Wyman: The Obama-Coburn Connection
By Hastings Wyman/Southern Political Report ~ US Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has the reputation for being one of the Senate’s most conservative members, with an aversion to federal spending, and especially to earmarks, that is consistently vehement. So although Coburn and President-elect Barack Obama have at times cooperated on mutual goals, it still came as a surprise last week to hear Coburn on CNBC speaking favorably of Obama’s pending economic stimulus package.
Most of Coburn’s praise centered on Obama’s tax cut component, which may account for 40% of the stimulus. And Coburn made clear that he’s on good terms with the president-elect, noting that he had spoken with Obama in the past few days about his economic plans. The Oklahoma GOPer used a warm and favorable tone toward Obama that conservatives rarely use for liberals (and vice versa). Coburn, for example, did not echo the starchy coolness that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) exhibited toward Obama’s package when he questioned the amount of money involved -- some $800 billion, or perhaps as much as $1 trillion.
Indeed, Coburn has sounded much more favorable to Obama’s economic policies that some high-placed Democrats.
“I think the things that Coburn said he found good in Obama’s stimulus package are some of the things you’ve heard some Democrats complain about,” says Chad Alexander, a political consultant.
Such high-placed Democrats as Senate Finance Committee members John Kerry (MA) and Kent Conrad (ND), as well as powerful House Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank (MA), have been publicly critical of various aspects of Obama’s stimulus package, among them the tax cuts and a tax credit for employers who hire additional employees.
The Obama-Coburn alliance illustrates the flip-side of a polarizing response to Obama’s policies which appears to be developing in Washington. Liberal Democrats fear the president-elect is giving away the store in a futile attempt to court the GOP, and conservative Republicans fear the charming Obama is seducing them into what will eventually become a major federal spending spree, with disastrous consequences for the economy long-term.
Regardless of the national political dynamics at play, however, Coburn is likely to stay on the good side of Sooner State voters, including his conservative backers.
Coburn’s favorable comments about Obama’s economic policies "won’t upset conservatives here,” says Alexander, a former Oklahoma state Republican chairman.
“Coburn has a reputation for being such a maverick on spending issues that folks give him the benefit of any doubt,” agrees Mike McCarville, a long-time right-leaning Oklahoma radio talk show host and journalist.
Moreover, Oklahomans are used to Coburn’s reaching across the aisle on some issues.
“Coburn has demonstrated in the House and Senate that he’ll work with anybody with whom he agrees on an issue, whether liberal or conservative, Democratic or Republican,” says McCarville.
Kyle Loveless, a Republican consultant whose wife once worked on Coburn's US House staff, says of Coburn, “He’s principled and holds to his principles, but he does not let party get in his way.”
Loveless notes that Coburn and Obama struck up a good relationship on several past issues, most notably the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, successfully sponsored by Coburn and Obama in 2006, which requires full disclosure to the public of all recipients of federal funds. Obama mentioned this legislation several times in his campaign as evidence he could work across party lines. “Eighty- to ninety percent of stuff they disagree on, but in some areas they agree,” concludes Loveless.
Moreover, folks in Oklahoma are familiar with and trust Coburn’s maverick’s approach to politics. Many of them know that when you call his office in the US Capitol, his receptionist answers the phone, “Dr. Coburn’s office,” not “Senator Coburn’s office,” a symbol of his long-running feud with the Senate over his continuing to deliver babies while he serves in Congress’s stuffy upper chamber.
Coburn comes up for re-election next year and has not decided whether he will run again. Since John McCain carried every single county Oklahoma, Coburn’s warm relationship with Obama does not appear designed to help Coburn win votes in 2010. However, Coburn does have the luxury of operating in a political environment that is favorable to him personally; his approval rating generally hovers around 60%.
So what will this odd-couple cooperation mean in the long term, for the Obama Administration or for Oklahoma? “On several issues … [Coburn] has found common ground with Obama,” concludes McCarville, but “how far this will go, nobody knows.” Stay tuned.
Most of Coburn’s praise centered on Obama’s tax cut component, which may account for 40% of the stimulus. And Coburn made clear that he’s on good terms with the president-elect, noting that he had spoken with Obama in the past few days about his economic plans. The Oklahoma GOPer used a warm and favorable tone toward Obama that conservatives rarely use for liberals (and vice versa). Coburn, for example, did not echo the starchy coolness that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) exhibited toward Obama’s package when he questioned the amount of money involved -- some $800 billion, or perhaps as much as $1 trillion.
Indeed, Coburn has sounded much more favorable to Obama’s economic policies that some high-placed Democrats.
“I think the things that Coburn said he found good in Obama’s stimulus package are some of the things you’ve heard some Democrats complain about,” says Chad Alexander, a political consultant.
Such high-placed Democrats as Senate Finance Committee members John Kerry (MA) and Kent Conrad (ND), as well as powerful House Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank (MA), have been publicly critical of various aspects of Obama’s stimulus package, among them the tax cuts and a tax credit for employers who hire additional employees.
The Obama-Coburn alliance illustrates the flip-side of a polarizing response to Obama’s policies which appears to be developing in Washington. Liberal Democrats fear the president-elect is giving away the store in a futile attempt to court the GOP, and conservative Republicans fear the charming Obama is seducing them into what will eventually become a major federal spending spree, with disastrous consequences for the economy long-term.
Regardless of the national political dynamics at play, however, Coburn is likely to stay on the good side of Sooner State voters, including his conservative backers.
Coburn’s favorable comments about Obama’s economic policies "won’t upset conservatives here,” says Alexander, a former Oklahoma state Republican chairman.
“Coburn has a reputation for being such a maverick on spending issues that folks give him the benefit of any doubt,” agrees Mike McCarville, a long-time right-leaning Oklahoma radio talk show host and journalist.
Moreover, Oklahomans are used to Coburn’s reaching across the aisle on some issues.
“Coburn has demonstrated in the House and Senate that he’ll work with anybody with whom he agrees on an issue, whether liberal or conservative, Democratic or Republican,” says McCarville.
Kyle Loveless, a Republican consultant whose wife once worked on Coburn's US House staff, says of Coburn, “He’s principled and holds to his principles, but he does not let party get in his way.”
Loveless notes that Coburn and Obama struck up a good relationship on several past issues, most notably the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, successfully sponsored by Coburn and Obama in 2006, which requires full disclosure to the public of all recipients of federal funds. Obama mentioned this legislation several times in his campaign as evidence he could work across party lines. “Eighty- to ninety percent of stuff they disagree on, but in some areas they agree,” concludes Loveless.
Moreover, folks in Oklahoma are familiar with and trust Coburn’s maverick’s approach to politics. Many of them know that when you call his office in the US Capitol, his receptionist answers the phone, “Dr. Coburn’s office,” not “Senator Coburn’s office,” a symbol of his long-running feud with the Senate over his continuing to deliver babies while he serves in Congress’s stuffy upper chamber.
Coburn comes up for re-election next year and has not decided whether he will run again. Since John McCain carried every single county Oklahoma, Coburn’s warm relationship with Obama does not appear designed to help Coburn win votes in 2010. However, Coburn does have the luxury of operating in a political environment that is favorable to him personally; his approval rating generally hovers around 60%.
So what will this odd-couple cooperation mean in the long term, for the Obama Administration or for Oklahoma? “On several issues … [Coburn] has found common ground with Obama,” concludes McCarville, but “how far this will go, nobody knows.” Stay tuned.
Labels: Barack Obama, Chad Alexander, Hastings Wyman, John McCain, Kyle Loveless, Mike McCarville, Southern Political Report, Tom Coburn
posted by Mike McCarville @ 9:09 AM
