Coburn Evokes Ricky Ricardo While Speaking To Sotomayor: "You'll Have Lots Of Splainin' To Do" (VIDEO)

(AP) WASHINGTON -- Sen. Tom Coburn evoked a 1950s TV show Wednesday in a quip responding to Sonia Sotomayor's scenario about what he might do if she - hypothetically, of course - attacked him.

"You'll have a lot of 'splainin' to do," Coburn said, to laughter from the crowd and Sotomayor. What he said - and how he said it - was a riff on a Hispanic television character, Ricky Ricardo, whose accent is now widely considered a broad parody.

In the famous 1950s TV show "I Love Lucy," the Cuban bandleader Ricardo (played by the equally Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz) would often admonish his scatterbrained wife, Lucy, by saying she'd have some "'splainin'" to do. The phrase, "Lucy, you have some 'splainin' to do," has since become part of the popular culture.

Calling Coburn out for this might be going too far - those who know him say he often speaks like this - but it was hard not to notice his inflection and choice of words. At the very least, it suggests a tin ear - particularly when speaking to a woman who would become the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice.

Yvette Melendez, a Glastonbury, Conn., woman attending the hearing, said she winced inwardly when Coburn made his comment but did not feel offended.

"I personally did not think it was appropriate," she said. "But I'm sure he said it as a joke."

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Comments

[totaldisbelief]

It's unbelievable just how unpolitic some of these politicians can be.

[BillyMae]

Just plain rude......­...and ignorant.

[VeriteNow]

Where's the surprise here. Is there anyone with half a brain who doesn't wholeheartedly believe that each and every Republican would love to go back to the eighteenth century when the country was ruled by rich, white men of Anglo Saxon and Germanic descent?

[Professorofdesire]

I wondered if I was the only one who noticed this.

[Al91206]

Statements highlighted in blogs from GOP senators, politicos, etc would get you FIRED in most corporate situations. Too bad our politicians live in bubble of ignorance. It's in appropriate - even more so since he's talking to a the first Latina nominee to the Supreme Court. There shouldn't be a question of "was that offensive" because NOTHING in his questioning should even go there - but of course he did.

[1differentdrummer]

Another erudite R.

[DrZee]

How's that remark in comparison to "wise Latina" remark?
Do they even get how weirdly hypocritical they are?
Or are they just that ignorant.

It's not offensive to me, but I'm not Hispanic. The "wise Latina" remark wasn't offensive to me either, but then... I'm not a white male either.

[johnie2xs]

If there is any bright spot to these hearings, it's that the Rethuglican meme
of hate, bias, and low road politics, is on full display.

They are an embarrassment to themselves, and the country.
Sessions, Cornyn, graham, and Coburn, with their demeaning and
bullying styles, have done nothing to honor themselves by continually
haranguing her on the "wise Latina" statement, her feelings about,
anything they can term as being "prejudicial" on nbehalf of her own ethnicity,
calling her a "bully" (Lindsey Graham), and/or anything and everything
ancillary, having little or nothing to do with judicial competence.

They know she is going to be confirmed.
They know that they lose this round.
All they're doing now is proving, in every way,
just how hateful and superfluous they really are.

[DangerWillRobinson]

"If there is any bright spot to these hearings, it's that the Rethuglican meme
of hate, bias, and low road politics, is on full display."

Bingo! Now, for all those Latinos (especially the Cubans who historically voted heavily Republican), here it is in white and white; THIS IS WHAT THEY THINK OF YOU!

[PVHurt420]

Not the smartest crayon in the box, EH!

What a dumb comment!!

[Ohsnap]

I hear he plans on quoting Speedy Gonzalez tomorrow.

[deannam]

Really, I heard it was the Frito Bandito!

[dct1999]

Chiquita Banana

[Qvato]

I heard he was coming in dressed as Carmen Miranda

[seal62]

Hola..yo soy Jaun Valdez..te gustaria coffee?

[sparky73]

can the moderator email me and tell me why my comments are not being posted?
THX

[EgyptianMysterySchool]

of course they let that one go through

[SueInCA]

Since Ricardo was cuban, his remark makes him look even more stewpid. But then he is not a Wise Latina Woman or Man for that matter

[VOTER]

Right on, Sue!

[Professorofdesire]

I've noticed that some of mine seem to go off into cyberspace, never to be seen again.

[itschuck2c]

It was said as an anwer to her answer..if you did indeed avoid a deadly threat and went home and got a gun and returned and shot the the guy you would indeed have some splanin to do...anyon­e with half a brain would take the comment in context of the conversation.
Now what bothers me is she never answered the question..­do we as americans have the right to defend ourselves against a deadly threat??

[fictioneer]

Bananas. Was he trying to bond with her?

[Hollywooddeed]

They just can't stop themselves, can they?

[rabiddog6708]

It is in their DNA.

[VOTER]

Thanks goodness its not in the water.

[jchron]

Tom Coburn is my Senator...­unfortunat­ely. I wouldn't vote for him. I don't agree with virtually any of his positions.­..after all he's a republican. But I do not think he meant anything by that. Its not a big deal. I didn't think Judge Sotamayor thought anything about it. We've got bigger things to worry about than a weak attempt at humor that was neither malicious nor inappropriate.

[brueso]

Would it have been appropriate if she had been Asian and he said "No tickee, no washee?" Where does the line get drawn when it comes to sterotyping people because of their ethnicity or race?

Most adults have the sense to stay away from those kind of 'jokes' because they may offend some people- and for MOST, definitely by the time they run for public office.

[jwcmass]

While I am not a supporter of Sen. Coburn's views, I don't think one can compare this impersonation (whether good or bad--and looking at the clip, I give him the benefit of the doubt ) of a real actor-- Desi Arnaz, -- as opposed to a caricature of an entire minority.

People do impersonations of politicians and actors all the time. It may not have been the smartest thing to do (and I don't know what is in his heart in regard to Latinos and Latinas) but compared to some of the extreme racist stuff we have seen (the swimming club, the Florida group with posters depicting President Obama as Hitler and other truly despicable stuff that is out there) I don't think this merits much alarm, if any.

[jchron]

Gosh, Who would have ever thought I'd be defending Tom Coburn. He'd certainly be surprised. His comment is has been repeated thousands of times by different people. I've heard people say what he said....Th­ey simply don't mean anything malicious by it and I don't think he did either. Now, having said that, I hope she is confirmed, I hope he loses his next election and it wouldn't bother me if he followed our former Governor Frank Keating and left Oklahoma forever.

[Roses]

I think she should have answered "aye laddie....­..tis a wee bi' of misunderstandin' ya' see"