Tom Coburn Knocks Fox News, Says Nancy Pelosi is a "Nice Person"

Source: CBS

Sen. Tom Coburn, a staunch conservative from Oklahoma, is doing what seems almost unthinkable in this polarized political climate: Defending his Democratic colleagues from critics at Fox News.

At a town hall meeting, Coburn suggested that a woman who said "they can put us in prison" for not obtaining health insurance under the health care reform bill is misinformed. "The intention is not to put anybody in jail," he said. "That makes for good TV news on Fox but that isn't the intention."

He also defended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the architect of the House version of the health care legislation that he fiercely opposed. "I'm 180 degrees in opposition to the speaker -- she's a nice lady," he said. The crowd could be heard responding unfavorably to his characterization.

"Come on now, she is a nice -- how many of you all have met her?" continued Coburn. "She's a nice person. She's a nice person. Just because somebody disagrees with you doesn't mean they're not a good person," he added. He then discussed his own experience of being vilified before asking the crowd not to "catch yourself being biased by Fox News that somebody's no good."

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20001827-503544.html

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Well worth reading the full article to hear what else he had to say about Faux. For example:

"I do a lot of reading every day, and I'm disturbed that we get things like what this lady said and what others have said on other issues, that are so disconnected to what I know to be the facts," he said. "And that comes from somebody that has an agenda that's other than the best interests of our country."

Audio here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ty86UC_iHE

Think Progress article on this with full transcript: http://thinkprogress.org/2010/04/06/coburn-fox-news-biased/">Coburn Implores Audience To Not Be ‘Biased By Fox News’

It is a simple idea. We should pick it up in elementary school. But so many people have a hard time getting that. Some on our side too.

He may be completely wrong on the issues, but I have never heard him call a Democrat names or go into a big hissyfit over "socialism" and the like. His arguments are completely flawed, but he makes them in a civilized manner. Didn't he and Obama team up on some earmark legislation back when Obama was in the Senate?

And the bill was a transparency bill that allows ppl to see which organizations are getting federal money:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Funding_Accountability_and_Transparency_Act_of_2006

and become the voice of reason?

No wonder Coburn is sounding half-way sane. The rest of them are turning into people so nuts even the experienced nuts can't stand them.

a filthy prick.

on how badly the tea bagger movement plays with independents.

Next thing you know he and Inhofe will call climate change scientists "reasonable people". Seeing the nuttiest of the nutty defend Pelosi is definitely a WTF moment.

Rp

It sounded like it didn't go down well with the right wing militia he had in his audience.

Methinks Coburn is doing what most elected Republicans are or will shortly be doing: distancing himself from the lunatic fringe they originated and nurtured, the fringe that is now officially gone off the deep end.

Tom Coburn

He's a pig trying to slick up his act.

votes. He has some nerve to pretend to be in anyway superior to or different from FoxNews for the bulk of his political career. If you removed from Coburn his vile statements, he'd be the quietest man in DC.
We remember who and what you are Senator Coburn.

he's definitely a far rightie but I don't remember him having gone for personal attacks.

The republicans are going to start trying to rehabilitate their 'nasty' image. There must be some polls out there that we're not privy to that shows the skanky cranky bitchy thing ain't working for 'em.

It will be interesting to see if they can reign in the monster they created. This means Sarah's gotta go.

it will be really fun to watch them freak out. LOL

:popcorn:

...they're jumping in front of the bus.

A lot of people want to "take the country back", both left and right. "Take to the streets!", "Burn, Baby, Burn!".

go join the 101st keyboard commandos.

and the media has everything to do with it.

He is a good guy who I disagree with 90% (I think he's right on earmarks), and who I think it a religious nutcase, but he has always been true and honest to what he believes.

I have said that here before and get called a troll for it, but I have no problem saying it again. He is one of at most 5 honest people in Congress.

He never fails to offend ME.

Maybe a reality-based wing of the party is emerging.

to a dead end.

Continually perpetuating the myth that CNN is a lefty news outlet!

But not to worry, Coburn has no intentions of acting like a normal sane person anytime soon.

I predict that by say, Thursday, he'll be saying that Global Warming scientists are child molesters, or something similar....

First, Bill "Falafel" O'Reilly helps pay the court costs of the guy fighting the Phelps freaks. Now Tom "pray that somebody can't make the vote tonight" Coburn is defending Pelosi to the teabaggers?

My brain hurts...

That's saying A LOT.

Even before I heard that, my reaction to the headline of this thread was "I don't trust him."