SAY THE DISGRACED PRODUCER BEGGED FOR A SECOND CHANCE
BEFORE HE WAS FIRED. WE CAN GO BACK TO BOB CORKER
VERSUS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE YEARS, WE'VE HEARD OF A COMING CIVIL
WAR WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FROM DEMOCRATS, FROM A LOT OF
THEIR DETRACTORS AND THE MEDIA AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PHONY
WAR. BUT THE WAR IS NOT PHONY
ANYMORE. BOB CORKER VERSUS DONALD TRUMP.
IT IS COMPLETELY OUT THERE IN THE OPEN, BUT YOU LOOK AT THE
OTHER SENATORS, TOO, THAT FIND THEMSELVES IN THAT POSITION,
WHETHER IT'S JOHN McCAIN OR JEFF FLAKE OR LISA MURKOWSKI AT
TIMES, HELLER AT TIMES, YOU CAN GO DOWN THE LIST.
TWO THINGS ARE REALLY SIGNIFICANT.
ONE, PEOPLE REALLY DO BELIEVE THIS GUY MAY BE SETTING HIMSELF
UP TO BE, THE NOT NAMED, BUT IN REALITY, AN INDEPENDENT
PRESIDENT A. GUY THAT'S COMPLETELY PLANE UP, HIS VOTING
COALITION. THAT'S THE SECOND MOST
SIGNIFICANT THING, WILLIE, HOW DOES HE GET 50 VOTES ON TAX
REFORM? HOW DOES HE GET 50 VOTES ON
INFRASTRUCTURE? RIGHT NOW, NOBODY EVEN INSIDE
THE WHITE HOUSE KNOWS, BECAUSE THESE WARS ACTUALLY UPEND HIS
MAJORITY, HIS GOVERNING MO JAERT.
>> THAT'S THE FRUSTRATION WE HEARD FROM MITCH McCONNELL'S
OFFICE YESTERDAY, THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE THIS
CERTAINLY DOESN'T HELP. WITH US TO TALK ABOUT IT ALL,
PRESIDENT ON THE FOREIGN RELATIONS, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK A
WORLD IN DISARRAY. NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER
CAROL LEE, SENIOR POLITICS REPORTER AT USA TODAY, HEIDI
MIKAS THAT DAY OFF. THERE ARE EXPLOSIVE COMMENTS
ABOUT FOR CORKER ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP.
SO FAR NOT GOING NEARLY AS FAR AS CORKER DID WITH THE "NEW YORK
TIMES". >>
. >> THAT'S SENATOR CORKER TALKING
TO THE "NEW YORK TIMES". MOST REPUBLICAN SENATORS WANT TO
MOVE PAST THE UNSETTLING COMMENTS AND GET BACK TO WORK,
IT APPEARS. SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
SENATOR CONSTRUCT GRASSLEY SAID, I DON'T SEE HOW IT'S PRODUCTIVE
AND I THINK IT WOULD HELP IF THE PRESIDENT PROBLEM THE FIRST TO
COOL IT. I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE
STUCK TO THE ISSUES AND LET PERSONALITIES OUT OF IT.
SENATOR MARCO RUBIO RESPONDS, QUOTE, YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK
SENATOR CORKER WHAT LED HIM TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT.
I HAVEN'T MADE THAT STATEMENT. SPEAKING ALONGSIDE SENATOR
RUBIO, SENATOR JEFF FLAKE SAID ANY OF US WHO HAVE WORKED WITH
CORKER KNOW HE SPEAKS HIS MIND.
DURING ALL OF THIS, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, WHO HAD BEEN ONE
OF THE PRESIDENTS BIGGEST CRITICS, WENT GOLFING WITH THE
PRESIDENT, TWEETING AFTERWARDS, REALLY ENJOYED A ROUND OF GOLF
WITH THE PRESIDENT, REAL DONALD TRUMP TODAY.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOT A 73 IN WINDY AND WET CONDITIONS!
JOE. >> OH DEAR LORD AND IT'S
UNBELIEVABLE, HE ALSO IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT HIS, WASN'T IT
MNUCHIN WHO SAID HIS GENETICS, HIS DNA WAS VASTLY SUPERIOR TO
MERE HUMANS, A 73 IN WINDY CONDITIONS.
YEAH. I THINK ANYBODY THAT'S PLAYED
WITH DONALD TRUMP KNOWS THAT'S NEW MATH THAT HE'S USING ON THAT
SCORE. HOW DID HE -- NEW MATH AS THE
KIDS USED TO CALL IT. HEIDI, SO, WHAT IS SO
FASCINATING IS, YOU HAVE THESE REPUBLICAN SENATORS SAYING
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AND YET WHEN THE CAMERAS ARE NOT ON, WHEN
THEY COULD JUST TALK TO YOU AND OTHER REPORTERS ON THE HILL AND
NOT BE QUOTED, THEY SOUND EXACTLY LIKE BOB CORKER DOES
WHEN THE CAMERAS ARE ON. YOU TALK THE LEVEL OF HYPOCRISY
OF THESE STATEMENTS THAT WE JUST READ REALLY IS MIND-BOGGLING.
