Coburn to GOP: Stop Start acting like Republicans, and follow … McCain?
posted at 6:20 pm on May 27, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Tom Coburn has established himself as one of the Young Turks of conservatism on Capitol Hill, fighting pork and federal spending as well as establishing himself as a stalwart against abortion. Along with his Senate colleague Jim DeMint and House members Jeff Flake, Mike Pence, and Eric Cantor, Coburn has accumulated plenty of influence among angry conservatives looking to shake the GOP and have the party return to the first principles of conservatism. Today Coburn issues a call for this return in the Wall Street Journal, but he picks a leader that may have Coburn’s fans feeling some cognitive dissonance:
As congressional Republicans contemplate the prospect of an electoral disaster this November, much is being written about the supposed soul-searching in the Republican Party. A more accurate description of our state is paralysis and denial.
Many Republicans are waiting for a consultant or party elder to come down from the mountain and, in Moses-like fashion, deliver an agenda and talking points on stone tablets. But the burning bush, so to speak, is delivering a blindingly simple message: Behave like Republicans.
Unfortunately, too many in our party are not yet ready to return to the path of limited government. Instead, we are being told our message must be deficient because, after all, we should be winning in certain areas just by being Republicans. Yet being a Republican isn’t good enough anymore. Voters are tired of buying a GOP package and finding a big-government liberal agenda inside. What we need is not new advertising, but truth in advertising.
For most of his article, Coburn sings to the conservative choir. Yet at the end, he concludes with this paragraph:
John McCain, for all his faults, is the one Republican candidate who can lead us through our wilderness. Mr. McCain is not running on a messianic platform or as a great healer of dysfunctional Republicans who refuse to help themselves. His humility is one of his great strengths. In his heart, he’s a soldier who sees one more hill to charge, one more mission to complete.
Many conservatives would put McCain in the RINO category as well. Also, when reading the article, this paragraph feels as though it got added as an afterthought, as my friend Mark Tapscott put it. What was Coburn thinking?
It’s not difficult to understand Coburn’s reasoning. He believes that Republicans lost their way mostly on matters of fiscal discipline. Outrageous spending increases, abetted by runaway pork-barrel spending, destroyed Republican credibility on the first principle of conservatism: limited government. All other sins descend from this misstep. If the GOP feeds the federal government, then no one speaks for reductions in federal authority along any lines, and all manner of federal intervention becomes possible, even for the GOP.
In order to restrain the growth of federal government, the party needs a leader who has the best track record on fighting its expansion. In this case, that means John McCain, with at least one healthy caveat. Campaign-finance reform in the manner of the BCRA expands federal government into political speech in a manner that rejects limited government. Its impact on the speech rights of organizations during elections makes the federal government an arbiter of speech, a role that contradicts conservatism in a very fundamental way.
However, outside of that, McCain has long fought pork-barrel spending and bloated federal budgets. During the feeding frenzy between 2001-2006, McCain’s voice was left in the wilderness, warning about the consequences of the Republican majorities. Even his opposition to the last of the Bush tax cuts didn’t get based on a love of taxes, but in the refusal of the Bush administration and the Republican Congress to cut federal spending at the same time.
The big question: will this missive from Coburn help bridge the gap between McCain and conservative activists? As Coburn knows from personal experience, McCain is by far the one nominee who will work toward conservative principles in spending and limitation of federal power in the upcoming general election. The question for Coburn is whether he becomes the leader of the Republicans that keeps McCain on track with his pledges in other areas, notably border security. If Coburn can do that, he may find himself the next national leader for conservatives.
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I thought this was a well-written article by Coburn, and I agree with your point Ed about the last bit appearing as an add-on. But it almost reads (the end) as a ‘this is the best we can do right now’, instead of this is the future.
Spirit of 1776 on May 27, 2008 at 6:25 PM
Coburn endorsed McCain a long time ago, and both are very tough against spending.
BTW, Coburn is my favorite senator.
