Joel Ebert

jebert@tennessean.com

CHATTANOOGA — A once up-and-coming business owner and former mayor sat at a dark brown table next to a window inside Tony’s — a tiny Italian restaurant that’s become a Chattanooga staple — and ate a salmon salad.

It’s an unassuming rainy Sunday here and nearly no one notices U.S. Sen. Bob Corker is in town.

Today very few Chattanoogans are surprised when the 63-year-old Corker takes in a weekend yoga class or rides his bike along the riverfront, redeveloped more than a decade ago as one of his signature projects as mayor.

That’s fine with him. His legacy as mayor from 2001 to 2005 reverberates throughout the city, nearly 10 years after he headed to the nation's capital as the junior senator from Tennessee. And in Washington, as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, his influence is global.

But some say his string of accomplishments could soon include his biggest yet: being named presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s running mate.

Corker doesn’t care to talk about it, but his name is frequently bandied about as a possible Republican vice presidential candidate, including leading a recent USA TODAY VP Power Rankings poll in late May. His name also has circulated as a possible secretary of state.

USA TODAY VP Power Rankings: Corker tops list, Gingrich back in play

His supporters, including Democrats and Republicans from across the Volunteer State, are hardly surprised given the hard work and dedication that have come to define Corker's career.

In his time in the Senate, Corker has been an influential voice in Washington, D.C., on President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran. And he helped push for reforms to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as a member of the Senate banking committee. He’s also among the most vocal lawmakers advocating for the end of human trafficking and slavery.

These days, Corker is making the rounds. He is urging Trump to moderate his rhetoric. He met with him in late May at Trump Tower in New York and insists the discussions were purely about policy.

Sen. Corker says meeting with Donald Trump was on policy

"If I was running for a position like either (secretary of state or vice president), I certainly wouldn't be offering the constructive criticism I've offered, would I?" Corker said in an interview Friday. "When controversy arises, I would just keep my head down and offer no comment. But that's just not who I am."

Praise, criticism from both sides

Throughout his nearly 10 years in the Senate, Corker has ruffled feathers from members of both parties. He's considered public enemy No. 1 with the United Auto Workers after Corker fought against efforts to unionize Volkswagen plant employees in Chattanooga.

And he's been castigated by some for his role in the Iran deal. Corker was at first neutral on it but grew increasingly skeptical and opposed the plan. He led the charge for the law that gave Congress the power to weigh in, review and have a vote of disapproval on the deal. Democrats blocked that vote and the Iran deal took effect.

The Iran deal is a decision that Steve Gill, a conservative activist in Nashville and former radio personality, believes could cost Corker any real chance of being named Trump's running mate or secretary of state.

"He doesn’t bring conservative credentials," Gill said.

More recently, Corker faced scrutiny — including inquiries by the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission — about not properly disclosing assets and income on his personal financial disclosure statements. Corker blamed his former accounting firm for what he called technical oversights while welcoming the investigations. The FBI and SEC have found no evidence to suggest any wrongdoing by Corker, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Report: FBI, SEC investigating firm with ties to Corker

Despite the criticism from those on both sides of the political spectrum, Corker continues to receive praise from many.

"I completely disagree with where he came out on the Iran deal," said David Eichenthal, who identifies himself as "a Jewish liberal guy from New York" who worked for Corker in various capacities while he was mayor of Chattanooga.

Despite his disagreement, Eichenthal said he appreciated the bipartisan framework that Corker used to come up with the deal.

Shelby County Commissioner Terry Roland, honorary chairman for Trump’s campaign in West Tennessee and a Trump convention delegate, said he respects Corker.

"I think his strong points are his foreign policy," Roland said. "So I think that’s what he brings to the table, some legitimacy when it comes to foreign policy."

Although Corker's political stride is strong, it wasn't always easy for him. During his first year in the Senate, he had a sense of buyer's remorse, said veteran political consultant Tom Ingram.

"He was frustrated by the form and the lack of substance in the Senate," Ingram said. "He was just miserable."

But then his well-known work ethic kicked in. Corker sunk his teeth into two issues that emerged in his first term: the country's financial crisis and the auto bailout.

Corker took what he likes to call "deep dives" into each, even calling the heads of brokerage firms and car companies at all hours of the night to get a deeper understanding of the issues, Ingram said. He became so well informed that during weekly meetings with his colleagues, they often turned to Corker to ask him for his perspective.

“It wasn’t grandstanding," Ingram said. "It was just being the smartest guy in the room."

The same happened with foreign policy.

His desire to learn more has led him to more than 70 countries, including a weekend trip to Israel during his first term in which Corker and his top aide made their way into rarely seen underground tunnels between Egypt and Gaza.

"We went to the tunnels so he could see firsthand," said Todd Womack, Corker's chief of staff who has worked for him since his days as Chattanooga mayor.

After the visit, Corker and Womack met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said even he had never seen the tunnels.

"Corker is a guy who is willing to roll up his sleeves and understand and see things for himself," Womack said.

For that reason, it's not a surprise to those in his inner circle that Corker is now among those mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate.

"He’s truly tried to make the country a better place," said Jimmy Haslam, the owner of the Cleveland Browns and one of Corker's oldest friends.

Learning the ropes

Born in South Carolina, Corker moved to Tennessee when he was 11, attended Chattanooga High School and excelled in sports, including baseball. He attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he joined a fraternity and roomed with Jimmy Haslam, the older brother of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.

"He had the same kind of drive and work ethic he has now," Jimmy Haslam said. "He’s his own man."

