Bob Corker
Bob Corker | |
---|---|
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United States Senator from Tennessee | |
Assumed office January 3, 2007 Serving with Lamar Alexander | |
Preceded by | Bill Frist |
71st Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
In office 2001–2005 | |
Preceded by | Jon Kinsey |
Succeeded by | Ron Littlefield |
Personal details | |
Born | Orangeburg, South Carolina | August 24, 1952
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Elizabeth |
Children | Julia, Emily |
Residence | Chattanooga, Tennessee |
Alma mater | University of Tennessee (B.S.) |
Profession | Construction executive Real-estate magnate Mayor of Chattanooga |
Website | Senator Bob Corker |
Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr.[2] (born August 24, 1952) is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.
Early life and family
Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina,[3] Corker moved to Tennessee at the age of 11.[4] He graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1970. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1974. Corker is a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He and his wife Elizabeth, whom he married on May 18, 1987, have two daughters. The family's permanent residence is at the Anne Haven mansion built by Coca-Cola Bottling Company heirs Anne Lupton and Frank Harrison.[5]
After working four years as a construction superintendent, he started his own construction company, Bencor, which he sold in 1990. In 1999, he purchased the two largest real estate companies in Chattanooga, Osborne Building Corporation and the Stone Fort Land Company, making him the largest private land owner in Hamilton County, Tennessee. He sold most of these holdings in 2006 to Henry Luken. His business successes have made Corker a multimillionaire.[6]
Corker's assets were estimated at $19.19 million in 2008.[7]
1994 Senate campaign
Corker first ran for the United States Senate in 1994, losing the Republican primary to eventual winner Bill Frist.[6] During the primary, Frist’s campaign manager labeled Corker “pond scum” in a Corker attack, which made statewide headlines.[8]
Mayor of Chattanooga
From 1995 to 1996, Corker was appointed Commissioner of Finance and Administration for the State of Tennessee, working for Governor Don Sundquist.[9]
Although Chattanooga's mayors are generally Democrats, as Republican mayor of the fourth-largest city in Tennessee from 2001 to 2005, Corker oversaw a $120 million renovation project, including an expansion of the Hunter Museum, a renovation of the Creative Discovery Museum, an expansion of Chattanooga's River Walk, and the addition of a new salt water building to the Tennessee Aquarium.
While Bob Corker was mayor of Chattanooga, he pushed thru the sale of public wildlife wetlands, much to the dismay of the citizens of Chattanooga, to the Walmart corporation. These vital wetlands, some of the few in the Chattanooga area, were sold to Walmart, with no referendum or vote. It was noted, that while Bob Corker, had put his personal and business interests in a private trust, part of the deal pertaining to the sale of the wetlands happened to involve a parcel of land that he owned and subsequently profited from. In effect, it was perceived that he was using his position of mayor of Chattanooga for his own personal gain and profit. It stretched the imagination of most, if not all, citizens that, private trust or not, he was not doing this for his own personal gain. It is a widely held belief of many of the locals that Bob Corker, like so many before him, bought his way into the exclusive 'boys club' known as the U.S. Senate.
2006 Senate campaign
In 2004, Corker announced that he would seek the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by incumbent Republican Senator Bill Frist, who had announced that he would not run for reelection. In the Republican primary election, he ran against two former congressmen, Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary. Both of his opponents ran as strong conservatives, denouncing Corker as a moderate and eventually labelling him a leftist.[10] In the course of his primary campaign, Corker spent $4.2 million on television advertising, especially in the western portion of the state, where he was relatively unknown before the primary.[6] In the August primary election, he won with 48% of the vote over Bryant's 34% and Hilleary's 17%.
