Retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker delivered a soft rebuke to his party on Wednesday, describing as a scare tactic some Republicans' use of the migrant caravan in their final midterm election campaigning.

"Let's face it," said Corker to reporters in Nashville. "We all know what's happening. It's all about revving up the base, using fear to stimulate people to come out at the polls."

Corker, who plans to cast his midterm election ballot Thursday, stopped in Nashville to speak to the Tennessee World Affairs Council and receive the organization's inaugural leadership award.

When asked to comment on migrant caravan rhetoric being used by both President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican nominee for Corker's seat, Corker said he didn't approve.

Blackburn released an ad last week announcing "gang members, known criminals, people from the Middle East" and "possibly even terrorists" were among those walking in the caravan of Central Americans. Her comments were similar to Trump's remarks on the issue.

Corker said that while the United States must have "borders that are real" and immigration laws that are enforced, he doesn't believe that the migrants should be demonized.

"I've just never been angry at someone who wants to come to the greatest nation on earth and live the kind of life that we lead," Corker said. "To make pejorative statements about all of them … I don’t approve of that. I don't."

Describing the caravan issue as "political football," Corker told a story about a friend who recently texted him about a conspiracy theory in which some conservatives have alleged a "Democratic person who's very wealthy" — presumably liberal billionaire George Soros — was funding the caravan.

"I said, are you kidding me? If anybody’s funding it, it's some Republican donor, because it has obviously turned into an election issue that has benefited the Republican side," said Corker.

Blackburn is running against former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Democratic nominee, in a closely contested race for Senate.

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Corker decries lack of civility, but says foreign policies intact

Throughout his talk to the Tennessee World Affairs Council, the conversation turned to what both Corker and audience members perceive as a lack of civility by both Trump and others in the public sphere.

While Corker said he did believe some of Trump's rhetoric on the world stage has been "damaging" and that world leaders "look at this period of time as an anomaly," the country's foreign policies have largely remained unchanged under the current administration.

"The rhetoric, the views, the perceptions are not particularly good right now," Corker said. "But generally speaking, I don't think it's quite as bad as people are making it out."

Asked by an audience member whether GOP leaders should be challenging such rhetoric and whether it will ultimately lead to dangerous policies, Corker said he believed the American people would have to be fed up enough to put new officials in office.

"We're going to have to elect people that are not jack-in-the-box people who say 'yes' to whatever it is that the the commander-in-chief has to say," Corker said.

Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.