Chakra Hammer on May 27, 2008 at 6:28 PM
This guy sounds like the person McCain may pick for VP. Hmmmmm, anyone else think Coburn might be as well?
upinak on May 27, 2008 at 6:28 PM
It may be Coburn’s application for the VP.
maverick muse on May 27, 2008 at 6:35 PM
Conservatives to Coburn and McCain: FU in every imaginable way!
jwp1964 on May 27, 2008 at 6:36 PM
Sometimes I feel like the GOP is stuck on “Messiah” message by believing that backing one candidate will save the party.
The GOP really needs to stop with the mimicing of the democrats
William Amos on May 27, 2008 at 6:38 PM
and
If so, I think he blew it.
Karl on May 27, 2008 at 6:38 PM
I think Coburn was saying that McCain is no messiah, but that we should back him because he can help people trust the Republican party again.
Unless you have another candidate you think we should back instead?
I keep hearing talk from conservatives as though there are alternatives to McCain, but I never hear any names dropped. So, does anyone here have an alternative to McCain?
apollyonbob on May 27, 2008 at 6:43 PM
After reading this:
Yeah he blew it… Who in their right MIND would Filibuster war funding? Not even Democrats are THAT dumb! And that is saying a whole heck of a LOT!
Karl, is Coburn for or against the war. You seem to know.. and I do not know anything about this guy.
upinak on May 27, 2008 at 6:44 PM
Corburn was elected to the senate in 2004 so he can’t be McCain’s VP because he does not have a lot of experience. Heck I want he to remain in the Senate so he can be the new Senate minority leader next year along with Jim and Session as his co leaders of the senate republican party
BroncosRock on May 27, 2008 at 6:44 PM
Except when it comes to sex and religion.
Are you talking about the cost or the power of the federal government? And how do so-called “conservatives” justify their desire for more
federalismpowerful state and local governments? It’s easier to regulate sex and religion that way. Ugh.Big S on May 27, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Either democrap. If we’re going to get liberal policy the dems should take the blame…not a RINO President who will bend over every time Uncle Teddy wants something.
jwp1964 on May 27, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Tom will be a good minority leader to lead us back into majority statues in 2012 with Bobby as president. We can’t have Bobby until the Senate cleans house and appoint Tom or Jim as leaders of the republican senate. No more having bad republican leaders who trust Democrats LOL LOL LOL like we do now. I am talking about our aowosome minority Mitch. He actually thought Reid would pass Bush’s judges to the full senate LOl LOL LOL
BroncosRock on May 27, 2008 at 6:50 PM
In which universe? He’ll help people trust the Republican party again by granting amnesty to illegals, levying massive new global warmist taxes on us (while keeping the Bush tax cuts!), and accompanying said taxes with a nice shiny new behemoth wing of the federal gummint to oversee all the global warmist crap? Oh, and squelching our right to engage in the most protected form of speech?
Uhm. It’s too late for another candidate. Doesn’t mean we must support McCain. We’re All Mavericks Now.
There are alternatives. Don’t vote for him. Send the message that McCain and RINOs like him are unacceptable.
misterpeasea on May 27, 2008 at 6:50 PM
Right on brother Preach it!
jwp1964 on May 27, 2008 at 6:52 PM
If we vote for a third party like Libertarian in 2010 we will be in the majority of the House and in 2012 Bobby will win in a landslide and we will be in the majority of the Senate with Tom as our majority leader. DO not vote for McCain or we will not regain control of the house and senate for a long long time.
BroncosRock on May 27, 2008 at 6:54 PM
Wow, talk about defeatist in all sense of the word.
If you really want Obama or Clinton back in… go for it. Then when they are and they do something “wrong”, don’t complain!
upinak on May 27, 2008 at 6:54 PM
I would like the details of this. Did he write any legislation to that effect? Commentary in the press? A few organized, concrete examples would be very persuasive.
RushBaby on May 27, 2008 at 6:57 PM
Please allow me to fix that for you Tommy:
John McCain,
forwith all his innumerable faults, is the one Republican candidate whocanwill lead usthrough ourpermanently into the wilderness.LegendHasIt on May 27, 2008 at 6:58 PM
Coburn endorsed McCain a long time ago, and both are very tough against spending.
BTW, Coburn is my favorite senator.
