コーカー
トランプという人物
こういうタイトルしか思い浮かばない、そういう人物である。
コーカーへの攻撃。まず、すべてがウソで始まっている。幼児性の虚言癖、誇大妄想狂の症状には事欠かないので、いまさらそうした調子のことが述べられても、驚くことはない。大統領就任式のスピーチで、「史上最大の観衆が集まっている」（オバマのときと比べると、集まった観衆ははるかに少ない）、「７．１１で私は同僚を何百人も失った」（本当はゼロ人。１人も名前をあげることができていない。おまけに９．１１を７．１１と言っている）などは記憶に新しい。選挙中も「オバマがアメリカ国籍をもっていない」（嘘）、「オバマがトランプ・タワーに盗聴器を仕掛けた」（彼がその根拠としてあげているのは、ニュースなどから「聞いた」という話ばかりで、何ら有力な証拠はない。もちろんウソ）などなど。
コーカーとの関係についてのトランプの述べている話は、すべてウソでコーカーが述べている方が正しいことは１００％の確率で言える。
いろいろなサイトで、トランプが「認知症」にかかっている話、精神心理の専門家集団によるトランプの「危険性」の公表などは、数多く出ている。それ以上に驚くのは、トランプがまともに記者の質問に答えていない、いや答えることができないという事実である。
これには、彼が何も勉強していない（NATOについての彼の見解を問われたシーンなどはひどい内容で、彼はNATOをそもそも知らないのである。信じられないことだが、トランプの場合は不思議ではない）ということが１つの原因としてあげられる。もう１つは、すでによく知られているように、彼は２ページを超える文章を読むことができないほどなので、まともに論理的に話すことができないのである。さらに、トランプは、しばしばまったく意味不明な話題の羅列で演説をしており、だれにも何を言っているのか分からないという場面が数多く登場している（本人も何を言っているのか分かっていないのであろう）。
トランプは、 、 、 、 「 アメリカの現状に不満を持つかなり多数の群衆」にたいして大きな影響力を発揮していること 、 。 、 、 、 。 。 、 （ ） 。 、 、 「 ミドル・クラス」は消滅するような傾向がいまも続いている 。 、 （ Pay-check pay-check ） 。 、 、 、 、 、 、 。 、 。
そして、彼の虚言癖の持続である。ＡＢＣの記者が就任３日後にホワイトハウスを訪ね、彼にインタビューしているシーンがある。そのとき、記者は「大統領職はいかがですか」と尋ねられたのにたいし、話は「私より偉大な大統領は、そう、リンカーンを除いてはいない」と真面目に誇らしげに語っている。就任３日目に、である。
もちろん、これが不動産業でこの調子で行っていても、それはせいぜい社会問題の領域の扱いであるが、最悪なのは、彼がアメリカの大統領であるという現実である。こうした人物を大統領にしてしまったのは、アメリカ国民の責任といえるが（他の国民ではないことは確実である）、いまの世界はこういう人物が世界の今後を握る、という非常に危険な状況に陥っているのである。彼は、ツイッターで自分の発言が世間、世界を騒がせて、最も注目をあびることを大きな生きがいにしているリアリティ・ショーの芸人である。そのためには、リトル・ロケット・マンと呼びながらツイートを繰り返すことも何とも思っていない。
コーカーは、この男の暴走を止めるために、意識的にトランプにたいする批判を行ってきた数少ない共和党の有力議員である。いま数人がそうしたスタンスをとるようになっているが、この状況に至っては、共和党員のもっと多くが明示的にそうした批判を公表することが要求されている（かなり多くの共和党議員が、トランプを蔭では批判していることが知られているが、声をあげて述べていない）。
トランプは最大の課題としてあげていた「アメリカを強く」は、実際にはみじめなほど、世界におけるアメリカのプレゼンスをおとすものになってしまっている。なにせ、アメリカに最も協力的であった諸国の大半に文句を言い、不満を述べ、そして疎遠な関係にアメリカを誘導してきているのは、ほかならぬトランプである。イギリス、ドイツ、オーストラリアなどとの仲は非常に冷え切っている。そしてロシア、中国は、そうした状況の中、世界への影響力を増大するために積極・果敢な外交・経済政策を遂行し、また軍事力の強大化にも乗り出している。そしてパリ協定やイラン原子力協定にも、ロシア、中国はむしろ積極的にそれを維持、推進する立場を鮮明にしているなか、トランプはそこから自らの意思で脱退しようとしている。
Trump Mocks Bob Corker’s Height, Escalating
Feud with a Key Republican
Senator Bob Corker,
Republican of Tennessee, has clashed with President Trump since announcing he
won’t be seeking reelection in 2018. CreditTom
WASHINGTON — President
Trump escalated his attack on Senator Bob Corker on Tuesday by ridiculing him
for his height, even as advisers worried that the president was further
fracturing his relationship with congressional Republicans just a week before a
vote critical to
Mr. Trump gave Mr.