For the general election campaign, his Democratic opponent, Harold Ford, Jr., challenged Corker to seven televised debates across the state. In response, Corker said he would debate Ford, though he did not agree to seven debates.[11] The two candidates eventually participated in three televised debates: in Memphis on October 7,[12] in Chattanooga on October 10,[13] and in Nashville on October 28.[14]
In October 2006, as polls indicated that Ford was maintaining a slight lead over Corker,[15] - the Republican National Committee ran a television advertisement[16] that would provoke a nationwide outcry. In the 30 second television advertisement, sound bites of numerous "people in the street" pronouncing Ford wrong for Tennessee were interspersed with two shots of a white woman animatedly recalling meeting Ford—who is African-American and who was unmarried at the time—at "the Playboy party". The ad concludes with this woman leeringly inviting Ford to phone her.[17][18] The ad was denounced by many people, including former Republican Senator and Secretary of Defense under Bill Clinton, William Cohen, who called it “a very serious appeal to a racist sentiment.” Corker subsequently pulled ahead in the polls.[19] Corker went on to win the election by less than three percentage points. He was the only new Republican Senator in the 110th Congress.[20] Tennessee holds the distinction of being the only U.S. state to elect a new Republican to both houses of Congress in the 2006 mid-term elections.
Senate career
Tenure
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/FirstCorkerBakerAlexander.jpg/275px-FirstCorkerBakerAlexander.jpg)
Corker was sworn in as Senator on January 4, 2007. At the ceremony he was accompanied by “two former Senate majority leaders from Tennessee, Howard Baker and Bill Frist”.[21]
Corker has become a defender of the Iraqi war since taking his seat in the 110th Congress. Despite frustration by the public, any further reduction in U.S. forces in Iraq must be based on improved conditions in the country, Corker said. He urged ultimate success will be determined by the Iraqi government, over which the U.S. has limited control, and the withdrawal of some of the troops that were added in 2007 has created some pressure on the Iraqi government, but warned that further cuts now could destabilize the country.[22]
Corker has voted against a cap-and-trade measure, but said he might accept a "rational" version of the legislation. Criticizing as “political stimulus” for electoral campaigns,[23] Corker became one of the only sixteen Senators who opposed the tax rebate stimulus plan.[24] Later, he had described the stimulus package that passed Congress as "silly".[25]
Corker was one of the original members of the Gang of 10, now consisting of twenty members, which is a bipartisan coalition seeking comprehensive energy reform. The group is pushing for a bill that would encourage state-by-state decisions on offshore drilling and authorize billions of dollars for conservation and alternative energy.[26]
In December 2008, Corker opposed a Democratic proposed federal bailout for the failing US automakers,[27] and expressed doubt that the companies would be salvaged.[28] Corker proposed that federal funds be provided for automakers only if accompanied by cuts in labor costs and other concessions from unions.[29] Negotiations regarding Corker's proposal broke down on the evening of December 11, 2008. The United Auto Workers, which had previously accepted a series of cuts in its current contract, sought to put off any further cuts until 2011, while Corker requested that cuts go into effect in 2009.[30] Republicans blamed the UAW for failure to reach an agreement, while the UAW claimed that Corker's proposal singled out "workers and retirees for different treatment and make[s] them shoulder the entire burden of restructuring."[31] On December 13, 2008, Businessweek reported that Corker was "one of those responsible for winning the new Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant at a cost of $577 million in tax incentives" during his tenure as mayor of Chattanooga, raising questions about Corker's motivations during the bailout negotiations.[32]
In September, 2009, Corker became a ranking member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, replacing former Sen. Mel Martinez.[33] On September 30, 2009 Corker described Canada as being "parasitic" for siphoning U.S. dollars to that country with low prescription drug prices. He stated that "In essence, the Canadian government and its citizens are taking advantage of our citizens by virtue of setting prices that are lower than competitive prices."[34]
Corker opposed President Barack Obama's health reform legislation; he voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in December 2009,[35] and he voted against the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.[36]
In late February 2010, Corker took a decidedly less bipartisan turn when he became the sole senator to back retiring Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky in filibustering a 30-day extension of expiring unemployment and COBRA benefits.[37]
On May 20, 2010, despite his initial role as the key Republican negotiator on financial regulatory reform, Corker voted against the Senate Financial Regulations Bill that if passed would increase scrutiny of financial derivatives traded by major U.S. banks and financial institutions.[38] Senator Corker does not believe that the government should regulate markets more carefully, but rather that they should be regulated by current laws already on the books. Senator Corker supports the view of many conservatives that the Glass Steagall Act should not be reimplemented.[39] Senator Corker has been a vocal opponent of financial regulations passed by the Senate in 2010.[38] He also opposes limits to credit card fees imposed by banks on merchant transactions.[40] The main critique of financial reform offered by Corker on June 10, 2010 at the joint House and Senate conference on Financial Regulation was that it would hurt industry and jobs if passed. Corker offered no evidence for his contention that regulating derivatives would impose constraints on the financial recovery of the United States.[41]
Senator Corker was one of three Republicans to support the New STrategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in September 2010.[42]
Committee assignments
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs[43]
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Committee on Foreign Relations
- Special Committee on Aging (Ranking Member)
Political positions
In the 2006 Senate race, Corker positioned himself as a conservative on most social and economic issues through television advertisements, his campaign website, and in debates.