R. IT IS REALLY STRIKING, GENTLEMAN.
BECAUSE CORKER PROFESSED IN THAT VIDEO TO SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE
REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE AND THE HEADLINE HERE IS NOBODY
DISAGREED WITH HIM. GRASSLEY JUST SAID, IT'S NOT
PRODUCTIVE TO TALK LIKE THAT. AND THAT IS WHAT YOU HEAR WHEN
YOU TALK TO THESE MEMBERS, JOE, IS THEY HAVE TO STRIKE A BALANCE
HERE BETWEEN ESSENTIALLY INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT
THEY ARE EXPERIENCING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, WHAT THEIR
OBSERVATIONS ARE ABOUT THIS PRESIDENT AND THE TRAJECTORY
THAT WE ARE GOING DOWN WITH OUR POLICY AND OUR FOREIGN POLICY
AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT WHEN THEY DO SPEAK OUT, WHICH IS
THAT THEY ONLY REENFORCE THAT BEHAVIOR, THAT THE IMPULSIVE
BEHAVIOR, THE BEHAVIOR OF LASHING OUT AGAINST THEM AND AT
THE END OF THE DAY, MANY, MANY MORE OF THEM MAKE THE
CALCULATION THAT IT'S BETTER, NOT TO SPEAK OUT IN TERMS OF
JUST TRYING TO KEEP THEIR HEADS DOWN AND GET SOMETHING DONE AND
NOT STIR THIS PRESIDENT'S IRE. >> YEAH, GONE ROBINSON, WHAT'S
SO INTERESTING, HEIDI BRINGS UP A GREAT POINT, YES, NOBODY CAME
OUT AND STRONGLY DEFENDED BOB CORKER.
BUT NOBODY CAME OUT AND STRONGLY DEFENDED DONALD TRUMP EITHER AND
EVEN THE PRESIDENT'S SPOKESPERSON KELLYANNE CONWAY,
WHENEVER SHE WOULD BE ON OUR SHOW, WOULD CRITICIZE HIM EN
WHEN THE CAMERAS WERE OFF. SO EVERYBODY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
HAS SAID FOR A VERY LONG TIME THE VERY THINGS THAT BOB CORKER
FINALLY SAID IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA.
YOU KNOW, A COUPLE DIES AGO. >> NO, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT,
GENTLEMAN. I THOUGHT NO COMMENTS OR THOSE
ANADIGM SPOKE VOLUMES. THE STRONGEST WAS MARCO RUBIO
WHO SAID, I HAVEN'T MADE THAT STATEMENT.
THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS SAYING THAT STATEMENT IS NOT TRUE.
NOBODY CAME OUT AND SAID, OH, THIS IS ALL UNTRUE AND, IN FACT,
BY NOT DENYING IT, THE SENATORS BASICALLY CONFIRMED IT AND JUST
SAID, ICKSNAY TELLING THE TROOPS ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.
THAT'S IT. LET'S NOT UPSET THE APPLE CART.
HE'S ALREADY RAGING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF HATE TWEETING THIS SHOW
AND LOVE TWEETING "FOX AND FRIENDS" EVERY DAY AND SPINNING
OUT OF CONTROL IN SOME WAYS. AND REALLY THE QUESTION, WE'RE
ONLY NINE MONTHS INTO THIS THING.
RIGHT. AND HE'S GOT THREE YEARS LEFT OF
THIS. IN ADDITION TO MAKING ALL OF US
JUST TOTALLY EXHAUSTED, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE COUNTRY?
AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO SORT OF MAKE IT THROUGH THIS LONG
YAWNING PERIOD IN FRONT OF US? >> AND THE UGLIEST PART IS
AHEAD, BECAUSE WE WILL BE TALKING, WILLIE, ABOUT ELECTIONS
AND YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE DONALD TRUMP GOING OUT TRYING TO
CAMPAIGN FOR PEOPLE OR BEING ANGRY AT REPUBLICANS TO TRY TO
DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM DONALD TRUMP ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN PLACES. IT MAY NOT HAPPEN IN A LOT OF
PLACES AND IT WILL HAPPEN. I WANT TO GET BACK TO CORKER.
NOBODY DEFENDING THE PRESIDENT AGAINST THIS CHARGE.
>> THAT DONALD TRUMP'S PETYOU LENCE AND HIS CHILD-LIKE
BEHAVIOR AND HIS HORRIFIC TEMPERAMENT COULD START WORLD
WAR III. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, THE UNITED
STATES SENATE SAYS WE GOT A PRESIDENT THAT CAN START WORLD
WAR III. NOBODY PUSHES BACK ON THAT.