Corker, a two-term Republican from Tennessee and chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, a derogatory new nickname — “Liddle Bob” — after the two
exchanged barbs in recent days. He suggested Mr. Corker was somehow tricked
when he told a reporter from The New York
Times that the president was reckless and could stumble into a nuclear war.
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!
In labeling Mr. Corker
“liddle,” the president was evidently returning to a them that Mr. Cor nt has det
Mr. Tillerson initially
did not deny it, but later had a spokeswoman insist he did not say it. The
president, in a new interview with Forbes magazine, said he considered it “fake
news” but added that if it were true, he would beat Mr. Tillerson in an I.Q.
contest.
Mr. Trump’s gibe echoed
his name calling during t
It was not clear what Mr.
Trump meant when he said The Times set up Mr. Corker by recording him. After
Mr. Trump lashed out at the senator on Sunday by saying he “didn’t have the
guts” to run for another term, a Times reporter interviewed Mr. Corker by
telephone and recorded the call with the senator’s knowledge and consent. Mr.
Corker’s staff also recorded the call, and he said he wanted The Times to do
the same.
Mr. Corker said in the
interview that Mr. Trump ran his presidency like “a reality show” and his
reckless threats could set the nation “on the path to World War III.” Mr.
Corker said that Mr. Trump’s staff had to stop him from doing more damage.
“I know for a fact that every single day at
the White House, it’s a situation of trying to contain him,” he said.
He added that most
Republicans in the Senate shared his concerns. “Look, except for a few people,
the vast majority of our caucus understands what we’re dealing with here,” Mr.
Corker said, adding that “of course they understand the volatility that we’re
dealing with and the tremendous amount of work that it takes by people around
him to keep him in the middle of th
While White House
officials bristled at Mr. Corker’s comments, they also recognized that
alienating the senator was fraught at a time when Republicans
can afford to lose only two votes on any major issue where Democrats are lock
step in opposition. Next week, the Senate plans to vote on a budget measure
necessary to clear the way for Mr. Trump’s tax-cutting plan, and aides already
assume they may lose Senators John McCain of Arizona and Rand Paul of Kentucky,
leaving no room for further losses.
Mr. Corker has been a
longtime deficit hawk and has expressed concern about a tax plan that would add
as much as $1.5 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, according
to the budget resolution under consideration.
Some White House
officials said they expected Mr. Corker to still support the budget measure
next week because he already voted for it in committee, but other advisers to
Mr. Trump have said privately that they worried the president was sac
Follow Peter Baker on Twitter @peterbakernyt.
Read Excerpts From
Senator Bob Corker’s Interview With The Times
Listen to Our
Exclusive Interview with Senator Bob Corker
In audio excerpts from
an interview with Jonathan Martin, a New York Times reporter, Senator Bob
Corker, Republican of Tennessee, spoke about President Trump's tweets and what
Mr. Trump’s twitter feed means for diplomacy.
WASHINGTON — Senator
Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, responded to President Trump’s tweets on Sunday
in a phone interview with Jonathan Martin, a Times political reporter.
Following are excerpts from their exchange, as transcribed
Senator Bob CORKER: Hey
Jonathan, how are you, sir?
