I have waited a day to post about Senator Bob Corker and his attempt to back peddle on the Grover Norquist pledge NOT to raise taxes.

First let me disclose that in 1994, I supported Corker for the Republican nomination. He was one of about a dozen candidates competing to take on Democrat Jim Sasser. He lost that primary to Dr. Bill Frist who then went on to defeat Sasser. The Bob Corker I knew then was a straight shooter and a keep your word with a handshake kind of guy.

In 1995, he went on to be the first Finance Commissioner for new TN Governor Don Sundquist. In fairness, Corker left the Sundquist administration before the bright idea of wanting an income tax.

In 2006, I was Knox County Republican Party Chairman and had to sit out the Republican Primary for US Senate. Corker won the Primary and I worked hard directing the Knox County efforts to elect Corker. I believed then that he was the same Bob Corker I first met in 1994.

In this years reelection, I admired Corker’s primary opponent for challenging him but knew that Corker would overcome the opposition. Then yesterday when Corker presented his proposal and I watched Corker say on CBS This Morning Show that he was just reelected and had no problem with violating the Norquist pledge. This I disagree with, as an elected official when you sign a pledge you are obligated to honor that pledge. If he did not like being bound by it, he should have announced during this years primary that he wanted to rescind the pledge and allow the voters to decide and then he would be free to do as he pleased, if he were reelected.

Senator Corker, do the right thing and stay true to your pledge NOT to raise taxes.