Chakra Hammer on May 27, 2008 at 6:28 PM
I’m more of an Inhofe man myself, since he knows that McCain’s multitrillion dollar Carbon Credit Scam is a crock of crap.
I don’t like to see a good conservative like Coburn being forced to pimp for that pathetic jerk.
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 6:58 PM
Turns out I’m a Maverick. I won’t support my side, and I won’t say my party. I’m not a Republican, I’m a Conservative. There was a time the Party was too, but that’s another story and in the past and we can’t live in the past. Not when there’s huge new Government programs to put forward like Cap and Trade, and Amnesty for millions of criminals.
I’ll support McCain, via Social Security when he leaves the senate.
Snake307 on May 27, 2008 at 7:00 PM
If you people will vote for McCain, the Republican party will get all the blame for the horrible liberal policy that will pass the senate and the house and it will make it very difficult for the republican party to regain control of Congress until 2016. For the sake of this country we must vote for a third party this year and allow BO to be president. He will do horrible things for only two YEARS because in 2011 he won’t have control of the house.
Again if we vote for McCain the Republican party will get the blame for liberal horrible policy and will continue to lose election.
BroncosRock on May 27, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Well, IF Obama gets elected you “Hard A*sed Conservatives” will get the blame.
Congratulations.
The troops can thank you when they get home.
Chakra Hammer on May 27, 2008 at 7:00 PM
The above is immediately, totally, completely obliterated by mentioning “carbon credits; cap and trade”.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121184454327221281.html?mod=opinion_main_review_and_outlooks
or
“Campaign finance reform”
Conservatives are completely shut out of this election. Trying to make the case that McCain is conservatives best hope are specious.
rockhauler on May 27, 2008 at 7:00 PM
When did Reagan not compromise?
Chakra Hammer on May 27, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Oh hell why don’t I just thank them NOW! Since they don’t like it. WAAA WAAA WAAA.
upinak on May 27, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Not even Mitt Romney could flip-flop enough to please everyone in “todays Republican Party”
Chakra Hammer on May 27, 2008 at 7:03 PM
WHO is in control of Congress right now??? That is right Democrats. Who is getting the blame for all the problems right now??? That right Republicans. That will continue if we vote for McCain.
BroncosRock on May 27, 2008 at 7:03 PM
Are you freaking KIDDING! It has been like this for YEARS! get over it… stop worrying about who is blaming who. It is going to get worse with obama or Clinton in there.
Wow, people’s memories are short and short sided.
upinak on May 27, 2008 at 7:06 PM
Oh, yeah. Voting against McCain to ’send a message’ will great. Just outstanding. It’ll be even better than what happened with the same - voting against Poppy Bush in protest when he reneged on his ‘read my lips … no new taxes’ - protest vote. You know what that got us? 8 years of Clinton.
Oh, they’ll find a way to weasel out of it some way or another. Maybe find a new way to blame it all on McCain. ‘It was McCain’s fault I didn’t vote for him and we got 8 years of liberal Obama with the democrats giving him everything he wants. Waa! Waaaa!!!’ will be about the sound of it.
wise_man on May 27, 2008 at 7:07 PM
And when McCain ruins the American economy with his global warming idiocy so that we can’t afford to pay the troops and buy their gear, then gives amnesty to 20 million illegal aliens and brings their families up to join them, you Mediocrats™ can explain why you gave their country away while they were gone.
LegendHasIt on May 27, 2008 at 7:07 PM
If we vote for a third party the media will have no one to blame but themselves for having horrible economy, 9.00 gallon for gas, horrible healthcare.
BroncosRock on May 27, 2008 at 7:07 PM
Take note who skipped out on the vote….
AprilOrit on May 27, 2008 at 7:07 PM
Here is a compromise I am more than delighted to concede to you. I’ll let you have McCain, by staying home and NOT voting for Obama! Deal?
You want McCain? I’ll let you have him. You’re on your own.
rockhauler on May 27, 2008 at 7:08 PM
The MSM, is controlled by Liberals if you didn’t already know..