Jonathan MARTIN:
Senator, I didn’t know you could handle a blade that well.
CORKER: Well, we’ll see
what happens. We know that we will see some tough times but it was the right
thing to do.
MARTIN: Yeah I hear
CORKER: So have at it. I
und — I’m kidding you —
(Laughter)
MARTIN: So now that
you’re a liberated free man who’s become like an instant Twitter sensatio h
of of this. I also kn
CORKER: Yeah
MARTIN: Which is all to
say this is no in
CORKER: So, let me go
MARTIN: Sure.
CORKER: You know,
Jonathan, I have be
MARTIN: I know, I know,
I know.
CORKER: So but, what I
am saying. But obviously, what happens, the thing that is different, if I’m
running in a Republican primary, you know obviously you end up being
constrained. But, I just, if you could, I’m not asking any different than I
have the entire 10 years and eight months that I have been in office. You know,
and one of the reasons, the main reason was the statement that I made. You
know, I told people, I didn’t intend to serve more than two terms, that’s been
a really big drag on me.
But in addition to that,
the other part of our statement was true that the next 15 months we believe to
be the most important time of our service and to be constrained by looking over
your shoulder with some winger running against you, you know, let’s face it
that impedes your ability to serve. So I just — again, I haven’t like changed
course I just don’t have the worry.
I actually can contin
MARTIN: Right.
CORKER: I know for a
fact that every single day at the White House it’s a situation of trying to
cont
ain him.
MARTIN: Yeah
.
CORKER: Look, you know
that. It’ s not like —
MARTIN: Yes, you’re
right.
CORKER: I mean, you’ve
t
MARTIN: Yeah.
CORKER: But yes, I mean,
you know, yes. He concerns me. I mean he would have to concern anyone who cares
about our nation. But a lot people that — Let me put it this way, I think that
— So I’ll just stop there. Sure, I mean, do I want him to be successful?
Absolutely.
MARTIN: Let me just —
CORKER: Have we worked
with him. Are you still her
MARTIN: Yes, sir. I’m
here, I’m here. Yes, sir. I’m here, I can hear you.
CORKER: So, look. I want
him to be successful and we have worked with them in every way possible. I’m
constantly — I talked to Tillerson at length yesterday morning, I mean we’re
working with them constantly on core policy issues. I met with Mnuchin on the
tax issues.
CORKER: Do I understand
that it’s a daily exercise at the White House to keep him in the middle of the
road? Yes. Do I want our nation to be successful? Yes.
MARTIN: Yeah.
CORKER: Have I even
weighed in from time to time to help keep things in the middle of the road?
Yes.
MARTIN: What have you
done? What have you done?
CORKER: I don’t wish him
harm. I don’t. I just — But the volatility is, to anyone who has been around,
is to a degree alarming. But again, I don’t wish him harm. He’s got people
around him that have been able to keep him, generally speaking, in the middle
of the road. The tweets, especially as it relates to foreign policy issues, I
know have been very damaging to us, O.K..
MARTIN: Yeah.
CORKER: I do wish that
would stop. But as evidenced this morning, he just — it’s just something he has
to do.
MARTIN: Senator let me
ask you this: Have you talked to other colleag in the
(Phone connection drops
out briefly)
CORKER: Oh yeah. Are you
kidding me? Oh yeah.
MARTIN: So why are they
not speaking out?
CORKER: Say again?
MARTIN: Why are they not
speaking out? Why are your colleagues not speaking out like you are?
CORKER: I don’t know, I
don’t know. Look I — I don’t know. Look, there’s people trying to ma
Look, I want to be the
same person I’ve always been on the policy issues. I want to see good things
happen. None of this to me is personal in any way. I don’t know why the
president tweets out things that are not true. You know he does it. Everyone
knows he does it. But, he does and I think people — Sure I mean, I would say —
Look, except for a few
people. o
MARTIN: Is the country
in jeopardy do you think?
