Tom Coburn to MSNBC: ‘I’m No Longer a Conservative’ According to Ted Cruz

[mystery-ak]

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/tob-coburn-to-msnbc-im-no-longer-a-conservative-according-to-ted-cruz/

Tom Coburn to MSNBC: ‘I’m No Longer a Conservative’ According to Ted Cruz
by Evan McMurry | 7:38 am, September 26th, 2013

On Morning Joe Thursday morning, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) tepidly praised Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) for his symbolic filibuster, before severely criticizing his “intellectually dishonest” tactics to defund ObamaCare that Coburn said were misleading Republican voters.

“I’m finishing up nine years in the Senate,” Coburn said. “Nobody has a higher conservative rating than I do. I’m now no longer a conservative according to the standards that have been set by the expectation of this process.”

“I’m getting all sorts of e-mails from people that supported me, because they have been misled about what’s possible.” Coburn said. “Do people not think if I could change ObamaCare, I’d do it in a minute? It’s a disappointment that we have put a short term goal with lousy tactics ahead of being honest with the American people.”



The Senator noted that Cruz had nowhere near the sixty-seven votes in the Senate necessary to override President Barack Obama’s inevitable veto of a continuing resolution that defunded his principle legislative accomplishment.

“The problem with politics is if you create expectations you can’t fulfill, that leads to disappointment,” Coburn said. “You know, I’m all for changing the Affordable Care Act, eliminating it and doing something that’s more transparent, more market-oriented. To create the impression that we can defund ObamaCare when the only thing we control—and barely—is the U.S. House of Representatives, is not intellectually honest.”

video at link

[mystery-ak]

LMAO....well Tom I suspect Cruz is right since you had to go on MSNBC to proclaim this!

[olde north church]

Whiner.

[Rapunzel]

Actually, not according to Ted Cruz, but according to his constituents back in Oklahoma where he is very unpopular of late and it the main reason he is not running for re-election,  Oklahoman's love Inhoff... the doctor -- not so much these days.

[Cincinnatus]

Just as an aside, last night I attended a meeting of my local Tea Party and, after we agreed what to burn down next, I was given a copy of the 07/22/13 edition of the John Birch Society publication, The New American. In it, the Society provides a Congressional scorecard "based on the U.S. Constitution". With them Coburn has a rating of 90% as does Cruz 90%. McCain gets a resounding 56%. My own 2 senators, God love 'em, are Murray 13% and Cantwell 10% (which means they both accidentally got something right at least once).

If anyone would like to know how their own senators or representative rates, merely ask and I will post it.

 

[truth_seeker]

Actually, not according to Ted Cruz, but according to his constituents back in Oklahoma where he is very unpopular of late and it the main reason he is not running for re-election,  Oklahoman's love Inhoff... the doctor -- not so much these days.

He's not running because he said he wouldn't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Coburn

Does this read like somebody that is not conservative?

Conservatism loses credibility with outlandish claims.  The subsequent spin makes it even worse.

[Rapunzel]

He's not running because he said he wouldn't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Coburn

Does this read like somebody that is not conservative?

Conservatism loses credibility with outlandish claims.  The subsequent spin makes it even worse.

Actually he did run again past the date he stated he was going to retire (aka his election six years ago) and nope, according to friends (and some of my relatives) in OK he is not all that popular back home these days.

[sinkspur]

Actually, not according to Ted Cruz, but according to his constituents back in Oklahoma where he is very unpopular of late and it the main reason he is not running for re-election,  Oklahoman's love Inhoff... the doctor -- not so much these days.

I'd like to see a link to some evidence of that.  Coburn has said he would term limit himself, again, and he is doing what he said he would do. 

[Rapunzel]

I'd like to see a link to some evidence of that.  Coburn has said he would term limit himself, again, and he is doing what he said he would do.

You know damned well there was a lot of grumbling about him running six years ago because he said he was going to retire and then decided to run for yet another term.  Do your own research or have your secretary do it for you, I am not your personal secretary.

[sinkspur]

Actually he did run again past the date he stated he was going to retire (aka his election six years ago) and nope, according to friends (and some of my relatives) in OK he is not all that popular back home these days.

Oh, well, if your friends and relatives say he's not popular, I guess that settles it.

[sinkspur]

You know damned well there was a lot of grumbling about him running six years ago because he said he was going to retire and then decided to run for yet another term.  Do your own research or have your secretary do it for you, I am not your personal secretary.

I know no such thing.  All I do know is that he has the highest conservative rating in the entire Congress and that some hair-on-fire types now call him a RINO because he disagrees with Cruz's tactics.

Anecdotes prove nothing. 

[mountaineer]

Oh, well, if your friends and relatives say he's not popular, I guess that settles it.

Oh, well, if you tell us a particular politician that you don't like is not popular in Texas, I guess that settles it, too.

[Carling]

Conservatism loses credibility with outlandish claims.  The subsequent spin makes it even worse.

I understand that what Cruz is doing is political, and I'm fine with it.  What I find beyond the pale is how now a solid conservative like Tom Coburn is being blasted by people based on Cruz's political stunt. 

Conservatives continue to eat their own, and they never learn.

[sinkspur]

Oh, well, if you tell us a particular politician that you don't like is not popular in Texas, I guess that settles it, too.

Apropos of nothing. 

What are you talking about? 