With Obama as a Rubber Stamp for Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid , the MSM would still blame Republicans for EVERYTHING!(OH they tried to hold this up, OH they block this this little piece, OH they changed this tiny piece of legislation!!!)
Chakra Hammer on May 27, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Uhm. Just the opposite. I’m optimistic that we can survive Bambi. We’ve survived Carter, so far. And FDR, so far. And Nixon, so far. Seems to me that the fastest way back to a Republican/conservative majority is to not vote for McCain.
You really need to come up with some more compelling arguments. Does McCain bear ANY responsibility for his actions in alienating conservatives? Any at all?
I remember, back in the day, when it was a politician’s responsibility to convince people to vote for him.
And remember: We’re All Mavericks Now.
————-
And just generally:
“McCain is tough on spending”, “McCain is tough on earmarks”, McCain will make the Bush tax cuts permanent” are all extremely unconvincing.
McCain wants to create a huge new bureaucracy and huge new taxes to “combat global warming.”
McCain wants to give amnesty and access to the welfare state to 12-20+ million illegals and their families.
Help me understand how that is controlling spending, reducing taxes, or keeping a lid on the size of gummint.
So shove that “It’ll be your fault” crap.
misterpeasea on May 27, 2008 at 7:10 PM
When did Reagan not compromise?
Chakra Hammer on May 27, 2008 at 7:01 PM
If Reagan had compromised as much as McCain wants to, we would still have the so-called Fairness Doctrine”, and Rush, Hannity, Levin and Fox would have never been heard from.
McCain, being against free speech to his core, would never have had the guts to kill that hideous thing. In fact, I doubt if he would even veto it as President. He’d be that vengeful against the conservatives who don’t support him, like Rush, Hannity and Levin. And you know it…
McCain is not a liberty-loving conservative. He is totally a defense guy, a contract hawk, and a “good government” insider type. Other matters, such as the economy, our borders, strengthening conservative principles and our energy situation are, literally, quite beyond him.
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Because the next President will probably set the direction of the US Supreme Court for the next twenty years, and because McCain and Obama have PROMISED to do the polar opposite in picking nominees, the only question for somebody who doesn’t vote for McCain is why do YOU believe McCain’s lying about picking more like Roberts and Alito? When McCain said he wanted Comprehensive Immigration Reform, was he lying? Hell no. When he says he’s anxious to tackle the Global Warming problem, is he lying? Hell no. Why do think he’s not lying about things unpopular base, but he is lying when he says what you want to hear–more justices like Roberts and Alito. Or, is it Obama that’s lying when he says he wants more justices like Ginsburg, Breyer, and Souter? I don’t think either one of them is lying about the kind of justices they want. So, what kind of justices do YOU want?
RBMN on May 27, 2008 at 7:16 PM
I honestly do not WANT another carter aka obama/clinton in the White House. Thanks but no thanks.
I do not see Obama or Clinton saying anything different then what McCain is preaching… other then the Veterans (which we know Clinton 1 screwed those veterans and the Military while in).
You know maybe this is the time you wonder. Which one of these are not the right ones, which ones of these isn’t so good.
So with that said, I would rather have McCain. I don’t want Hope and Change, I can do that for myself and not have to deal with the seismic wave effect. I don’t want another re-run of the 90’s.
upinak on May 27, 2008 at 7:17 PM
Uhhh.. he did win the nomination and Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, Sam Brownback have all gotten behind McCain so… whats the problem?
Chakra Hammer on May 27, 2008 at 7:18 PM
AprilOrit on May 27, 2008 at 7:07 PM
On a more important note than talking about some brain-damaged 71-year old political hack, how’s the wedding coming along?
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Nope. Anyone with true conservative principles is not a kool aid drinker.
peacenprosperity on May 27, 2008 at 7:20 PM
Why is McCain against drilling for our own natural resources if he’s against government regulation? Why is he a staunch national security type if he isn’t willing to do anything to ’secure the nation’ unless it involves Iraq?
Why does he want to close Guantanamo? Why does he want to keep the border open? What makes him such a conservative on national security again? Oh yeah, he’s a war hero (Wasn’t Kerry a war hero too?)
