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Senator Bob Corker was hand-picked by Carl Rove and approved by Rush Limbaugh. Enough said.

Let me guess, they're saving Sarah Palin for the "jumping out of the cake" grand finale.

What a mess the Reppublican Party has become.

This guy thinks hes the mouth of the new Confederate South.

The Republicans are down to scraping the bottom of the barrel. The GOP has sunken to a new all time low.

Where do they find these guys?Bottom of the barrel scrapings all trotted out as"the rising stars"of the GOP.

Bob Corker is one of the few republicans that has some brains maybe
he could have a chat with south carolina gov and teach him some things.

If some of the GOP would just have the guts to split from their base and start a new party where they can put forth their own ideas they may be able to reach more people. I voted for Obama. I am not a Republican, but with everything always being so party line we have little choice.

Why do republicans all look the same? Old, grey, boring and stupid!

Sadly, Corker is the better of our two senators in Tennessee. I obviously am a Democrat and did not vote for Corker, but I absolutely despise Lamar Alexander (our other senator) because he does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for the people of our state. Corker barely does either, though. Maybe Tennessee will vote the both of them out in 2012 and 2014.

They are going to wish they diidn't throw out that tea when they start choking on that plate of "More of the same."

You know that this was coming! When Palin failed, when Jindal was tried, and then the GOP governor of South Carolina is set aside, Corker must be paraded as the GOP's next best effort. It was about to happen when Corker was presented as the GOP's best answer to the Auto Industry's woes. Corker was being praised as THE go-to-guy fro the GOP and trying to offset Obama's best efforts to deal with Detroit. The thing about this Corker event might cause more diatribes to ensue as when each GOP member is asked to stand, these falter, first with Palin, then Jindal, and then the South Carolina governor. Corker is sweating in his shoes already and nothing good can come from this, try as the GOP may!

How many "rising stars" does the GOP really have? None. Nada. Noone. They are all toe-the-line Republicans who wouldn't know an original thought if it slapped them in the face.

Until the GOP re-aligns itself with a better message, realistic approaches to politics and government, and cuts their losses with failed policies of the past, the "rising stars" will hit a plexiglass ceiling and bounce off of it. If the best they can do is to regurgitate trickle down, espouse tax breaks for the rich, rerun people like Newt, and complain about deficit spending after their horrible record of it in the last two Presidential terms, perhaps it is time they find a new planet.

Please don't wish the fine folk of SC anymore bad luck by hoping that Corker stays here...We have got one of our own "Sanford"....The few Dems in SC are in hopes Corker takes Sanford back to TN

Looks like the Rethuglican'ts are about to pick the first loser for the 2012 POTUS campaign – and it looks like it ain't gonna be the biggest GOP loser to date, Sarah Palin...

O' please, is he the best that you can get to speak? I'm from TN and he is trying to destroy the unions, and put more money in the pockets of the rich. He did nothing about helping the people of East TN when the ash spill happened. He thinks that people of TN and the South are brain-dead. He is the biggest joke to ever come out of Tennessee.

When they start defending Palin and only then will she help these fools raise funds.

Sarah Palin is the gold mine.

Washington is destroying this country.

13 trillion in debt.

This guy is an idiot who only interest is himself, someone should ask him whay he has no words to dish out about the big bonuses of wall street other than the they are legal contracts, the UAW contracts are legal also and he all for breaking those.

Ladies and Gentlemen it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the GOP's flavor of the week.............................

man, they are scraping any GOP member off the bottom to bring in the $

How many times over the past 6 months have we heard the GOP claim that the next host speaker is "a rising star within the republican caucus." Every time they've made these claims, their rising star isn't able to remove the foot they stuck in their mouths. At least they're consistent.

The RepubliKlan party is dead. Let them put a CORK in it.

One loser speaking to a room full of losers! Too bad Palin didn't except the offer to speak. They could have called it a comedy meeting!

Doug of NJ quoted a piece of my post: "If they had had a few more years in power, I guess they would have sold our interstate highway system to Dubai to operate as toll roads, closed our public schools, or invaded England."

