Top Republican senator takes shot at Paul Ryan for discouraging Trump from working with Democrats

Advertisement

Bob Corker

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

Bob Corker.

A top Republican senator subtly called out House Speaker Paul Ryan for saying he worried that President Donald Trump might turn to Democrats to get a bipartisan deal on a healthcare bill.

Advertisement

"We have come a long way in our country when the speaker of one party urges a president NOT to work with the other party to solve a problem," Corker tweeted Thursday morning, in an apparent swipe at Ryan.

Ryan had said earlier on Thursday in an interview with CBS "This Morning" that he worried Trump would "just go work with Democrats to try and change Obamacare, and that's hardly a conservative thing."

"This is a can-do president, who's a business guy, and he wants to get things done," Ryan said. "I know he wants to get things done with the Republican Congress, but if this Republican Congress allows the perfect to be the enemy of the good, I worry we'll push the president into working with the Democrats. He's been suggesting that as much."

Ryan also told reporter Norah O'Donnell that he and Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi "see things very differently" and that he has not reached out to get bipartisan support for the American Health Care Act, the legislation Ryan pulled from what looked to be a failed floor vote last week.

Advertisement

Trump told reporters Friday after the defeat of the AHCA that the bill did not have any Democratic support. Since, he has suggested that going forward, a bipartisan approach may be the best way to get a healthcare plan through Congress.

Corker also appears to favor bipartisan healthcare efforts. He said in a statement earlier this week that he's willing to work with both parties on the issue.

Ryan also told CBS that despite the initial failure of the AHCA, Republicans still want to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Bob Bryan contributed to this report.