!

[spanone]

17. At ALL costs...Keep your job.

there are very few politicians who have ideals or even ideas.

it's a huge broken system.

[louis-t]

20. Repugs know it's more dangerous to get rid of Mueller.

When Mueller is finished, and all of the indictments are out, they will start a campaign of screaming about how it's an 'unfair, tainted, partisan witch hunt'.
The base will believe them.

[wiggs]

21. They are silent because they think they can get away with it all. nt

[MyOwnPeace]

25. I think..........

you have a good argument towards that - they can handle the short-term grief (what there is of that - more from the opposition than the followers) because they know that they'll never go down.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

22. not "tribal", it's a cult

TrumPutin and the Government Of Putin are all about greed and power.
TrumPutin supporters are just a cult -- their minds have been taken over by the propaganda machine the GOP has been relying on for decades.

There may be hope for some of those who voted for TrumPutin and now regret it, but I'm not about to waste time on them. Dismantling the cult and ending voter disenfranchisement are much more important.

[world wide wally]

23. To those who say we can't make this election just about Trump:

They don’t care about issues. They want to know if you’re with Trump or not,” Corker added.

Now, if every Democratic candidate clarifies that they are completely against Trump in the opening sentence of every speech they give, then they can go on and talk about issues all day. But, like it or not, It iS all about Trump.
At least right now it is.

[LiberalLovinLug]

24. A frightening quote

"“People who tell me, who are out on trail, say, look, people don’t ask about issues anymore. They don’t care about issues. They want to know if you’re with Trump or not,” Corker added."

When people care more about the survival of their chosen authoritarian leader than they do about the actual issues that affect their lives and if that said leader is even addressing their concerns. Cult of personality to the max.

[MyOwnPeace]

26. And again............

isn't THAT a scary thought. Kinda' like the thing we see here so often: "Why do you continually vote against your own self-interests?"

Sheeple - all of them.

[Pluvious]

28. We wonder no longer how it came to be that Good Germans supported Hitler...

Now how can we deprogram the Foxed-brainwashed 40% ?

[MyOwnPeace]

29. Don't know

that we ever can!

THAT is why "GET OUT THE VOTE" is so important - now, more than ever!!!

[Lucinda]

30. I just sort of skimmed and read the Corker quote and my first impulse is that he is positing hinself

away from Trumpy with this...

I might feel differently when I am able to read it in full though.
I've lived in TN a while now, and Corker is very pointed when he speaks...