Then he replied: "Ha ha, another lib lie. Lib is entitled to its hateful opinions but not your own facts. All over America the lib areas have tolls all over their roads and the red areas have little or no tolls at all."

1. I agree with you on toll roads, Doug. No American should have to pay to travel on public roads. Our state legislatures have sold us out. You are right that it is more prevalent in the crowded northeast. Texas has a lot of toll roads in Dallas-Ft. Worth and central TX. I'm opposed to any toll road any where in the nation.

2. You missed my point. The point was that the Republican Party did lots of really stupid things while they were in power, and we are paying big time for their idiocy and corruption. The idea of "selling the interstate highway system to Dubai as toll roads" was a sarcastic example of the dumb things that Conservatives do when they get in power. What they do NOT do, as we all know, is reduce the size of government, promote small business, promote family values, encourage family farming, protect American industry, and manage the American economy prudently.

In short, my comment was meant as sarcasm, not as a Liberal "lie."

no more palin, no more republicans, they have almost ruined our country.

What could Porker possibly say to save the dying GOP anymore?

I have a question, Are the Republicans going to keep rolling out these "show pieces" to promote their failed and tired talking points until they find the right one?What a train wreck the GOP is turning into! Can you say desperate for relevancy?

What do they eat at the right-to-life banquet?

I would rather have him than BO the PANDER.............

Bob Corker is the perfect guy for this. He made millions in backroom real estate deals while being mayor of Chattanooga and employing illegal aliens to work for him. He is the classic example of a shady businessman who believes in a two class America; the wealthy elite and the working class poor.

Ah, a GOP dinner. Its easy to imagine the 3 main subgroups:

* Fundamentalist kooks insisting everyone hold hands and pray before and after eating.

* Economic wingnuts boasting about their yachts and chuckling over their millions safely deposited in foreign bank accounts.

* Anti-government fanatics comparing weapons and bragging about the bunkers in their home fortresses.

aren't they all rising stars??

"If they had had a few more years in power, I guess they would have sold our interstate highway system to Dubai to operate as toll roads, closed our public schools, or invaded England."

Ha ha, another lib lie. Lib is entitled to its hateful opinions but not your own facts. All over America the lib areas have tolls all over their roads and the red areas have little or no tolls at all.

Drive 95 up the coast, you will pay nothing to drive in the good parts of the nation but once you get to lib-land you will have to fork over at least 3 dollars every 15 miles or so. Also, observe how they treat the other drivers on the roads in the southern red areas, and how it takes a 180 when you get to Northern Virginia. Then ask yourself, which type of person you are? Vote that way in November!

And repugs are the party of hate!!!! Have a happy Easter!

Another day another so-called "GOP rising star".......

He can build a Walmart on an Indian Burial grounds without the Federal Government saying a word. Even when court actions were taken. Slick Bob is the biggest embarassment Tennessee has ever seen. I would not vote for him for sewage inspector, he has the integrity of Dick Cheney. He has been nothing but a Bush yes man. Raise your gas prices and bust unions, so your pay will be cut in half after all big business helped him get in office, and they need a break from high labor.

Has anyone seen that silver Elephant in the room ! Bye Bye GOP you can have all of the benefit dinners you want but you can't party the truth away your party has become the out of step with reality. You have now become CRP Christian Redneck Party, have fun kids.

Keep Looking GOP sooner or later you will find someone to represent you!
Try #1 The idiot caribou barbie, unfortunately her lies and utter stupidity was too much for even die-hard republicans to accept over the long run (even McCain does not support her now)

Try #2 The Florida gov.. but wait he had a little sense and cut himself off from the party when he decided not to run

Try #3 Your token Black party leader, but his hip hop crap and utter inability to define what it really is to be republicann failed miserably and he has been hidden away from the news

Try #4 Good Ol boy Bobby Jindal except he could not even make a coherant arguement against PRESIDENT Obama's state of the union and came off sounding like a complete idiot

Try #5 A Tennaseean named Corker who is a "conservative that offers common sense solutions". I am not very optomistic for him since "common sense solutions" to the GOP means "more of the same failed ideas" to the rest of us. But hey I will give him the benefit of the doubt maybe he will stand up there and support the President and his real common sense solutions... but not likely

OH yeah I remember this guy, he's the one who came out with the racist ads while running for senator against a black guy. Looks like Republicans want to return to the day's of old. I just love the Idiots.

Perhaps he should just stick a cork in it.

Being a Tennessee resident, I wish Corker would go back to South Carolina and live (he was born there). He is a disgrace to Tennessee and the middle class of America.

Why don't they stop inviting her? She hasn't said yes lately. I smell conspiracy though. It seems as if all these invitations (and denials) are keeping her within our scope. TV, online, newspapers. Someone out there does not want us to forget Palin.

What's really funny is that every day or two there's a post about some Republican speaking somewhere, with speculation about whether he/she is the next "rising star" of the party. I am convinced this is their strategy–throw some people out there and see if one "sticks" by generating any positive interest from outside the base. Problem is, they all look the same and say the same things–things no one wants to hear right now.

A white guy from the south? Wherever did the GOP find one of those?!?

As a resident from the Great State of Tennessee, I am greatly embarrassed by the election of Bob Corker. He is a Republican who clings to the former GOP Platform of God, Guns and Gays. Creating pseudo fear for ignorant minds. Unfortunately, Tennessee is not known for its Exceptional Educated Populace as evident by the people they elect.

Maybe he will stay in SC!

@ Gary, who said "They could invite Bozo the Clown to speak, it doesn't really matter."

I'm pretty sure Bozo would politely decline and send them a Giant Tootsie Roll consolation prize.

Republican reproval ratings have slipped to 31% the lowest in 25 years...

@David April 8th, 2009 9:54 am ET
I can't wait until Alaska's legislative session is over where we can then see her continue to turn down public speaking engagements. She only does okay if someone hands her a script and afterwards says 'no questions'. She is afraid if she actually has to answer questions people will see the true Palin (i.e. Katie Couric interview).
David you are SOOOOO RIGHT !!!!

one minute a rising star next minute a shooting star next batter two out

From what I'm reading, Corker is a racist. If that is true so much for change and new direction for the Republican party. If this man really ran an ad suggesting his black opponent was sleeping with a white woman and he won, then this is sadder than I thought. Just another example of how little the Republican party is willing to change. The Democrats may not be perfect but at least they wouldn't be putting THIS guy on a pedestal. Yikes GOP!

It's obvious that they didn't offer Palin enough perks to attend.

You Republicans want Obama to fail.

I have news!!!! The Republicans by their willingness to embrace Sarah Palin have already failed and under their old stucture of divide and spread fear they will never win..................Ever'

So be prepared for a Democratic controlled everything as far as the eye can see into the future.

Even though she's clearly an air-head I'd much rather watch Sarah Palin anyday!!!

You would think all these dinners would produce some semblance of a collective idea that would help move America forward. Their only focus is gaining power.

The GOP can spin its policies anyway you want? This IS supposed to be the Republican Party, the party that was committed for this Nation to remain as a Republic under the laws of the U.S. Constitution.
I see none of that coming from the GOP in the last three decades. They have expanded Government as much as the Democrats, so where does that leave the American Citizen when both parties continue to expand government into our private lives, this is why the Libertarian party is growing, it is time for the return to being a free country isn’t it?

The Republican Party is like a chicken with no head. The body runs around, falling into things and over things in a brainless effort to escape another blow from the axe.

The little men who pass for Republican leaders are merely empty thousand dollar suits mouthing words that they heard from Ronald Reagan when they were in their twenties and thirties. They do not understand what their policies would accomplish or how they would implement them. All they know is that they have a good job, the pay is nice, the benefits are fabulous, and they hear applause every time they say something. (Republicans will applaud anyone who includes the phrases "free market" or "tax cut" in every sentence.)

There are some smart Conservatives. I have met them. There are none, however, in public life.

if mr. corker is smart he will keep his message positive and not bash obama. .we are sick to death of hearing nothing productive come out of these republicans mouths to help the president rebuild what bush destroyed for the last 8 years. it is time for the GOP to come to the table and work with not against everything the president is trying to do. the republican party is shrinking already so a few positive words may help give them a little more credibility.

