Tom Coburn Blasts Congress Over Debt Ceiling Deal, Makes Controversial Remarks About Obama

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) blasted Congress for America's financial troubles and predicted that the debt ceiling agreement would unravel this fall, calling his congressional colleagues "career elitists" and "cowards" at an event in Langley, Oklahoma on Tuesday.

"It's just a good thing I can't pack a gun on the Senate floor," Coburn said, according to the Tulsa World.

The remark comes just weeks after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) returned to Congress to vote in favor of raising the nation's debt ceiling, seven months after she was shot in the head by a gunman in Tucson, Ariz.

In response to a man who asked whether President Barack Obama "wants to destroy America," Coburn also managed to both defend and insult the president, calling him a "very bright" man who loves his country but also someone who "as an African-American male," received "tremendous advantage" from government programs.

Obama's "intent is not to destroy, his intent is to create dependency because it worked so well for him," Coburn said.

Obama and Coburn represent something of a political odd-couple. In Langley, Coburn called Obama's political views "goofy and wrong," but the two have long had a personal friendship, stemming from their time in the Senate together.

"I try to write him about every week or two," Coburn told The Hill in 2009. "Write him a note, encourage him. No one has a tougher job than he does."

"We came into the Senate together, and I just have a lot of admiration for him," Coburn said at the time. "I'm 180 degrees from him on policy on most issues. But I think he's a wonderful man."

Speaking in Iowa this week, Obama echoed Coburn's criticism of Congress.

"We could do even more if Congress is willing to get in the game," he said in Peosta, Iowa, referring to job creation measures like an infrastructure bank and free trade agreements.

"The only thing that is holding us back is our politics. The only thing that is preventing us from passing the bills I just mentioned is the refusal of a faction in Congress to put country ahead of party, and that has to stop," Obama said. "Our economy can't afford it."

The president is planning to unveil a new set of proposals to create jobs and boost the economy in a speech after Labor Day.

Comments

[relentless63]

08:47 AM on 08/23/2011

Every week or two he writes:
Dear Black Barack,
The only culture you know depends on the system for the very air you breathe. However, a real American takes care of his own health, education and welfare. Your people are going to have to lace up their bootstraps and boogie.
Your friend, Tom.

[datenutloaf]

09:41 AM on 08/22/2011

What a condescending little pRick.......

[JFoxCPT]

09:37 AM on 08/22/2011

Tom Coburn gives meaning to the word witless.

[JFoxCPT]

09:35 AM on 08/22/2011

Just another in a long and boring line of Republican lug heads who are so backwards that it's hard to imagine.

[rsaillant1]

07:16 AM on 08/22/2011

George Carlin told a story that said...somewhere in America,
the World's Worst Doctor has an office and in the waiting room
there are people who patiently await to be seen and treated by their
physician, the World's Worst Doctor....

I was never able to fully visualize the doctor in this tale, put a face on him,
until now. I figure the rotten, inept senator from Oklahoma, once a doctor,
probably fits the bill, just fine.....thanks Tom.

[Critical Thinker 999]

01:25 AM on 08/22/2011

Apparently grey hair doesn't necessarily make you mature.

[ArbitorA]

12:44 AM on 08/22/2011

"It's just a good thing I can't pack a gun on the Senate floor," Coburn said.

From that quote Hollywood should create a sequel to "Menace II Society" titled, "Menace II the Senate."

A story about an over-privileged, gang-banging group of WingNuts in Washington DC.

[nypapajoe]

11:41 PM on 08/21/2011

That's it I'm not going to visit the capital this politician is advocating violence! Imagine that a Senator has threatened to shoot somebody! I demand that he apologize and he be psychiatrically evaluated! I demand to know who does he want to shoot? Poor "Gabby" just returned to the capital and now she has to fear one of her own! WTF! These Right Winger bigots only want to resolve things by reloading, targeting and wanting to be armed!

[Deborah H]

10:42 PM on 08/21/2011

The term" friend"is hardly appropriate for this JERK,the President like many students Black,White or other, took the opportunities available in our educational system,which is set up for ambitious highly motivated students! Here is the problem the folks like this JERK, are just envious that this President, was able to use his educational acumen to ascend to the most powerful position in our society! ABILITY PLUS OPPORTUNITY EQUALS SUCCESS, COBURN YOUR JEALOUSY IS SHOWING, YOU HAD WAY MORE PRIVILIGE THAN MR. OBAMA,BUT YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT TO BE PRESIDENT! SOUR GRAPES, & INSECURITY ON STEROIDS!

[zatonoichi]

11:40 PM on 08/21/2011

F & F, Deborah!

[Hijeetz Mipanz]

09:52 PM on 08/21/2011

Its a fact, Free education, Free healthcare, Free housing, whats a shock here?

[EducatedWoman]

07:27 PM on 08/21/2011

So now this Dr. No goes all racial victim on us and explains that the only reason he isn't President is that he isn't black.

[Author James W Lewis]

07:19 PM on 08/21/2011

Why is it so hard to comprehend there ARE many people of color who've pulled themselves up from the "boot straps" and have gone on to become successful WITHOUT a "government advantage?"

[wonketteRAWKS]

09:53 PM on 08/21/2011

Totally agree, but Obama is not one of them. No one and absolutely no one should be judged on the color of their skin!

[Jeff Bunting]

07:11 PM on 08/21/2011

Just curious was this the same senator that was asked the question, "When is someone going to shoot Obama?"

I can never figure out which republican is which as they all sound nutty to me.

[Dez3]

06:37 PM on 08/21/2011

The easiest way to understand Sen. Tom Coburn statement is that he is still attempting to rationalize how an African American made it to the white house. Sen. Tom Coburn mindset is going the way of the dinosaurs, extinct.

[camelias and sweet tea]

09:35 AM on 08/22/2011

new fan..

[Dez3]

06:32 PM on 08/21/2011

Tom, you are a sick man.

[Hijeetz Mipanz]

09:54 PM on 08/21/2011

No, Its true