Cap and trade means BIGGER GOVERNMENT. Amnesty means BIGGER GOVERNMENT. He may be as conservative as they come, but it’s like saying an oval is more square than a circle. It doesn’t make it a square. McCain is only conservative on the Iraq War.
ThackerAgency on May 27, 2008 at 7:23 PM
T.C.’s invented kool aid drinking
Squid Shark on May 27, 2008 at 7:23 PM
results, please?
none? oh, then…how much of “leader” can he really be?
answer: he’s not
McCain can bite me
urbancenturion on May 27, 2008 at 7:23 PM
‘He may be. . . as conservative as
they comeRepublicans come these days’ThackerAgency on May 27, 2008 at 7:24 PM
yea man.
palefaced on May 27, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Mr. “Alito is too conservative” McCain CAN’T pick any originalists; One more will change the balance and the Supreme Court would FINALLY overturn his UNCONSTITUTIONAL McCain-Feingold anti-First Amendment legislation.
Johnny can’t be having that now, can he???
The best we can hope for out of a McCain pick that the 58% democrat and 25% RINO Senate would go along with, would be a Kennedy.
At least the likely people that the next President will have to replace on the Supreme court are already liberal to leftist, so even if Juan Obamalliry does pick all lib-leftys in the balance will remain the same.
LegendHasIt on May 27, 2008 at 7:26 PM
Because its more trouble than it is worth
The exact opposite actually, you seem to confuse immigration reform with open borders.
Squid Shark on May 27, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Again you people don’t understand by voting for McCain you are wanting Democrats to control congress for a decade or more. The media will blame all the problems on the republican president and there will be huge problems from Democrats passing their horrible policy.
You can say the media will still blame republicans if BO wins but it will be very hard for the media to blame republicans when they are out of power. If for some luck republicans regain control of congress this november I would vote for McCain but Republicans WON’T control congress next year so I am voting for a third party.
BroncosRock on May 27, 2008 at 7:28 PM
That is not the quote, he was concerned about judges who “wear their conservatism on their sleeve”. Which is a good thing to be concerned about in a judge.
Squid Shark on May 27, 2008 at 7:29 PM
It’s coming along fabulously, thanks for asking. I have been busy with it, haven’t been here too much. We had some problems with the flower girl dresses but we’re back on track. I wanted a certain fabric, my wedding planner, myself and my mom weren’t completely on the same page, but it’s ok now. I am a perfectionist and want everything the way I want it. My mother tends to like to take over, but I love her so much.
But you know my mom is just so perfect in every way, I am so grateful for her help and guidance. She is not only beautiful with incredible style, but she also has impeccable taste and a lifetime of experience in entertaining. So I need to relax and sometimes let her take the lead.
Again, thanks for asking!!
AprilOrit on May 27, 2008 at 7:30 PM
They’ll find a way.
wise_man on May 27, 2008 at 7:30 PM
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 7:19 PM
AprilOrit on May 27, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Hey, that was an outstanding off topic exchange. Please, feel free to use this page as your own personal instant messaging service.
wise_man on May 27, 2008 at 7:31 PM
By voting for McCain in 2011 Democrats will have 68 seats in the Senate.
BroncosRock on May 27, 2008 at 7:33 PM
So sorry…
AprilOrit on May 27, 2008 at 7:33 PM
Coburn might want to look into an MRI. If he is unconditionally supporting McCain since CPAC, what kind of conservative opposition can we expect if McCain become president and enacts his liberal agenda?
This is a huge argument against McCain. He has already fractured the base. Only Obama can unite it.
Valiant on May 27, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Seems rather obvious to me that with McCain there is a better chance of not getting extremely liberal judges that will be around much longer than 4 or 8 years.
He wasn’t my first choice but I’ll take him over the Democrat options.
aikidoka on May 27, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Bobby? Are you all talking about Jindal?
Sorry peeps, if you are, he is here for 8 years minimum. We are already getting a lot of big business looking at our state, which in turn means more jobs (if they come), more revenue for the state, and a healthy dose to our infrastructure (which is badly needed). If all goes as planned, there is no way he will not be re-elected.