CORKER: Again, as long
as those — One of the reasons that I’ve supported Mattis and Tillerson and
Kelly last week is, again, as l un
I think we’ll be fine. I
do worry that these — Sometimes I feel like he’s on a reality show of some
kind, you know, when he’s talking about these big foreign policy issues. And,
you know, he doesn’t realize that, you know, that we could be heading towards
World War III with the kinds of comments that he’s making.
And it’s like he — it’s
like it’s an act to him and sure that bothers me, just from the stand
(Phone connection drops
out)
CORKER: When I watch h
And I just mean — I
don’t think he understands that the messages that he sends out, especially when
you take into account they’re being received in other languages around the
world, what that does. I know he’s hurt, in several instances, he’s hurt us as
it relates to negotiations that were underway by tweeting things out. And I
But I don’t think he
fully, I don’t think he appreciates that when the president of the United
States speaks, and says the things that he does, the impact that it has around
the world, especially in the region that he’s addressing. And so yeah, I mean,
yeah, it’s concerning to me. A lot of people think that there’s some good cop,
bad cop act underway, but that’s just not true. That’s just not true.
MARTIN: It’s just
totally impulsive, it’s just totally impulsive?
CORKER: It’s just total
— I mean, again, it’s like he’s doing “The Apprentice” or something. He’s just
putting on an act. And it’s worrisome. You have people out there working hard
to bring some — to solve problems, and those kinds of statements set us back.
They just do.
MARTIN: So last weekend,
when he pops off about, ‘Rex, don’t bother with North Korea, it’s not worth
it.’ That’s not some like preplanned, super savvy, John Kelly, Jim Mattis deal,
where
CORKER: No, absolutely
not. Absolutely not. No. Ab
You know, it’s kind of
like every day, you know, well, he acted O.K. yesterday. But I mean it concerns
me, because I know appare s jus
MARTIN: Tell me what
happened, because obviously, his account of this is that you begged for his
support, he said no, and so you chickened out and didn’t run. What actually was
the conversation in terms of your re-election when you met him in the Oval
Office last month?
CORKER: Yeah. I think
I’ve had four conversations with him about my re-election. The first was on the
plane going down to the Andrew Jackson event at the Hermitage in Nash
He told me that if I
would do it early — He wanted me to announce and get going early so he could do
the rally early on before a bunch of other people got into the race. O.K.? So I
don’t know what date that was. I talked to him this month.
MARTIN: He told you that
during the trip to the Hermitage?
CORKER: That’s right.
That’s right. Absolutely.
MARTIN: O.K., got it,
got it.
CORKER: And you know,
and then, I talked to him this summer. At some point, I was down in the
panhandle of Florida on one of our recesses for a couple days. For one day
before I started traveling the state. And we ended up having a conversation
about something. I don’t remember what it was.
But again, he encouraged
me to run and said he would do a rally and endorse me. And by the way, in none
of those cases was I begging him to do something for me. That just was n’t the
case. And then, I guess — Gosh, what was the — Oh! When I went over there
after, you know, I’d made the most recent comments —
MARTIN: Sure. Last
month.
CORKER: I went over
Frida y afternoon at 1 o’clock. You know, in that meeting — again — he told me
he wanted me to run again. I mean there were reports to that end. Some people
apparently from the White H ouse even leaked that out, O.K.? That he wanted me
to run again. And that he would endorse me, O.K.?
And then he called me
again after I announced that I was not going to run. He called me just last
week, asked me if I would reconsider. And when I told him that just wasn’t in
the cards, he said, well, you know, if you run, I’ll endorse you.
I said, well Mr.
President, it’s just not in the cards. I’ve already made my decision. And so
then we began talking about some of the other candidates that were running.
MARTIN: Hey, one last
thing. You mentioned that McConnell called you. Was McConnell upset that you
had tweeted what you did this morning?
CORKER: No, no, no no
no. Absolutely not.
MARTIN: What did
McConnell say about it?
CORKER: It was totally
unrelated.
MARTIN: Oh, it wasn’t
related to that?
(Connection drops)
CORKER AIDE: I think we
lost him.