Corker is out for Corker. He helps bring in a foreign car company to his city and then TRAMPLES on GM and the union......then says he wants what is best for his voters. Loser!!!!!!!!!

He was able to outspend Ford and buy the election.

Corker may be conservative....what does that mean in today's world. What is his answers to issues.........c'mon Bob....tell us...please

Sparkle and fade...

The Tn assembly will vote today if guns should be allowed on college campus. It is expeceted to pass.

Ask idiot Corker if he supports it, and watch him hee and haw, without answering the question.

I can't wait until Alaska's legislative session is over where we can then see her continue to turn down public speaking engagements. She only does okay if someone hands her a script and afterwards says 'no questions'. She is afraid if she actually has to answer questions people will see the true Palin (i.e. Katie Couric interview).

I find it interesting that at this time when universities are scheduling their grad-day speakers, not a one has invited "I can see the space between her ears" Palin to offer her progressive ideas for the future of America. ;o)

They could invite Bozo the Clown to speak, it doesn't really matter.

As a Tennessean I am always turned off by Senator Corker. This is the same man who put out the most racist campaign advertisement I've ever seen. If you live here you will remember the advertisement and what I am talking about. He disgusts me.

And the menu? One word: CROW.

Eat up guys!

Bob Corker is a very smart businessman and as a leader in my area I applaud any and all ambitions this senator has. He has done wonderful things for Tennessee and takes care of his people. I have voiced my opinion to his office on all major topics and have always received a reply. In my view he would do what is right for the country over any other interest...which is more than the Democrats can say. All they care about is their party.

Come on man! Bob Corker? Really?

A Republican rising star? Really?

He's like the FOURTY FIFTH Republican rising star this week.

Granted that after Palin the "Republican rising star" bar has been lowered significantly, pretty soon all you'll need to be considered the "future of the party" is a friggin suit and a flag pin.

For the Conservative (Republican) Party to get any respect at all, they are going to have to put forward a better quality of leader than the lackluster political hacks that currently pass for a leadership. Republican leadership has fallen to a disrespectable level. The Party of Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower has fallen on bad times, to say the least. I would not trust the current leadership to hold a horse, much less run the nation.

We gave them a chance to show us what they could do. They invaded Iraq for no good reason, added $8 trillion to the national debt, ran a massive deficit every year they were in power, and ran the economy off the cliff.

If they had had a few more years in power, I guess they would have sold our interstate highway system to Dubai to operate as toll roads, closed our public schools, or invaded England. They remind me of the old Keystone Cops silent short films.

Absolutely brilliant idea. Given the choice, who wouldn't want a positive corker at your party?

This is news outside of South Carolina? YAWN

He`ll probably just be "preaching to the chorus'.

Do you guys think it will make a big difference? I think that the American people has had enough of the GOP's, if people can't remember the last 8 years, you must have been in a cave somewhere..

Remember the GOP in exile and they are trying to find the United States of America......

Perhaps he'll encourage distancing the GOP from the right wing nuts but that's not going to happen, so perhaps some peanuts for everyone.

Gosh are some of the republicans finally wakening up and realizing this woman can not even speak in complete sentence. I wonder if they will say anything about the torture tapes the republicans have and dont want released and that they are trying to Black Mail the president by not aproving the people he appoints. Just go the daily beast and read the article.

The article sounded promising until the mention Caribou Barbie's name. Why don't they just leave her up there in the wilderness. She is not ready for the national stage.

the repugs are a piece of work. for the last 8 years they didn't have to work, just used the old rubber stamp on whatever bush wanted. Now they don't have time to do the work they were elected to do because they all jockeying to see who will run in 2012. So they just crictize everything President Obama is trying to do, they don't want to take the time and help resolve the mess bush/cheney left. they are a sad bunch of LOSERS!!!!

why would anyone want this backward, thieving, maker of the racist Harold Ford's (call me Harold) ads to speak for them..
\
A rising star, don't you mean rising idiot. This man is corrupt.

I live in tn. While, mayor Corker pushed legislation thru to develop land he and other partners owned and then collected millions of dollars in benefits. The gov't is so corrupt here, they make Chicago politicians look like gaudy school girls.

I'm from TN, white and over 60yrs...and frankly... I wish SC would keep him there. This FORMER CONTRACTOR who mad millions off of illegals working on his jobsites is a JOKE. He actually ran an ad suggestioning that our black candidate running against him( Harold Ford JR ).....was having an affair with a white woman !!!! Can you possily imagine ???? Guess what..................Corker won !!!!!!!! The mentality of these Southern Republicans is UNREAL. Please, Please South Carolina keep this piece of work. He has done nothing for this state but put it back 45 years in progression. He is NO Howard Baker or Al Gore. Coming from a former California Republican this guy is CLUELESS . Thanks SC for keeping him .

I am from Tennessee and speaking of Bob Corker- I do not understand how it can be said that he is a rising star of the Republican party, unless they agree with his antics. Judging by how the Republicans are acting now, he is probably right in line. Bob Corker ran his own version of the "Willie Horton" ad during his campaign and now tries to portray himself as a common sense senator. Petty, racist and definitely out-of-touch would be my description of the senator.

Just a piece of advice for Corker- try to keep your senate seat if you can. You will never be President!! I myself can not wait until he runs for e-election. I believe that Bob Corker will be in for a rude awakening. Just imagine all of the auto workers and many others who will happily help the Democratic grass root machine defeat him.

So he's "Palin Lite?" There go his political ambitions.

They the GOP just don't know who to put out there..

You can't talk about a republican meeting anywhere without mentioning Sarah Palin?
Everybody (at least the most smartest americans) knows by now in this country that that lady was an empty suit or baril and her small followers or fans are as ignorant as she is as well.
She should be a stay home mom not even a governor and on top to become the president of the USA with all this drama in her family? please stop insulting the intelligence of the people of the gratest country on earth.
She is irrelevant to the republicans and democrats.

Not that I'm a Sarah Palin fan because I'm NOT, but this just continues to show what a deep divide there is in the Republican Party. I'm amazed these folks still don't understand the principle of "Divide and Conquer" and I honestly have no hope in the immediate future for the Republican Party. The biggest problem here is that the concept of "ME" is the most important thing to some of these wanna be candidates like Sarah Palin. Looks like the Independant Party is the only viable way to go anytime soon. I wonder how many more terms of Democratic Party rule we'll all have to endure. And this, I believe, we owe all to 8 years of George W. Bush. What a legacy he's left this country.

Sarah Palin is not welcome on the east coats and she is definitely not wanted in the south.

I can only hope there is a "change" in 2010 and 2012 because Obama is ill with........."Patriotic Cancer."

BARF!!
Corker is just another Repulican Obstructionist... just another of the many that want our president to fail.
These republicans and their followers are anti-American. Period.

It looks like someone is trying to get some early support for the next election. hope things go well for him.

Sen Corker has impressed me with his reasonableness and his conservatism. Good choice, republicans.

Hey Republicans!

Take a break from the meetings and lavish parties! Figure out how to fix things in the country rather than meet and party.

Can't wait for the golden and bronze elephant meetings!

Here we go again the rich working for the rich!!.

SHe is only appearing at non-partisan events. In fact I have yet to understand why the State isn't paying for the Seward trip.

Just one more white-haired republican hypocrit.

Who cares?

Corker's a hypocrite. He's been so vocal about the auto industry bailout and the stimulus package yet he voted yes on the TARP bailout for the banks without a peep; no grandstanding in front of cameras saying that bankers should make concessions or that banks should go into bankruptcy. The bottom line: Corker is the friend of the wealthy and big business, but woe be the average American in Corker's world.

Please, no more Republicans!

Of all the past speakers, Reagan was the only one who was able to move on. Wonder if those attending the elegant Silver Elephant Dinner will be aware of the White Elephant in the room ??

The GOP continues to search for a leader – Palin and Jindal used to be their rising stars – now Corker since Newt knows his time has passed and carries too much baggage.

who can follow a Palin?

she is a natural disaster where ever she goes and carries a good unintentional laugh

Corker has big shoes to fill