Conservative Senator Praises Pelosi, Knocks Fox

(April 7) -- There's something to be said for getting out of Washington after the bitter battle over health care reform. Back home in Oklahoma, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn sounded like a changed man at a recent town hall meeting.

Coburn, a stalwart conservative, defended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and took a few shots at Fox News, accusing the network of misleading viewers. This from the same senator who warned during the heat of the debate that the Democrats' health care plan would shorten the lives of Americans and who was accused of encouraging prayers for Sen. Robert Byrd's death before a crucial vote.

At the meeting with constituents in Oklahoma City last week, a woman expressed fear that people who don't buy health insurance would be thrown in jail -- an idea often repeated on Fox.

"The intention is not to put anybody in jail," Coburn replied. "That makes for good TV news on Fox, but that isn't the intention."

The senator assured the audience that he's "180 degrees in opposition" to Pelosi -- but added, "She's a nice lady." That prompted some grumbling, yet Coburn persisted.

"Come on now. She is nice -- how many of you all have met her? ... Just because somebody disagrees with you doesn't mean they're not a good person. ... So don't catch yourself being biased by Fox News that somebody is no good."

Coburn said he was "disturbed" that myths about health care reform had taken hold in so many people's minds, and he issued his own recommendations for a fair-and-balanced news diet.

"Don't just watch Fox News or CNN; watch them both," he said. "I read two papers a day: The New York Times, The Washington Post and in between The Wall Street Journal. I get a perspective."

The meeting was recorded by KGOU radio, and Capitol News Connection was the first to pick up the story. (Click here for audio and transcripts.)

You might expect Coburn's comments to trigger a backlash from conservative bloggers, but most appear to be giving him a break.

"Coburn has enough goodwill among the base that he could call Glenn Beck the devil and name Harry Reid 'World's Greatest Grandpa' and his cred would still be secure. Even so, I'm fascinated by the slim possibility that he might be telling the truth here and not just blowing smoke about how super cool the left is for civility's sake," said Hot Air's Allahpundit.

"While it may seem funny coming from me, someone who brings a fair amount of emotion to his blogging at times, that doesn't mean I think the best decisions made in DC are driven by emotion. ... The best decisions are made by principled conservatives based on sound logic," wrote Riehl World View's Dan Riehl.

Riehl noted that Sen. John McCain "is breathing a lot of anti-Obama agenda fire" as he runs for re-election in Arizona now. "Does anyone believe he's going to live up to it if he's re-elected? Personally, I don't think so. But I do believe Coburn will be there fighting the good fight for conservatism every day."

Joe Gandelman of The Moderate Voice drew the same comparison, declaring it's Coburn who's the real maverick (especially now that McCain has disavowed the label). Closing on a skeptical note, Gandelman added, "Now let's see how long it lasts."

Coburn's "change in tone" might put him in the Fox doghouse, but it's good politics and good for the country, according to Jed Lewinson of Daily Kos.

"It's smart politics because the American public will never, ever return to power a Republican Party that is dominated by the invective and vitriol spewed forth by Glenn Beck and the Fox News Channel," said Lewinson. "It's good for the country because what Coburn said in his town hall is true: just because we disagree does not mean we can't get along. Politics can be like a battle, but if more Republicans join Coburn in resisting the Fox-fueled notion that Americans are at war with each other, the better off we will all be."

The reaction from AMERICAblog's John Aravosis isn't as charitable to the senator. "Coburn is not a nice guy. For him to be talking like this means that he's concerned -- the GOP is concerned -- that their crazies have gone too far, too crazy," Aravosis said.

He's not the only one who detected political calculations in Coburn's remarks. Newsweek's Daniel Stone pointed out that while Coburn is leading in his re-election bid right now, the race could tighten this summer.

"Either he's working to paint himself as an elder statesman who can cut through partisan bickering to shape good policy. Or he's just allowed his primary opponent, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, to accuse him of secretly being on the other team," Stone wrote on The Gaggle blog. "Trying to be fair and balanced has never been so tricky."