Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), who was once widely considered a contender to be Donald Trump’s running mate, dodged saying whether he thinks his party’s nominee has the policy chops necessary to be president a half-dozen times during a Wednesday morning interview.
During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” contributor Mike Barnicle started by lobbing Corker a softball after a discussion about the $400 million payment from the United States to Iran, which Corker called a “ransom.”
“Can you explain why you think Donald Trump would be a better commander-in-chief than Hillary Clinton?” Barnicle asked.
After a deep inhale, the GOP senator replied, “Well, look, I didn’t come on the program to talk politics. You asked me to come on to talk about public policy.” He went on to say “in general,” the foreign policy establishment “does need a shakeup” and that Trump is “evolving.”
Contributor Willie Geist took another crack at it, asking Corker, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, what he thinks of Trump’s tasking U.S. generals with creating a plan to defeat the Islamic State terror group in 30 days.
“Again, I haven’t heard either candidate be very crisp as it relates to dealing with ISIS, nor have I heard either candidate be very crisp as it relates to our fiscal issues, our entitlement issues, or anything else,” Corker said.
“I know that because I’m a Republican and I’m here in front of you, you want to slant this in a particular direction,” he continued. “I don’t mean that to be offensive.”
Geist reminded Corker that he has said he’s supporting Trump’s campaign.
Later in the interview, co-host Mika Brzezinski cut in to observe, “It seems like you don’t feel comfortable talking about Donald Trump.”
“Well, I don’t feel comfortable coming on a program and being sort of a judger, if you will, of the two. I’ve got a job as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee,” Corker said.
“How about this, then. Do you have confidence in Donald Trump as commander-in-chief, especially as it pertains to foreign policy? I’ll make it broad and easy,” Brzezinski tried.
The senator replied that “neither of the campaigns” have laid out “much of anything” to create jobs, foster economic growth or deal with the national debt. He also said that when the presidential debate comes around, hopefully the moderators would push both candidates for specifics, “then we can judge.”
But Brzezinski didn’t let up.
“I’m sorry. That’s just not an answer to my question,” she said. “I have to be respectful. But I just asked if you had confidence in Donald Trump as commander-in-chief as it pertains to foreign policy. That’s pretty much a yes-no question.”
Corker again went on the defensive, saying Trump is “certainly deepening” in “what he’s throwing out.”
“I think we’re going to have a much clearer sense of where he is as we move ahead. I’ve got a job to do here. It’s not to be the referee in a presidential campaign,” he said.
“Bob, it would mean a lot to me if you said, yes, I have full confidence. You have great stature in the Senate. You are chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” Brzezinski explained. “It would mean a lot to a lot of people if the answer to that question was yes.”
“I got it. Look, I didn’t come on this program to be that referee. But let me say I do believe that Trump is growing in his understanding of these issues,” Corker responded.
Watch a clip of the exchange captured by TPM:
