Posted on 05/27/2004 6:30:01 AM PDT by wjersey
Dr. Tom Coburn, the plainspoken obstetrician from Muskogee, Okla., was back in Washington briefly last week. Republican senators greeted him with mixed emotions. He is their best hope for keeping an Oklahoma seat Republican in the closely divided Senate. The bad news is, he would be as prickly as he was during his six years in the House (1995-2000).
Coburn's problem is that he takes seriously the professed Republican agenda: limited government, entitlement reform and anti-abortion advocacy. He was a rare sincere GOP supporter of term limits, leaving the House after three terms as he promised to do. The result is scant support for Coburn from the Republican establishment.
That situation suggests the current realignment cycle in American politics is nearing an end after 36 years, with the Republican Party displaying symptoms of a nervous breakdown. The party's leadership, from President Bush on down, went out of its way to push the undependable Republican Sen. Arlen Specter to victory against a staunch conservative in the Pennsylvania primary because he was considered a stronger general election candidate. In contrast, dependably conservative Coburn gets no establishment support in the contested Oklahoma primary, though he is the best bet in November.
The Oklahoma Senate seat was safely Republican until Sen. Don Nickles surprised everybody by not seeking re-election. Nickles, Sen. James Inhofe and the state party apparatus got behind former Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys. Conservative Republican Rep. Ernest Istook wanted to run but was squeezed out. The only problem was that Humphreys looked like a loser against Rep. Brad Carson, a clever Democrat who votes with the liberals two-thirds of the time but sounds like a moderate in Oklahoma.
With a Democratic victory in sight, Coburn on March 1 ended his retirement from politics. Without financing or endorsements, he had a 12-point lead over Humphreys and was running even with Carson, according to the Tulsa World's poll (taken March 26-April 5). Instead of generating support, those numbers intensified the establishment's determination to keep Coburn in Muskogee. Instead of raising money for him, the Republican lobbyist community whispered that Coburn was not solidly for Bush.
All this dates back a decade when Coburn came to Washington as a foot soldier in the Gingrich Revolution. By July 1997, Coburn had concluded that Speaker Newt Gingrich was no revolutionary. He was a leader in the unsuccessful coup attempt to replace Gingrich with then-Rep. Bill Paxon, now the only big-time Washington lobbyist who supports Coburn.
Coburn in the Senate can be expected to act much as he did in the House, when he constantly harassed the appropriators for spending the budget surplus. He would not follow the accepted freshman senator's model of spending his first two years listening and waiting. From day one, he would join John McCain in upbraiding colleagues over their insatiable appetite for pork. He would push immediately for Social Security and Medicare reform. He would make clear his unhappiness over the way the Department of Health and Human Services has been run under Republican management led by Secretary Tommy Thompson.
Coburn was so uncongenial to the go-along, get-along mood that characterized the Republican majority in the House that a conflict-of-interest complaint was filed against him because he went back to Muskogee every week to deliver babies. If he had to choose, he declared, he would give up Congress -- and the complaint was dropped. In his current campaign, Coburn spends two days a week practicing medicine.
In announcing his candidacy, Coburn took dead aim at professional politicians: ''I believe we have a deficit of moral courage in the United States Congress. We have many learned individuals who know what is right but have not the courage to stand against the moral corruption that is now attempting to undermine our republic.'' Tom Coburn is not running to be the most popular senator.
I don't read this article the same way you do. I read it as saying that the Republicans are not choosing their candidates wisely. . .in Novak's opinion.
"At" what ... telling uncomfortable truths? Are there any factual errors in the article?
That's just what the GOP needs.
I think he's right on target in this article.
"I don't read this article the same way you do. I read it as saying that the Republicans are not choosing their candidates wisely. . .in Novak's opinion."
I'm no fan of Novak. I think he's much more into being "Bob Novak" than he is anything else. He despises the Bush family and this President, although he does on occasion try to hide that known fact.
That said, I read the column the same way you do...and I agree with his view concerning Arlen Spector and the Bush campaign.
That said, I don't want another John McCain in the Senate.
Bullshine.
Search McCain on FR and tell us again how this guy would be "another McCain?"
So split the difference and run "another Bob Dole?"
The fact remains that we conservatives need more effective representation in our candidates. Our majority is made up of too many career politicians more interested in getting re-elected than fighting any real position based battles.
No, He is only analagous to McAnus, in that he eschews pork. Coburn is a Real Conservative.
Novak and his crazy desire to have the federal government not eat up all our paychecks. Just lock the loon up right now.
I don't trust McCain. Never bought into his schtick. Never believed he had the support of anyone nationally except the media.
I'll also point out his "big thing" CFR, has to date only helped the Democrats, and the far leftwingnuts of moveon.org.
Sorry, with "friends" like McCain, the Republican President doesn't need enemies.....
Did you read the article, or just the misguided comments provoked by Novaks allusion to McAnus?
Novak is clearly pointing out that Coburn is too Conservative for the rest of the Caucus....
So split the difference and run "another Bob Dole?"
Hmmmm. I don't know enough about the available "talent" in Oklahoma to say for sure.
I just know I'm very tired of the GOP Senate Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight. The performance, or lack there of, of the Senate Republicans is the primary reason I remain a lifelong registered Independent.
This kind of story reminds me why I never give money to the Republican Party - only to individual candidates.
With few exceptions, elected Republican officials are cowards.
Tom Coburn is only like John McCain in that he would oppose high spending. Coburn is as Conservative as they come (endorsed Alan Keyes in 2000).
That's exactly the way I see it:
Novak is pointing out the uncomfortable truth that our GOP congresscritters are little different from their Dim opponents in their appetite for pork and their obsession with re-election and the perks of office.
And that they see any man who behaves differently as a serious threat to their world.
Me neither, but Coburn would be one only in this respect: "From day one, he would join John McCain in upbraiding colleagues over their insatiable appetite for pork."
He's actually conservative as opposed to McStain's stance on Campaign finance and the 2nd ammendment.
"I don't want another John McCain in the Senate."
"Me neither, but Coburn would be one only in this respect: "From day one, he would join John McCain in upbraiding colleagues over their insatiable appetite for pork.""
Maybe so. Either way, I'm in Ohio so I won't be voting for him anyway.
I still think the GOP will pick up four to five Senate seats come November. And yes, I know thats going strongly against the "conventional wisdom".
Novak is dead on. The GOP establishment are spineless wimps. Look what they did to Lott. They screwed Toomey. They screwed Dornan. Now they're trying to screw Colburn. We need real conservatives who are willing to put up a real fight with leftist. Not just a bunch of go-along-to-get along RINOs who are spending like drunken whores.
If nothing else, I'm learning more about this guy with each passing minute.
LOL
Clearly, this Novak is anti-republican. I do think he has hit the nail on the head. Conservatives in Washington, D.C. are starting to act like liberals, in that they seem to be afraid to admit to the Nation who we really are.
Wowsers. One optimistic fellow, here. Good for you (I guess). Realistically, if the elections were today, I'd say we'd be two down. The IL seat is a goner for sure. We'd probably lose both OK and CO at this juncture. We'd probably get the GA seat that Zell Miller is leaving. That wipes us out of the majority and puts the Rats back in. Not good.
OTOH, as many here like to point out, the election isn't today. Maybe there's a chance of turning around the CO race, and maybe OK, if the GOP can stop eating its own as it is wont to do.
Novak, a registered Dimocrat, puts himself forward as a conservative authority for the masses.
What Novak actually is, is a toady for CNN, Judy Woodrough,
Al Freaken, Margaret Colonson and the other weirdo "personages" of the left wing branch of the Lenin wing of the dimocrat party.
I don't agree w/ everything McCain does, but there are few better when it comes to opposing pork barrel politics. Coburn would be another vote against bloated spending bills and would be a great ally for the Administration in what is shaping up to be a war on spending in 2005 (if Bush is reelected).
The Democrats were replaced by the People because they were corrupt, unwise, and had no credible plans for the future.
Now, the Republicans have joined them.
When politics does not work, conditions are ripe for war.
It may be closer than you think.