As I see it, and I really do not want to sound pessimistic, but I think Obama will take this thing and we will have another carter presidency. In the long run, it just may be a good thing.
I just hope you all have some money hidden away somewhere, like cash in your mattress. You are gonna need it!
lsutiger on May 27, 2008 at 7:39 PM
Senator Coburn, what did Juan McCain promise you?
Not very civil but I think it covers all the bases.
Zorro on May 27, 2008 at 7:40 PM
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 7:19 PM
AprilOrit on May 27, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Hey, that was an outstanding off topic exchange. Please, feel free to use this page as your own personal instant messaging service.
wise_man on May 27, 2008 at 7:31 PM
How mean-spirited and crotchety.
I didn’t even know that John McCain posted here..
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 7:44 PM
A distinction without a difference.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24766 :
And I note that you didn’t attempt to argue that I was wrong about why McCain won’t actually pick any Originalists despite his campaign
liespromises.LegendHasIt on May 27, 2008 at 7:44 PM
Hey, that’s a great plan. Let the country intentionally go down the crapper so you can “blame” someone else. Again, great plan.
Big John on May 27, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Since the only difference between the two is the manner in which they display their conservatism, my point would remain valid and you would seem to have proven nothing.
Squid Shark on May 27, 2008 at 7:50 PM
That’s the great thing… I’m not even trying to ‘prove’ anything to you McCainiacs.
All I have to do is let McCain’s own words and actions speak for themselves, and let thinking people come to their own conclusions.
LegendHasIt on May 27, 2008 at 7:56 PM
Sorry, that last one was a little too snide.
Correct in essence, but nasty in tone.
My apologies.
LegendHasIt on May 27, 2008 at 7:58 PM
So now we hate Coburn right? He`s a traitor, right?
ThePrez on May 27, 2008 at 8:01 PM
Oh this judge BS!
McCain’s not going to do crap about judges. The Dems will probably have a 60-seat Senate. As the West Texas saying goes: he’ll be like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.
He’ll wind up nominating cross-dressing libs like David Souter to even get them through the Judicial committee. Give it up, 2006 was Armageddon, thanks to the Gang of 14 and the other McCainite sabotages of Bill Frist’s authority, as well as the totally unnecessary Immigration fiasco that Bush and McCain pushed.
McCain is just using the judge issue as a way to trick more conservatives to support him.
With McCain, its all about fooling conservatives while winking at the libs.
He simply hates our guts. Where’s Coburns’ balls?
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 8:01 PM
So now we hate Coburn right? He`s a traitor, right?
ThePrez on May 27, 2008 at 8:01 PM
No, but he’s certainly a weak suck.
Remember him actually crying on the Senate floor in 2005?
Oy…
How the hell can you respect someone who does something like that?
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 8:09 PM
Its ok, I am getting a little cranky myself
Squid Shark on May 27, 2008 at 8:10 PM
Thank you, Squid.
LegendHasIt on May 27, 2008 at 8:18 PM
Coburn had balls?
Grayson on May 27, 2008 at 8:20 PM
Coburn had balls?
Grayson on May 27, 2008 at 8:20 PM
Well, he IS from Muskogee, Oklahoma, which, as the great Merle Haggard told us (in one of President Nixon’s favorite songs), “is a place for holding hands and pitching woo.
Where [they] don’t let their hair grow long and shaggy, like them hippies out in San Franciso do.”
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 8:37 PM
McCain is good on exactly two points, spending and refusing to surrender in Iraq but he is wrong on so many others it would take a book to name them all. With that said although he is better than Hillary or Obama on everything I won’t be voting for him come November because he wants to surrender to Mexico. Tom Coburn lost a lot of my respect when he came out for McCain before McCain had the nomination. I understand supporting the GOP nominee no matter how odious, I voted for Bush that way twice, but to be a open borders shill when 80% of your supporters say no is a bridge too far for me to cross Tom. We’ll be looking for a conservative who will REPRESENT Oklahoma voters next time around.
Buzzy on May 27, 2008 at 8:40 PM
I know Coburn is supposed to have great conservative creds (although his friendship with Obama makes me wary), but paying $4.00 (and climbing) a gallon for gas is a much, much bigger issue than “pork barrel spending” and we are going to get creamed on this issue unless we take the offensive.