Corker scored 83% on American Conservative Union’s 2008 Ratings of Congress.[44] According to National Journal’s 2009 Vote Ratings, he was ranked as the 34th conservative member among the 40 GOP senators.[45]
111th Congress
- National Journal: 66% Conservative[46]
- Economic: 29% Liberal / 69% Conservative
- Social issue: 29% Liberal / 70% Conservative
- Foreign-policy: 41% Liberal / 56% Conservative
- Americans for Democratic Action: 10% (Liberal Score)[47]
- National Taxpayers Union: 83% (Grade: B; Rank: 24)[48]
Republican Main Street Partnership controversy
On December 6, 2006, Roll Call reporter Nicole Duran reported that Senator-elect Corker and Dean Heller (Rep.-elect, NV) would be joining the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership, according to its executive director.[49] This caused a stir in conservative circles, since Corker ran in Tennessee as a conservative, and several bloggers accused him of betraying his promises. By the end of the day, however, Corker's office responded to the report to say that not only was he was not joining the organization, but that he "only learned of the group’s existence when this story was reported today."[50] Roll Call subsequently reported that the group's executive director stated she had been "misinformed", and only Heller would be joining the group.[51]
Social policy
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Race_Photo_ACLI_Capital_Challenge.jpg/275px-Race_Photo_ACLI_Capital_Challenge.jpg)
In the 2006 primary campaign, Corker's opponents said that he has changed his view on abortion since his first Senate campaign in 1994.[52] Corker responded that he "was wrong in 1994" when he said that the government should not interfere with an individual's right to an abortion, stating that he now believes that life begins at conception.[52] Corker now says he opposes abortion rights except when the life of the mother is endangered or in cases of rape and incest.[52] In the 2006 general election, Corker received the endorsement of the National Right to Life Committee, but the state branch of the group, Tennessee Right to Life, refused to endorse him, calling him a "pro-abortion" politician.[53]
Corker supports broad Second Amendment rights and "appointing Federal judges who practice judicial restraint."