UNTIL CAN -- IS THIS A REMARKABLE TIME WE LIVE IN --
WITH REPUBLICANS RUNNING FOR THE CORNER, DARK CORNERS?
WITH THE MOST POWERFUL REPUBLICAN ON CAPITOL HILL IN
FOREIGN POLICY SAYS, WE GOT A COMMANDER IN CHIEF THAT CAN
START WORLD WAR III. YET, THEY DON'T PUSH BACK ON
WHAT BOB CORKER SAYS. >> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, IF RICHARD
HAASE, BOB CORKER HAS A COUPLE THINGS HAPPENING, HE'S NOT
RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION AND HE KNOWS HE WILL NOT BECOME
SECRETARY OF STATE. WHICH WAS SOMETHING PERHAPS ON
THE TABLE IN THE PAST. HE IS LIBERATED TO SAY WHAT HE
WANT ITSELF. HE INDICATED IN THAT INTERVIEW
WITH THE "NEW YORK TIMES," MANY OF THE COLLEAGUES ARE AFRAID TO
SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENTS OUT LOUD.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THEM
EXPRESSING THEIR OWN CRITICISMS OUGHT PRESIDENT?
>> I THINK BY NOT SPEAKING THEY USUALLY DID.
I THINK WHAT BOB CORKE HAS DONE IS BROUGHT FORWARD THE ENTIRE
QUESTION OF THE PRESIDENT'SS FITNESS TO BE PRESIDENT.
YOU PUT ASIDE ALL THE LEGAL ISSUES.
YOU SAY IT'S THE IDEOLOGICAL CIVIL WAR OF TRUMP RUNS AS ON
OUTSIDER ONE DAY. WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS THIS
GENTLEMAN'S ABILITY TO BE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF LOOKING AT
VIS-A-VIS NORTH KOREA, WE'RE A DAY OR TWO ABOUT A BIG DECISION
ABOUT IRAN. THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING PUT
ASIDE WORLD WAR III, THESE ARE TRULY CONSEQUENTIAL DECISIONS,
WHAT CORKER IS SAYING I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO GET
THEM RIGHT. WHAT IS MOTIVATING HIM, THE KIND
OF JUDGMENT HE IS BRINGING IS SIMPLY NOT WHAT IS NEEDED.
>> THAT IS A BIG, BIG, BIG DEAL. I THINK THAT'S FINALLY ON THE
TABLE. IT'S THE FITNESS CRITERIA RATHER
THAN THE LIAM OR IMPEACHMENT CRITERIA.
>> THERE IS A RAZOR THIN MARGIN FOR REPUBLICANS IN SENATE.
52 VOTES IF THEY WANT TO GET ANYTHING DONE.
THAT'S THE FRUSTRATION I HEARD FROM McCONNELL'S OFFICE AND
OTHER OFFICES, THEY REALLY DO WANT TO DO TAX REFORM BY THE END
OF THE YEAR, ALIENATING BOB CORKER DOESN'T ACHIEVE THAT ADEN
DA. DOES DONALD TRUMP CARE OR IS THE
PERSONAL FIGHT IN THE ANSWERING OF A CRITICISM MORE IMPORTANT TO
HIM THAN GETTING THAT THROUGH? >> WELL, THE PRESIDENT IS
IMPULSIVE. HE TENDS TO AS WE'VE SEEN BEFORE
REACT IN THIS WAY WHEN HE FEELS SLIGHTED.
HE CLEARLY FELT SLIGHTED WHEN CORKER SAID LAST WEEK THAT THE
DEFENSE SECRETARY MATTIS AND SECRETARY OF STATE TILLERSON AND
THE CHIEF OF STAFF JOHN KELLY WERE THE ONLY THINGS STANDING
BETWEEN CHAOS. SO HE STILL FEELS THAT CORKER
THREW THE FIRST PUNCH AND HE IS A COUNTERPUNCHER.
SO THAT'S WHAT HE DID. BUT YOU KNOW, AS HE CONTINUOUSLY
DOES THINGS LIKE THIS, THAT ARE COUNTER TO HIS AGENDA, WHICH IS
TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING DONE, HE HASN'T GOTTEN ANY SIGNIFICANT
LEGISLATION SO FAR IN HIS PRESIDENCY AND THE COMMENT THAT
I THOUGHT WAS MOST INTERESTING WAS MITCH McCONNELL WHO WAS
THROWING UP HIS HAPPENED, CORKER IS A VALUABLE PLAYER.
THIS GUY NEEDS TO WHIP UP VOTES. AS YOU SAID, HE NEEDS TO GET HIS
MEMBERS TO SUPPORT A TAX REFORM BILL AND POTENTIALLY SOMEONE IN
HEALTH CARE OR IMMIGRATION. NOW YOU THROW INTO THE MIX, THIS
IS ALL COMING WHEN THE PRESIDENT WILL DO THIS RICKY GAMUT ON IRAN
THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL. HE IS KICKING THAT TO CONGRESS.