Corker: U.S. Atty. Gen. keeps shooting self in foot

Tennessee's junior United States Senator Bob Corker (R) was in Nashville today to address a Tennessee Republican Women meeting. After addressing the group, Corker spoke to the media about various topics now in play at the federal level.

On the issue of of whether embattled U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should resign in the wake of the disputed accounts over how nine U.S. attorneys were fired, Corker said "that is between President Bush and Gonzales, and it is also being addressed by the Senate Judiciary Committee."

When pressed further on the topic, Corker stated: "Every time the Attorney General opens his mouth, he seems to shoot a hole in his foot. It's hard to understand how what should have been a non-issue has turned into something everyone is focused on."

Asked about the situation in Iraq, Corker stuck to his position that he wanted to wait and give U.S. Army General David Petraeus, head of the multinational force in Iraq, the time to see if recent troop escalations are effective.

On the issue of whether former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson should run for President of the United States, Corker said that after six years the country is looking for a new direction — and that his offices are getting calls from all over the country from people asking what they can do to get Thompson to run.

Asked whether Bush's national approval rating that has been hovering at around 30 percent for months has anything to do with that desire for new leadership, Corker said no, and that after six years of one person in office it was natural to look in a new direction.

Corker also said that he and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R) are working hard to block efforts by Kentucky Republican Senators Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning to privatize the Tennessee Valley Authority.

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