After college, he worked as a construction superintendent, saving enough money — $8,000 to be exact — to start his own construction company, which eventually operated in 18 states. He sold it in 1990.

Corker’s first foray into politics came in 1994 when he was one of a half-dozen Republican candidates who were part of what had been called “the six pack,” according to Chris Devaney, a former Tennessee Republican Party chairman. The group, which included Corker and Nashville-based transplant surgeon Bill Frist, sought to oust Democratic incumbent Sen. Jim Sasser.

During the election, the campaign got so heated in the Republican primary that Frist campaign manager Tom Perdue called Corker “all that is filthy and bad about politics today.”

The comments came after Corker had started running ads against his rival that highlighted the fact that Frist had not registered to vote until 1988 and had never voted in a Republican primary. The campaign ad also included footage of a 1971 anti-war protest, which suggested Frist had dodged the draft.

“Where I come from, we call that pond scum and he ought to be ashamed of himself,” Perdue said.

Frist won and went on to serve as Senate majority leader.

In the aftermath of the election, Corker said he had no regrets about the race. It's been his only defeat while running for elected office.

Building bridges

But Corker landed on his feet. In 1995, then-Gov. Don Sundquist, a Republican, appointed him the state commissioner of finance and administration.

Although he only stayed in Nashville until 1996, Corker, Sundquist and then-Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, worked to bring the NFL's Houston Oilers franchise to Nashville.

Womack said Corker would stay up until 2 or 3 a.m. and be back in the office by 6 a.m. during days of negotiations.

Ingram said there were people close to both Bredesen and Sundquist reticent about doing anything that would make the other look good. Sundquist defeated Bredesen in the 1994 gubernatorial race.

"Corker just crashed all that talk and said this is an opportunity for the state and Nashville," Ingram said. "Let’s get it done."

Corker and Bredesen, elected governor in 2002, would later work together to bring the Volkswagen plant to Chattanooga.

A visionary mayor

Corker's list of accomplishments as mayor include the renovated downtown riverfront, a merit-based bonus system for teachers and a new 311 system for residents to access government services.

“He gave us a lot of things to be proud of," said Ron Littlefield, who served as Chattanooga mayor from 2005 to 2013.

As mayor, he embarked on an ambitious $120 million redevelopment plan of the downtown riverfront and when there was a funding snag, Corker kicked into action.

“He went into the most tireless marathon of fundraising that I’ve ever seen anybody in public office," Littlefield said. "He was making speeches everywhere and shaking bushes and trees."

As a result of his efforts, the city’s riverfront has been transformed into an area that now includes countless restaurants, residential housing, music festivals and an annual triathlon. On a recent Sunday, a small group of workers assembled stages for an upcoming festival on the city’s riverfront, a handful of parents nearby watched their kids kick water on the tiered steps of a man-made waterfall next to the city’s aquarium — a building that was once one of the few in this now rejuvenated area of downtown.

Less than a 10-minute walk away is Tony's, the restaurant where Corker regularly dines. He remembers his time as mayor as the most fulfilling job he's ever had.

"It was probably the most rewarding four years of my life," he said.

Despite his success and popularity as Chattanooga mayor, Corker did not seek re-election. He had higher political aspirations.

Frist had decided to retire from the Senate, giving Corker another shot at heading to Washington, D.C.

Jon Kinsey, Corker's predecessor as mayor, encouraged him to enter the Senate race, while several Democrats on the city council, including Yusuf Hakeem, wanted him to stay.

“We saw him as someone who could continue to take us to that next step,” said Hakeem, who remains on the council today. “We appreciated the job he was doing for everybody.”

“I told Corker that he’d be a big shot and dealing with the biggest issues in the world,” said Kinsey, a Democrat.

Senate campaign 2.0

Corker ultimately decided to jump in the 2006 race against two former congressmen in the Republican primary. His opponents called Corker a moderate and even a leftist. He spent more than $4 million on television ads.

Although Corker won the primary, political consultant Tom Ingram came aboard to help.

Ingram said some Republicans worried that Corker could not defeat Democratic Congressman Harold Ford Jr. unless there was a shakeup.

The race between Ford and Corker was brutal. The stakes were high. Republicans were in jeopardy of losing their majority in the Senate.

At one point, the Republican National Committee ran a controversial ad featuring an actress pretending to be a Playboy bunny encouraging Ford to “call me.” To this day, Corker was so disturbed by that ad he feared it could have cost him the election.

The turning point came in what has become known as the “Memphis meltdown.” With Corker set to hold a news conference in late October, Ford decided to crash the event.

The exchange between Ford and Corker, who was later praised for how he handled his opponent’s presence, made national news.

Devaney, the former GOP chairman, said he noticed a different Corker the next day.

“There was a spring in his step,” Devaney said.

Had Corker not narrowly won, Tennessee, where Republicans now dominate, could be very different today, Devaney said.

“I think we still would’ve been a two-party state,” he said.

Corker tries to maintain a close connection to his home state.

Most weekends, unless he’s heading to a foreign country or an out-of-town trip, he returns to Tennessee. When he's in Chattanooga, he is often spotted on the street, in a restaurant, at a yoga studio and even in a local tavern, which Corker said he goes to on occasion to connect with young people who are working on building their businesses — like he once did himself.

Wherever the next step of Corker’s journey takes him, he remains certain about one thing.

“I will always be a business guy,” he said. “Being home every weekend has been something that has kept me grounded and always will.”

Linda A. Moore contributed to this report.

This story has been updated to add additional details about Corker's role in the Iran deal.

Reach Joel Ebert at 615-772-1681 or on Twitter @joelebert29

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