Corker’s stock on rise
TIME magazine names senator one of the 100 most influential people in the world
U. S. Sen. Bob Corker’s recent, so far successful, effort to get Congress more say in a multinational agreement over the future of Iran’s nuclear program has earned Tennessee’s junior senator and Chattanooga’s former mayor a spot on a list that includes President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jung Un.
Time magazine on Thursday named Corker, who leads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Corker told the Chattanooga Times Free Press
on Thursday he was “deeply humbled” by the opportunity to serve in the Senate and by the designation.
“I’m obviously honored. … I truly feel extremely privileged to be the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and I just wake up every day to do the best I can there, and on the Banking Committee,” Corker said by phone from Washington.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, Tennessee’s senior senator and former governor, hinted in a tribute he wrote for Time that Corker’s future could — or should — get brighter.
“[Corker’s] tough-minded pragmatism and grasp of economics have restored prestige to the Foreign Relations Committee and are reminiscent of George H.W. Bush’s skilled team. If he is not resident himself, Corker is an obvious choice for Secretary of State or Treasury,” Alexander wrote.
Alexander also praised his senatorial counterpart for being “unafraid to challenge President Obama and unafraid to work with him,” a flexibility uncommon in Congress these days.
Corker has already ruled out running for president and said that whether he is asked to serve in a future Cabinet post is just not his call.
“That’s not really a job you campaign for,” he said.
Meantime, he’s enjoying the work he’s doing.
“I do love what I’m doing right now. I love the independence of what I’m doing right now, and to be the chairman and really have an impact,” he said.
And this is not the first time in recent weeks Corker has been the center of attention.
Before releasing the list, Time wrote a flattering feature of Corker, as did The New York Times, The Economist magazine and a slew of broadcast media outlets.
Corker brushed off the publicity and said it was only due to the importance of the subject — Iran’s nuclear capacity.
“I kid people in the hallway. It’s my time in the barrel this week, but it will be somebody else next. … We have a lot of important issues coming up,” he said.
Obama this week said he would sign the Iran legislation Corker worked to draft. The legislation unanimously passed the bipartisan Foreign Relations Committee after some provisions were softened at the request of Democrats.
The new version of the legislation would prevent the president from waiving congressional sanctions against Iran for 30 days. Originally, the legislation called for a 60-day period.
And the bill also requires Obama to certify to Congress every 90 days that Iran is holding up its end of the bargain.
Corker said Thursday the bill likely would be heard by the full Senate on Tuesday or Wednesday. And while he doesn’t know how House Speaker John Boehner would like to handle the legislation, Corker said it’s possible the House could simply vote on the bill as it is.
Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.
“[CORKER’S] TOUGH-MINDED PRAGMATISM AND GRASP OF ECONOMICS HAVE RESTORED PRESTIGE TO THE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE.” — SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER, R-TENN.