The World According to Oatney

Copycat Corker

I know it has been said before, but Bob Corker's continued dodging of questions and issues about his past does more than get on my nerves. Last night's second GOP U.S. Senate debate showed Corker not only to be a question dodger, but a copycat as well.

Corker used the same one-liner last night that he used in the first debate, "my opponents are setting standards for for me that they themselves cannot live up to," then he tried to say that Van Hilleary voted to raise taxes. When Hilleary then went on to explain that the legislation Corker was alluding to was actually a tax cut, Corker did not effectively respond. WBIR's "partnership" with the News-Sentinel should be duly noted because Corker was given more rebuttal time than either of the other two candidates. Further, as much as I enjoy Bill Williams as a news anchor (and I really do), he showed little skill in trying to control the flow of the debate and keep things on topic.

When questioned on the Fair Tax Plan and whether they would support it, Ed Bryant gave an unequivocal "yes," while Hilleary said he, too, supported the idea-as long as it is coupled with an outright repeal of the 16th Amendment (he's right, you can't have one without the other, and I assume Ed Bryant also knows that). Corker, on the other hand, when asked how he would vote on the Fair Tax Plan said "I am intreagued by the idea, but the devil's in the details, I have to learn more." As if the Plan were all that complicated, Corker dodged the question by saying he needed to "learn more" about one of the most widely-published plans for tax reform in America. Thank you for showing that you and/or your staff are completely incompetent, Mr. Corker!

The final straw of the night was when moderator Bill Williams asked the three participants to give a one-word description of what their top priority would be as Senator, and Williams specifically said "I'll give you a moment to think about it." Van Hilleary was the first to answer, and the Desert Storm veteran said "Iraq." Ed Bryant came next, and you could tell he carefully weighed the right word to describe what he is trying to do-"opportunity." Corker immediately gushed out "opportunity!" without having thought about it for even a millisecond. When pressed for a one-word description of his first goal as a U.S. Senator, Bob Corker chose to copy Ed Bryant-and it was obvious.

Nicole says that when Corker speaks, he reminds her of Bill Clinton-so much so, she says, that it makes her want to change the channel. When the so-called "frontrunner" in a Republican Senate Primary reminds people of Bill Clinton, that is not a good sign at all.



Clinton/Corker: One in the same?

posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 11:20 AM