Buy Danish on May 27, 2008 at 8:45 PM
No, only concrete actions that let us know that the Congressional GOP will keep McCain in check would help.
…said the guy who supports spooky lookin’ weapons bans and smoking bans. Nanny Bloomberg-style Republicans like you and the Morality Police wing of the social conservatives are almost as bad a blight on our liberty as the left is.
doubleplusundead on May 27, 2008 at 8:47 PM
We could if RINO sellouts like McCain would let us drill in Alaska and elsewhere.
doubleplusundead on May 27, 2008 at 8:48 PM
More than that. There’s no proof that the statements are true.
Jimmie on May 27, 2008 at 8:49 PM
You are a braver person than I to deal with the rabid.
thuja on May 27, 2008 at 8:54 PM
Of course - that’s the point. Even Michael Medved, a McCain toady if there ever was one, said that McCain had to change his position on drilling in ANWR because its an “emergency”.
How Coburn can gloss over this is beyond me. Newt is finally getting the messag (despite his annoying capitulation to the concept of climate change).
Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less.
Buy Danish on May 27, 2008 at 8:59 PM
*Both* Oklahoma Senators have been pretty good GOPsters/Conservatives, each having his own unique charms. Melded together, they would represent the kind of Sooner leadership the rest of the country has been sorely lacking as of late. ;-)
That all said, I think Dr. Coburn would be better served as Senate Minority Leader until such time as the GOP can get majority status again. And yeah, Gov. Jindal needs to stay in LA for a few years to get some more executive branch experience under his belt (along with a longer resume) prior to a 2016 run (if not 2012).
As to the choice of McCain vs. Obama, there really isn’t a choice. A vote for the Democrat is a vote against the troops, plain and simple. And if people believe that Obama’s SCOTUS choices are going to be far more agreeable than McCain’s, I think those folks must be smoking some pretty good stuff.
The world won’t come to a crashing end if McCain gets into office. We can’t be assured of that if Obama does, based upon the statements and promises given so far. If 1993 taught us one thing, it is that the Democrats (given control of both Congress and the White House) will do their best to tilt the country to the Far Left, expanding the size and scope of government along the way.
The PC crowd currently running the GOP leadership has proven themselves to be utterly feckless against the thin-skinned liberals and their MSM proxies. If conservatives think that four years in the wilderness will awaken the country to their point of view right away, I hate to tell them that the demographics of the nation have changed since 1994.
The best that can happen right now would be for McCain to pick a friendly but firm true conservative that the base can feel at ease with. At the moment, for the purposes of winning in the fall, the only one fitting that bill (that is, someone with across the aisles appeal) is Fred Thompson.
For better or for worse.
There may be a lot of age with that pairing on the ticket, but 2008 is already going to be a tough year for the GOP. No sense in making it any worse.
itzWicks on May 27, 2008 at 9:04 PM
Thats how I roll
Squid Shark on May 27, 2008 at 9:04 PM
Lemme fix that for you:
You are a braver person than I to deal with
the rabidpeople who actually know facts and understand the realities of a situation.LegendHasIt on May 27, 2008 at 9:16 PM
Newt is finally getting the messag (despite his annoying capitulation to the concept of climate change).
Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less.
Buy Danish on May 27, 2008 at 8:59 PM
Stay away from Newt. He’s crap.
He is as destructive to our Party as McCain - another bloviating has-been
Remember his negatives literally pulled the Party down, along with his pants. Clinton literally took his blabbing Junior College instructor ass to the cleaners. Some Party leader..
Besides, no real conservative would share a love seat with Nancy Pelosi to sell lousy big-government legislation.
TexasJew on May 27, 2008 at 9:24 PM
What’s this about?
If I hear of another Republican somehow or some way tied to Jack A I will puke.
AprilOrit on May 27, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Word, homie. You’re keeping it real; I peep that. Now let me spit some funky lyrics…
Working part time at the GOP,
My boss was Mr. McCain…
He told me several times that he didn’t like my kind,
I was a bit conservaty…
Seems that one day I was asking
for something close to nothing
but different than the day before…
that’s when he threw me, damn that old man threw me!