[sinkspur]

I understand that what Cruz is doing is political, and I'm fine with it.  What I find beyond the pale is how now a solid conservative like Tom Coburn is being blasted by people based on Cruz's political stunt. 

Conservatives continue to eat their own, and they never learn.

You're either with us or against us.  There is no room in the Tea Party for disagreement.  None whatsoever.

[Bigun]

LMAO....well Tom I suspect Cruz is right since you had to go on MSNBC to proclaim this!

LOL! Right on!

[Bigun]

You're either with us or against us.  There is no room in the Tea Party for disagreement.  None whatsoever.

I'll put my republican party creds up against  yours anytime and will also tell you that the time for mushy middle republicans is at an end! We don't have time for that anymore!
 

[Cincinnatus]

All I do know is that he has the highest conservative rating in the entire Congress...

According to whom? The only survey provided is the one I cited above and it does not show him the highest. In fact, the highest in the Senate at 100% is none other than Jeff Flake out of AZ, and the House shows at least a dozen members at 100%.

So how about you document this statement: All I do know is that he [Coburn] has the highest conservative rating in the entire Congress....

I'll wait.

[sinkspur]

All I do know is that he has the highest conservative rating in the entire Congress...

According to whom? The only survey provided is the one I cited above and it does not show him the highest. In fact, the highest in the Senate at 100% is none other than Jeff Flake out of AZ, and the House shows at least a dozen members at 100%.

So how about you document this statement: All I do know is that he [Coburn] has the highest conservative rating in the entire Congress....

I'll wait.

You post ratings from the John Birch Society, a fringe outfit that accused Dwight Eisenhower of being a Communist.

Try the American Conservative Union, the gold standard of Congressional ratings:

http://conservative.org/ratingsarchive/uscongress/2012/

[Bigun]

Just as an aside, last night I attended a meeting of my local Tea Party and, after we agreed what to burn down next, I was given a copy of the 07/22/13 edition of the John Birch Society publication, The New American. In it, the Society provides a Congressional scorecard "based on the U.S. Constitution". With them Coburn has a rating of 90% as does Cruz 90%. McCain gets a resounding 56%. My own 2 senators, God love 'em, are Murray 13% and Cantwell 10% (which means they both accidentally got something right at least once).

If anyone would like to know how their own senators or representative rates, merely ask and I will post it.

If you would be kind enough to post John Cornyn's numbers it would be much appreciated.

[Cincinnatus]

Cornyn is rated at 89%.

As to this: You post ratings from the John Birch Society, a fringe outfit that accused Dwight Eisenhower of being a Communist.

The last part about Eisenhower is in error. Can you provide documentation it ever did so? Moreover calling it a "fringe outfit" is his usual form of personal attack, only this time directed at an entire organization. JBS either has the facts or does not. You really don't know and never will because you are so close minded.

Try the American Conservative Union, the gold standard of Congressional ratings:

Uh, no. You made the claim. You prove it. Show his Conservative rating is higher than any other member of Congress.

Like Rapunzel I am not your secretary.

[Carling]

Get rid of Coburn, then.  You ideological purists are what gave us Obama.  Find someone even more conservative than Coburn, and get him elected.

I'm almost done with far right-wing internet conservatives at this point.  Nobody is extreme enough for them, yet we all accuse the Dems of groupthink and litmus tests. 

[Rapunzel]

I understand that what Cruz is doing is political, and I'm fine with it.  What I find beyond the pale is how now a solid conservative like Tom Coburn is being blasted by people based on Cruz's political stunt. 

Conservatives continue to eat their own, and they never learn.

Coburn is being pounded today because he went on MSNBC in order to trash another conservative GOP Senator, Ted Cruz. 

Bottom line here:  the GOP controls the House, period. They have enough members in the Senate (46 members)  to block cloture.  No amount of insisting that the strategy is “doomed” changes these facts. Stay united against Obamacare, and the strategy succeeds.

re: Coburn. Once a year he puts out a list of government wasteful spending and then what?  {{{crickets}}} that is what... he does nothing to put his neck on the line or break a sweat to actually stop it.   What has Tom Coburn done to put himself out there to stop Obamacare?  Answer:  NOTHING!   Every single GOP senator has "claimed" they want it gone, yet we have a handful actually willing to try and stop it and then when a couple do something these senators go on the attack in the background, sending talking points to the media.  They are all a bunch of cowards, just don't rock the good ole boys club and they give out a soundbite here and there and all us good little voters are supposed to say:  alright then, these are just GREAT guys..... sorry I don't swing that way, I didn't vote for McCain (for example) to go along to get along with Obama or to trash Ted Cruz. I love what Ted Cruz is doing because damn it all he IS doing something.

[Lipstick on a Hillary]

What I find beyond the pale is how now a solid conservative like Tom Coburn is being blasted by people based on Cruz's political stunt.   Conservatives continue to eat their own, and they never learn.

And you can thank Tom Coburn for inviting this discussion, by willing appearing on MSNBC (of all places) to whine and bitch about his fellow Republican, or--- "eating his own," if you will.

 Something "a solid conservative" wouldn't be caught dead doing, by the way.

[Lipstick on a Hillary]

Oh, well, if your friends and relatives say he's not popular, I guess that settles it.

That technique certainly sufficed when you dragged in that sob story of your friends' gender-confused 8 year old, to argue your point about pick-a-gender bathrooms in elementary schools. 

Get some integrity.