Fiscal policy
He supports making the 2001 tax cut and the 2003 tax cut permanent.[54] He has shown interest in replacing the federal progressive income tax with a flat tax.[55]
Corker has expressed skepticism regarding the claims of human-caused global warming. He favors imposing a tax on carbon.[56] Corker opposed John McCain's 2008 campaign proposal to suspend the 18-cents-per-gallon federal gasoline tax, calling it "pandering extraordinaire".[57]
He chose to endorse the initial $350 billion (2008) of Wall Street bailout money,[58] and opposed releasing additional $350 billion (2009) of it.[59]
In 2011, Corker voted in favor of the Republican alternative budget proposed by Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), a proposal that would eliminate the health care provided through the Medicare program and instead give seniors subsidies for part of the cost of obtaining private medical insurance.[60] Corker referred to such programs as Medicare and Social Security as "generational theft".[61]
Foreign policy
Corker doubted Barack Obama’s Afghan war strategy which boosts civilian efforts to rebuild the impoverished country and places nuclear-armed Pakistan at the center of the fight: "I have no idea what it is, other than sending additional troops. I hope we dig a lot deeper," said Corker.[62] He expected that the United States is having to build the economic and governmental structure of Afghanistan after decades of war. Corker said. "When the president says our mission in Afghanistan is more limited, that is categorically untrue.[63]
Controversies
Sale of protected wetlands
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Bob_Corker_2010.jpg/220px-Bob_Corker_2010.jpg)
In 2003, Corker's real estate company sold protected wetlands near South Chickamauga Creek in Chattanooga to Wal-Mart for $4.6 million while he was mayor of Chattanooga.[64] According to Joe Prochaska, an attorney representing the Tennessee Environmental Council, "What they did was outrageous. They just ran roughshod over this public property for private gain."[64] Environmental educator Sandy Kurtz filed suit in 2003 to stop the land deal, but the lawsuit was dismissed.[64]
New allegations, however, surfaced in August 2006, and a suit was filed by Kurtz and the Tennessee Environmental Council accusing Wal-Mart of encroaching onto an adjacent protected nature area that is also held by a company owned by Corker.[64] The suit alleges that Corker did not fully disclose his interest in the property where the Wal-Mart was built or in the adjacent nature area at the time the deal was made.[64] The Corker campaign has countered that Corker's company filed papers to develop the wetlands in 2000, before Corker became mayor, and that it was widely known that Corker had an interest in the property.[64]
On September 18, 2006, a Memphis, Tennessee newspaper, The Commercial Appeal, reported that Corker's attorneys acquired city authorization to cut a road through the protected property owned by Corker in July 2003 while Corker was mayor.[65] City records show that Corker's attorneys won concessions from the city as details of the deal were worked out, much of which was done in private.[65]
Corker's campaign manager has said that a blind trust kept Corker from the details of the project.[65]
On October 13, 2006, lawyers involved in the case announced a settlement agreement. Details of the settlement were not announced, but court records indicate that a portion of the settlement involved a 45-day option for the Tennessee Environmental Council to purchase over 13 acres (53,000 m2) of the land in dispute that the Council hopes to dedicate for public use.[66]
Missing papers
On September 9, 2006, The Commercial Appeal reported that official records from both Corker's 2001 to 2005 service as mayor and his 1996 service as state finance commissioner are missing.[67] The missing records include letters written and received by Corker during a six month period in 1996 and e-mails written and received by Corker in his official capacity as mayor between 2001 and 2005.[67]
Some of the e-mails were discovered on his former assistant's computer by The Commercial Appeal in October 2006.[68]
Blind trust
On October 11, 2006, The Commercial Appeal reported that the blind trust that Corker set up to run his businesses to avoid conflicts of interest while he was mayor "may not have been all that blind".[68] According to e-mails discovered by the Appeal (some of which had previously presumed to be lost):
"Corker met often with employees from his private companies while mayor from 2001 to 2005, and he shared business tips with others. Corker also got help organizing his 2001 mayoral campaign from City Hall, where a government secretary passed on voting lists and set up meetings for the millionaire commercial real estate developer."[68]
The e-mails show that Corker often met with officials from his private company, the Corker Group, which was part of the blind trust, while he was mayor.[68] When asked about these e-mails by the Appeal, Corker said that he thought the blind trust had "worked very well" and that he had sold most of his business holdings so that he could avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest in the Senate.[68]
Electoral history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bob Corker | 929,911 | 50.7 | −14.4 | |
Democratic | Harold Ford, Jr. | 879,976 | 48.0 | +15.8 | |
Independent | Ed Choate | 10,831 | 0.6 | n/a | |
Independent | David "None of the Above" Gatchell | 3,746 | 0.2 | n/a | |
Independent | Emory "Bo" Heyward | 3,580 | 0.2 | n/a | |
Independent | H. Gary Keplinger | 3,033 | 0.2 | n/a | |
Green | Chris Lugo | 2,589 | 0.1 | n/a | |
Majority | 49,935 | 2.7 | |||
Turnout | 1,833,693 |
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Belz, Joel (2006-10-28). "Religion-baiting". WORLD Magazine.