He threw me out through the in door, in door!
He wore a Che Guevara Beret! The kind you buy
at the La Raza gift store..Che Guevara Beret..
And so on. You just keep it real squid. Preach the truth to the frothing loons…and I’ll keep singing. Word Homeboy.
austinnelly on May 27, 2008 at 9:37 PM
When it became apparent that McCain would be the nominee, the Republicans tried to hang on to the word “conservative” when talking about him. That has changed. They know there are very valid deep divisions between conservatives and McCain and they have stopped discounting those differences. Instead, they are pointing out his strengths (and he does have them) and playing up the Independent angle because, as I said last week, the country has moved slightly left and to the center and no real conservative would have had a chance in this election cycle. McCain does precisely because he isn’t an across-the-board conservative. Obama is an unelectable half-wit and no one wants Bill Clinton anywhere near the WH again. With Obama as President, we will move farther to the left because laws will be more freely passed. If you think Canada is having problems with its HRC, that’s the route we’ll be on with an Obama presidency. Coburn et al. are suggesting that if we want to continue to have a voice, work to get McCain elected. The alternative will be something that would take decades to recover from, if we ever could.
Connie on May 27, 2008 at 9:44 PM
National leader? What was that masterful, blistering statement Coburn made when Obama compared him to Bill Ayers?
Oh, yes, here it is:
Eh, that’s leadership!
Nichevo on May 27, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Maybe Coburn is a real Christian who actually forgives.
AprilOrit on May 27, 2008 at 9:48 PM
You can’t be serious. This is straight from the McCain playbook. The REAL rrason he opposed the tax cuts was that they went to the “rich”.
For instance;
flenser on May 27, 2008 at 9:49 PM
LMAO
jwp1964 on May 27, 2008 at 9:53 PM
Campaign Finanace reform? Let’s be serious, McCain is a big government Republican.
flenser on May 27, 2008 at 9:53 PM
I don’t trust Coburn at all.
flenser on May 27, 2008 at 9:54 PM
It was christians that were fed to the lions?
jwp1964 on May 27, 2008 at 9:55 PM
And what voice will we have if McCain is elected? He’s not a free speech sort of guy.
flenser on May 27, 2008 at 9:56 PM
You just described John McCain.
The demographics have changed because people like John McCain have worked hard to change them.
flenser on May 27, 2008 at 10:00 PM
What issues put McCain well to the left of the average Senate Republican? The American Conservative Union lists a number of specific votes on which he voted differently than most other Republicans:
– Taxes: opposed elimination of the marriage penalty, opposed lower capital gains tax rates, opposed eliminating the inheritance tax, opposed lower personal income tax rates.
– Environment: opposed drilling for oil in ANWAR Alaska, supported compliance with the Kyoto global warming treaty, supported requiring that US business reduce “greenhouse gas” emissions to levels produced in 2000, favored stricter mercury emission rules for existing electricity-generating plants, supported stricter miles per gallon standards for cars.
– Consistently supported stricter campaign finance regulations.
– Health care: opposed medical savings account demonstration program, opposed letting health insurance participants agree to not sue insurers in exchange for lower premium rates.
– Immigration reform: supported letting illegal aliens claim Social Security benefits for the years they worked before being granted a valid Social Security card, supported granting amnesty to illegal aliens
– Other regulations: supported penalizing states that did not get over 90 percent of drivers to use their seat belts, voted to mandate that handguns could be sold only with locks.
flenser on May 27, 2008 at 10:01 PM
A friend of mine from Oklahoma brought Coburn to my attention last year. I’d never heard of him, but my friend was complaining that he wasn’t among the POTUS candidates. I did some research and sure enough, Coburn seems to be the real deal.
Maybe he’d make a good VP. I still maintain that our best chance is to vote McC in and then fight him on his more liberal tendencies.
techno_barbarian on May 27, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Shhhhh you RINO! Dont you know that you speak treason, the dittoheads will eat you alive!
Squid Shark on May 27, 2008 at 10:27 PM
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