Novak was a good tool for the White House to out the CIA agent Plame, to punish Ambassador Wilson! A free reporter, especially an old Republican should never be impugned. You may disagree with what he said, but please, save the venomous remarks to our enemies, the Moslem fanatics.
Both of the leading candidates for Senate here in OK are CONSERVATIVE! And either one will beat Carson with the help of the President and his Administration.
Novak is once again full of crap.
Dr. Coburn is NO John McCain. Either of our leading candidates will be better than the liberal Brad Carson who doesn't like tax cuts.
"I still think the GOP will pick up four to five Senate seats come November. And yes, I know thats going strongly against the "conventional wisdom".
"Wowsers. One optimistic fellow, here. Good for you (I guess). Realistically, if the elections were today, I'd say we'd be two down. The IL seat is a goner for sure. We'd probably lose both OK and CO at this juncture. We'd probably get the GA seat that Zell Miller is leaving. That wipes us out of the majority and puts the Rats back in. Not good.
OTOH, as many here like to point out, the election isn't today. Maybe there's a chance of turning around the CO race, and maybe OK, if the GOP can stop eating its own as it is wont to do."
Lotta posters said I was crazy in 02 when I predicted the GOP would gain seats in both the House and Senate.
The day after, they thought I was brilliant......LOL!
It lies somewhere in between. I just have a feeling that the 04 race is going to be much more about how Bush performed in the wake of 9/11 when the curtain is drawn closed at the voting booth.
This past week, the Democrats have displayed a childishness that isn't conducive to winning election cycle's. Saw it leading up to the 02 race, but not to the extent we are seeing it now.
Between the shrieking of Teddy "Drown Em!" Kennedy, moveon.org's reprehensible commercials, Gore's latest display of what happens when he forgets to take his lithium, and Kerry's unbelievable attempt to not receive the nomination so he can get more money to campaign on.....the democrats are setting themselves up for exactly what I'm predicting.
Just wait til Mr and Mrs America get a load of whats going to be said during the DNC convention in Boston....you know the leftwingnuts won't be able to contain or control themselves.
Are there any factual errors in the article?
"Both of the leading candidates for Senate here in OK are CONSERVATIVE! And either one will beat Carson with the help of the President and his Administration.
Novak is once again full of crap.
Dr. Coburn is NO John McCain. Either of our leading candidates will be better than the liberal Brad Carson who doesn't like tax cuts."
I'll take your word for it, if for no other reason than you are "there" and we both understand Novak's "got problems".....LOL!
Novak On His Last Legs. How does this elderly, spitting pseudo-conservative Democrat still have a job?
Are there any factual errors in the article?
You don't want to find any factual errora if you are a suedo-liberal Republican posing as a conservative. The name of the game is spin even if there is no truth. The lessons have been learned well from their brethern in the other party.
Well, I'll agree with your assessment of the antics of many prominent Rats at the national level. Most people won't like that kind of thing. If it continues or gets worse, especially at the convention, as you allude to, it has a significant chance of turning many people off. Some of that will depend on how much the national media tries to pretty it up (and subsequently dirty up the Republicans, like they did in '92 with Buchanan's speech). But, like we say on FR, a Rat is still a Rat no matter how much you gussy it up.
I guess I was thinking of a more specific breakdown of the races in play out there for this cycle. I mentioned those that I think would turn over if the election were held today. Any thoughts on those (or other) contests?
Nivak is such a moron.
Are there any factual errors in the article?
He is the Prince of Darkness. He can watch the sunset and write an article "Earth plunged into darkness: GOP without a plan to illuminate the sky."
Look for the good in the person, rather than the bad. Novak's article is spot on in many ways. We should ponder his point. Ya, I know Novak has this Arab thing, and is caustic, but here, he I think hits home a bit. The Pubbies in the Congress are getting too comfortable with power. Electing more folks, who make them "uncomfortable" is a good thing, not a bad thing.
I was being sarcastic, Torie.
I am a good straight man, no? LOL.
I did not absorb the word "not" in your post, I now see. The use of that negative needs to be used with care, least it be missed by the mentally challenged, that is my best advice.
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