- ^ "Bob Corker : U.S. Senate". Bobcorkerforsenate.com. 2006-07-02. Retrieved 2009-12-07. [dead link]
- ^ CORKER, Robert (Bob) - Biographical Information
- ^ Feldmann, Linda (2006-10-25). "All eyes on South's big race". csmonitor.com. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ "The Spirit of the Luptons", Old Money, New South, Dean Arnold, 2006.
- ^ a b c Corker appreciates 1994 loss, Knoxville News Sentinel, Tom Humphrey, July 2, 2006.
- ^ Singer, Paul (September 22, 2008). "The 50 Richest Members of Congress". Rollcall.com.
{{cite news}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Sher, Andy (August 8, 2010). "Former foes praise Haslam at GOP rally". Chattanooga Times Free Press.
- ^ "CORKER, Robert (Bob)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
- ^ "Unemployment Hitting Dixie" (PDF). Southern Political Report. 2008-12-22. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
- ^ Corker wins; Ford challenges him to debates, The Commercial Appeal, Richard Locker and Ruma Banerji Kumar, August 3, 2006.
- ^ Senate candidates spar over Corker's comments about Ford's Memphis 'political machine', by Richard Locker, The Commercial Appeal, October 8, 2006
- ^ Ford treads Corker's turf, by Beth Rucker, Associated Press, October 11, 2006
- ^ Corker silent on invitation to debate, The Commercial Appeal, Bartholomew Sullivan, September 7, 2006.
- ^ Tennessee Senate: Ford (D) 48%; Corker (R) 46%, Rasmussen Reports, October 13, 2006.
- ^ YouTube - Too Hot For Corker
- ^ Johnson, Alex (2006-10-25). "Tennessee ad ignites internal GOP squabbling". MSNBC.com.
- ^ Alfano, Sean (October 26, 2006). "Rove Protegé Behind Racy Tennessee Ad". CBS News/AP.
- ^ Emery, Theo (March 10, 2006). "Family ties could bind a political advancement". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
- ^ "U.S. SENATE / TENNESSEE". CNN.
- ^ "Corker sworn in as U.S. Senator". Associated Press. 2007-01-04. Retrieved on January 7, 2007
- ^ THEOBALD, BILL (April 8, 2008). "Corker says further withdrawal will need to be 'measured'". The Leaf-Chronicle. Gannett News Service.
- ^ Wang, Herman (May 12, 2008). "Washington: Sen. Corker stands firm on his positions". Chattanooga Times Free Press.
- ^ BAKER, JACKSON (June 26, 2008). "The McCain Effect". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
- ^ DRIES, BILL (April 29, 2009). "Corker Decries Auto Industry Bailout, Other Federal Moves". Memphis Daily News.
- ^ Anderson, Mitch (2008-09-12). "Klobuchar joins bipartisan energy group". Star Tribune.
- ^ "Corker Disappointed In Initial Outline Of Auto Bailout Plan". Chattanooga Times Free Press. December 6, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
- ^ DAVIS, JULIE HIRSCHFELD (2008-12-05). "Carmakers' bailout pleas hit Senate skepticism". Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
No thinking person thinks that all three companies can survive
- ^ Wang, Herman (December 5, 2008). "Tennessee: Corker outlines proposal for Big Three rescue package: Conditions would include significant concessions by labor". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
- ^ Maynard, Micheline (December 12, 2008). "U.A.W. at Center of Dispute Over Bailout Failure". The New York Times.
- ^ White House Considers Use of Funds to Aid Automakers, by Edmund L. Andres and David M. Herszenhorn, The New York Times, December 12, 2008
- ^ Wallace, Ed (December 13, 2008). "Detroit: The Real Battle Is Politics". Businessweek.
- ^ "Corker replaces Martinez as ranking member on Senate Aging Committee". McKnight's Long Term Care News. September 24, 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
- ^ "U.S. senator slams 'parasitic' Canada over drug prices". CBC News. October 1, 2009.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home > Votes > Roll Call Vote". Senate.gov. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "Unemployment Benefits to Expire Sunday After Senate Stalemates On Extension". Fox News. February 27, 2010.
- ^ a b Corker, Bob (5/20/2010). "RESTORING AMERICAN FINANCIAL STABILITY ACT OF 2010 (Senate - May 20, 2010)".
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(help) - ^ Durden, Tyler (3/11/2010). "Bob Corker, Humiliated By Chris Dodd, Joins The Fed Bashing Brigade".
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ Snyder, Naomi (6/07/2010). "Sen. Bob Corker opposes limits to debit card fees".
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(help) - ^ Farmer, Blake (June 11, 2010). "Corker Says Financial Regulation Bill Hurts Banks and Business". WPLN News. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
- ^ "Key Senate committee passes nuclear arms treaty, CNN, September 16, 2010.
- ^ Sen. Corker's committee assignments
- ^ "2008 Votes by State Delegation". Acuratings.org. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
- ^ "2009 VOTE RATINGS". National Journal. February 27, 2010.
- ^ "Senate Ratings". National Journal Magazine. February 27, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-09. [dead link]
- ^ "2009 Voting Record". Americans for Democratic Action. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
- ^ "NTU Rates Congress: Senator Bob Corker". National Taxpayers Union. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
- ^ "Elections Jolted GOP Main Street Group", Roll Call, Nicole Duran, December 6, 2006.
- ^ Bluey, Robert B. (12-06-2006). "Pathetic Moderates Resort to Lying". The Right Angle @ HumanEvents.com.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "Director: Corker Won't Join Main Street Group", Roll Call, Nicole Duran, December 11, 2006.
- ^ a b c Locker, Richard (July 17, 2006). "GOP Senate candidates conclude debates ahead of August 3 primary". The Commercial Appeal.
- ^ "National right to life supports corker, but state affiliate does not". The Commercial Appeal. Associated Press. August 8, 2006.
- ^ Corker campaign website, issues
- ^ Knoxville News Sentinel, Scott Barker, June 30, 2006.
- ^ "Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) | Tracking where senators stand on climate legislation". Grist. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ Humphrey, Tom (June 3, 2008). "McCain enlists state's GOP stalwarts for help". Knoxville News Sentinel.
- ^ "Sen. Corker: This Vote is Not about Wall Street". Official U.S. Senate website. October 1, 2008.
- ^ "Corker Says Plans to Release Additional TARP Funds Aren't Prescriptive Enough". Official U.S. Senate website. January 15, 2009.
- ^ Barrett, Ted (May 25, 2011). "Senate rejects budget measure containing Medicare overhaul". CNN. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Senator Corker Says Medicare and Social Security are "Generational Theft"". National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. May 27, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
- ^ "Military solution won't end Afghan war: Veterans". AFP. April 23, 2009. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
- ^ Flessner, Dave (August 26, 2009). "U.S. to be in Afghanistan for 'at least a 10 years'". Chattanooga Times Free Press. The Associated Press.
- ^ a b c d e f Marc Perrusquia and Richard Locker (August 20, 2006). "Old lawsuit back to haunt Corker in race". The Commercial Appeal.
- ^ a b c Perrusquia, Marc (September 18, 2006). "Land sale predates Corker as mayor, But road to Wal-Mart on site prompts questions of conflict". The Commercial Appeal.
- ^ Perrusquia, Marc (October 26, 2006). "Suit settlement aids Corker and nonprofit". The Commercial Appeal.
- ^ a b Commercial Appeal : Memphis News, Business, Homes, Jobs, Cars, & Information
- ^ a b c d e Perrusquia, Marc (October 11, 2006). "Corker saw to interests in 'blind' trust, records show". The Commercial Appeal.
- ^ Official election results
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Senator Bob Corker official U.S. Senate site
- Bob Corker for Senate official campaign site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Profile at Vote Smart
- 2001-2005 Mayor Bob Corker official Chattanooga government site
- 1952 births
- American businesspeople
- American Presbyterians
- Businesspeople in real estate
- Living people
- Mayors of Chattanooga, Tennessee
- People from Chattanooga, Tennessee
- People from Orangeburg, South Carolina
- Republican Party United States Senators
- State cabinet secretaries of Tennessee
- Tennessee Republicans
- United States Senators from Tennessee
- University of Tennessee alumni