OnPolitics Today: Guys, we have to talk about the Senate

with Jessica Estepa

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., accompanied by his wife,

It's Tuesday, OP fam, and what is going on with all things related to the Senate today? Because geez, guys. It has been a DAY.

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Flake's out

Sen. Jeff Flake announced that he won't run for re-election for next year. And in doing so, he unloaded criticism about President Trump and the state of the Republican party.

"The notion that one should stay silent as the norms and values that keep America strong are undermined and as the alliances and agreements that ensure the stability of the entire world are routinely threatened by the level of thought that goes into 140 characters - the notion that one should say and do nothing in the face of such mercurial behavior is a historic and, I believe, profoundly misguided," Flake said on the Senate floor.

If you don't know who that's directed at, you're not paying attention.

Expect more critiques until Flake's term ends at the beginning of 2019, no matter who replaces him.

Corker's isn't going to take it

President Trump decided that attacking Sen. Bob Corker on Twitter was a good way to start his Tuesday morning, saying that Corker wouldn't be elected dog catcher if he ran.

The Tennessee Republican, who is also leaving the Senate after next year, shot back that the president was "utterly untruthful." And then he created a hashtag: #AlertTheDaycare.

Their war of words on Tuesday is merely a continuation of an existing feud between the two. But this is the president of the United States and the head of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee doing this over Twitter. This isn't a daycare. Words matter.

Oh and that tax reform thing

But don't forget, guys, that actual policy-related things happened today. President Trump went to Capitol Hill to talk with the Senate GOP (which, you know, includes the two guys we mentioned above) about tax reform. But, according to lawmakers, the president didn't really give any details on his positions. And it's kind of hard to rally behind someone who is, again, openly feuding with you.

But hey, at least Sen. Thom Tillis was prepared.

Elsewhere in politics

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•	Pew: Americans might be ready for 8 political parties
•	Bush and Obama get the giggles during Clinton speech
•	Senior military officials sanctioned for more than 500 cases of serious misconduct
•	Newly released FBI documents reveal disturbing details about Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza