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U.S. NEWS Monday 9 october 2017
Testy tweeting free-for-all between Trump, GOP Sen. Corker

By RICHARD LARDNER against seeking a third
Associated Press term when Trump de-
WASHINGTON (AP) — An clined, showing the sena-
enraged President Donald tor “didn’t have the guts to
Trump and a prominent run.” The Associated Press
Republican senator who reported that Trump, in a
fears the country could be private meeting in Sep-
edging toward “chaos” tember, had urged Corker
engaged in an intense to run. Corker’s chief of
and vitriolic back-and- staff, Todd Womack, said
forth bashing on social me- Sunday that Trump called
dia Sunday, a remarkable Corker last Monday to ask
airing of their party’s pro- that he reconsider his deci-
found rifts. sion to leave the Senate.
In political discourse that Trump “reaffirmed that
might once have seemed he would have endorsed
inconceivable, the GOP’s him, as he has said many
foreign policy expert in times,” the aide said.
the Senate felt compelled —wanted to be secretary
to answer his president’s of state, and “I said ‘NO
barbs by tweeting: “It’s a THANKS,’” said Trump, who
shame the White House picked Exxon Mobil’s Rex
has become an adult day In this Aug. 16, 2017 photo, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., speaks to the Sevier County Chamber of Tillerson for that Cabinet
care center. Someone ob- Commerce in Sevierville, Tenn. Always one to speak his mind, Corker’s new free agent status post. Corker, the Senate
viously missed their shift this should make President Donald Trump and the GOP very nervous. Foreign Relations Commit-
morning.” (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) tee chairman, was men-
Trump earlier had laid bare and Corker considered negative voice.” endorsement in his 2018 tioned as a possible pick
his perceived grievances badly flawed. The senator —”begged” for Trump’s re-election, then opted after the election.q
against retiring Sen. Bob also tried to require that
Corker, R-Tenn., in a series President Barack Obama
of stinging tweets that con- submit the accord to Con-
tended Corker: gress for approval.
—was “largely responsible —intended to obstruct
for the horrendous” Iran the White House agenda,
nuclear deal, which the though he offered no evi-
Democratic Obama ad- dence for saying he ex-
ministration negotiated pected Corker “to be a
Trump reaches out to Dems
in bid for ‘great’ health law

By KEN THOMAS Who knows!” Trump said he
WASHINGTON (AP) - Try- wanted “to see if the Dems
ing to revive health care want to do a great Health-
talks, President Donald Care Bill.”In remarks Sat-
Trump said Saturday that urday on the South Lawn
he had spoken to the Sen- before a trip to North Caro-
ate’s Democratic leader lina, Trump said he was will-
to gauge whether the mi- ing to consider “a tempo-
nority party was interested rary deal.” What that might
in helping pass “great” involve was not clear, but
health legislation.The an- Trump referred to a popular
swer back: Democrats are GOP proposal that would
willing to hear his ideas, have the government turn
but scrapping the Obama over money for health care
health law is a nonstarter. directly to states in the form
Trump’s latest overture to of block grants.“If we could
Democrats followed GOP do a one-year deal or a
failures so far to fulfill the two-year deal as a tempo-
party’s yearslong prom- rary measure, you’ll have
ise to repeal and replace block granting ultimately
the Affordable Care Act. to the states, which is what
In spite of controlling the the Republicans want.
White House and Congress That really is a repeal and
since January, Republicans replace,” he said. In an in-
have not passed the legis- terview taped earlier this
lation.The president tweet- week and aired Saturday
ed that he called New York night on Trinity Broadcast-
Sen. Chuck Schumer on ing Network, the president
Friday to discuss the 2010 assured host Mike Hucka-
law known “Obamacare,” bee that “we’ll have health
which Trump said “is bad- care before the election.”
ly broken, big premiums. q