GOP/SENATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker ramped up his criticism of his Republican colleagues Wednesday [6-13-18], railing on GOP leadership for not wanting to take on President Donald Trump on core Republican issues like trade. ‘We’re in a strange place. It’s becoming a cultish thing, isn’t it?’ the Tennessee Republican told reporters. ‘It’s not a good place for any party to have a cult-like situation as it relates to a President that happens to be purportedly of the same party.’ Corker’s criticism of Republican leaders comes amid his push to get a vote on his amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would check the President’s ability to impose tariffs. On Tuesday [6-12-18], Corker gave an animated speech on the Senate floor when he was stymied, saying the GOP colleagues were concerned because ‘we might poke the bear!’ The dispute spilled into the private Senate Republican lunch Wednesday, where senators engaged in a contentious debate over getting votes on their amendments, including Corker’s proposal. GOP senators have pointed fingers at each other for blocking the other’s amendments and denying them votes.”
-Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb, “GOP senator says Republicans in ‘cult-like situation’ with Trump,” CNN Poltics, CNN.com, June 13, 2018 12:03 pm