President Barack Obama is a "diminished figure" on Capitol Hill who isn't comfortable being commander-in-chief, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.,
told CNN.
Corker is a rare Republican in the Senate, willing to work with Obama on both foreign and domestic issues, and he was clearly exasperated when talking to CNN's Dana Bash on Wednesday.
"This Syrian issue is just a complete muddlement, if you will," Corker said. "And, I don't know, the president just seems to be very uncomfortable being commander in chief of this nation."
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Corker was especially upset with Obama's Tuesday night address to the nation. He said he expected Obama to make a greater strategic case for military action against Syria for its use of chemical weapons on civilians.
"We have these conversations, it appears that it has an impact," Corker said, mentioning the meeting Obama held with Senate Republicans earlier Tuesday. "I heard no word – not one word of it."
Obama is good in interpersonal situations, Corker said, but doesn't follow through.
"He cannot speak to the nation as a commander in chief. He cannot speak to the world as a commander in chief," Corker told Bash. "He just cannot do it."
Corker admitted he will find it more difficult to work with the White House in the future, though he said he will still try.
"I probably shouldn't be saying everything I'm saying right now, but I guess as a result of last night my temperature level is up slightly today," Corker said. "He's a diminished figure here on Capitol Hill, I can assure you of that."
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