Jeff Flake’s Lesson for Republicans: Cross Trump at Your Own Risk

The Failing New York Times ^ | 15 OCt 17 | SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

[SkyPilot]

Before Bob Corker, there was Jeff Flake.

Mr. Flake, the even-tempered Republican senator from Arizona, has for months offered stinging critiques of President Trump’s character, demeanor and truthfulness — the same message forcefully echoed a week ago by Mr. Corker, a Republican colleague from Tennessee, who warned that Mr. Trump’s reckless behavior could lead to “World War III.”

But there is one crucial difference between the two: Mr. Flake, unlike Mr. Corker, is running for re-election. And now he finds himself in grave political peril.

Mr. Flake is perhaps the most endangered Senate Republican, with an approval rating in one recent poll of just 18 percent among Arizonans. Mr. Trump has savaged Mr. Flake as “toxic” and a “flake,” and has encouraged a primary challenge against him that has left the senator squeezed not only from the left but also the right.

His fate is an object lesson for other Republicans who might consider voicing dire thoughts about the president’s fitness: Cross Mr. Trump, and your political career could well be over.

Mr. Flake, a Mormon known more for his decency than his independent streak, said he had no regrets.

In an interview here, he ticked off some of his earliest criticisms of the president — from the days when Mr. Trump peddled the false theory that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya, to the time Mr. Trump referred to Mexican immigrants as “rapists,” to his call for a complete ban on travel to the United States by Muslims — before looking up and stopping himself. Continue reading the main story

“In which of those instances,” the senator asked, “should I not have spoken out? At what point should you not stand up and say, ‘This is not right'

[SkyPilot]

This guy is a typical RINO.

He had to "speak out" because Trump called Barry Soetoro on his phoney birth certificate? Hey Jeff, you had a courageous law officer in your own state who conducted an exhaustive inquiry where several world renown forgery experts concluded that Trump's statements about Obama's forgery birth certificate were correct.

Sheriff's probe finds Obama birth certificate 'fake'

- Years of forensics investigation confirmed 'birther' suspicions right all along

In fact, there are 9 points of forgery that prove that Obama's birth certificate was forged, using a Hawaiian woman's real one to create the forgery.

So Flake goest to the NY Slimes and tells them what a great guy he is, for defending Obama the Muslim.

And this is the quality of Republicans we have in Congress?

No wonder we cannot get ANYTHING done.

[workerbee]

He has GOT to be related to John Kerry, somewhere along the tree.

[nickcarraway]

Jeff Flake hasn’t lost yet. Isn’t this spiking the ball on the 20 yard line?

[Jim Noble]

Did Trump call all Mexicans rapists?

I must have missed that.

[Flick Lives]

Mr. Flake, the even-tempered Republican senator from Arizona...

Hint. If the New York Times is praising you, you're doing it wrong.

[Morpheus2009]

People need to not get cocky yet. This man could still win the primaries, remember how the polls worked for Hillary, they may not be accurate in our favor, and we could have low turnout from people thinking that Flakeeps could lose which tips it as a win for him.

[SMGFan]

NY times on MSN alternative.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/jeff-flake%E2%80%99s-lesson-for-republicans-cross-trump-at-your-own-risk/ar-AAtvzLq?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp

[Newbomb Turk]

Think you will see a lot of Trump cash backing Kelli Ward, plus she seems to be a likable candidate.

Think a lot of women voters will support her.

[arthurus]

He did not. Nor did he claim that Hussein was born in Kenya. Hussein made that claim several times.

[tumblindice]

Like the Soviets' Pravda in the `50s-80s,

[Vigilanteman]

LOL! I see more than a little Lurch in that face. As a pretty good amateur genealogist (I could call myself a professional because I’ve been paid to do it), I’d give you pretty good odds that there are six degrees of separation or less.

[boop]

"Republican senator from Arizona, has for months offered stinging critiques of President Trump’s character, demeanor and truthfulness"

Wow.

So disparaging the POTUS of your own party and calling him names and hurling false accusations and you get some kind of blowback?

If only this a-hole had as much bile for liberals and liberal policies, he might be up in the polls.

FFS, how many people REALLY care about Obama's BC at this point?

There was a time, yes,but it was never a game changer.

Flake seems to want to end his career as a good soldier... for the liberal media.

Hope he gets his anus kicked but good.

[marktwain]

Flake became a complete creature of John McCain shortly after arriving in the Senate.

Many Arizona Conservatives have despised him for years, long before Mr. Trump announced he was running.

[Lurkinanloomin]

Before Bob Corker, there was Jeff Flake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And before them both was John McCain, selling out the citizens and the rule of law, pushing amnesty for illegal aliens at every opportunity.

The Amnesty Senators MUST GO!

Flake, Hatch, Heller in 2018

Graham and Alexander in 2020

Murkowsky, Hoeven and Rubio in 2022

[Lurkinanloomin]

Do you want him to stay in office?

[ptsal]

Jeff Flake (UP-Arizona) .... not worth too much

[henkster]

Cross Mr. Trump, and your political career could well be over.

Compare to "cross Hillary Clinton, and your life could be over. Of course, I'd never expect the slimes to print that, but its just as true if not more so.

[tumblindice]

I see some of that CO butthole there too, forget his name. The Monkey Business guy. If there is such a thing as “white privilege” these three buttmunchers have it in spades.

[Balding_Eagle]

At the risk of being redundant:

God has blessed President Trump with really stupid enemies.