I have a big dillema regarding the Okla Senate race:

[karlrschneider]

Some of you know I was the chief pilot for Coburn Optical Industries through the 1970s beginning when Tom Coburn was just finishing high school and obviously came to know him and his father O.W. (Prez/CEO)
very well...corporate pilots are a rather unique group of people, they
do much more than just drive the airplanes - and are often asked to act as personal valets, so to speak and frequently to ...arrange discreet meetings between the bosses & honchos with uh, practitioners of what has been called the "oldest profession"...I don't think any more explanation is necessary here.

Now, I don't really dislike Tom (or "Tac" as we always called him), but
I find his far-right agenda reprehensible (not to mention more than just a little disingenuous), at least on social issues. I can't really fault him too badly on fiscal matters, but I've made it clear to him that I
could never vote for him given his positions on abortion, gay marriage,
immigration, etc.

So really I have two problems here...one is a temptation to reveal certain information about "Tac" and his family/inner circle in some kind of public way...and that his opponent Brad Carson, the Democrat isn't more than 2 millimeters away from Coburn's stance. Some Hobson's choices, huh?

[yellowcanine]

1. That's a tough one - I wouldn't unless Coburn is being a hypocrite -

that is, pushing a right wing social agenda - anti gay, defense of marriage, etc. Pushing, as in Rick Santorum - not just voting. Just my opinion. And be prepared to get crucified if you do decide to "spill the beans."

[spotbird]

2. Carson has some good stands on issues

but no one would know it from the campaign he is running.

The real issue is the possibility of regaining the senate. Carson will caucus with the Democrats so that if Kerry loses the only, slight, protection this country will have will be from the senate.

On the other hand, whatever you know may be too old to help anyway.

[Walt Starr]

3. Support the Democrat no matter what

If it means releasing dirt on the Republican, do it, no matter if there is no difference between the two. control of the Senate is a numbers game and if we don't have a majority of Democrats, we cannot control the agenda.

Out him.

[RummyTheDummy]

4. I'm a fellow Okie

And I'm not that wild about Carson either. He's too conservative and like Brad Henry, to unwilling to upset the apple cart with state Repukes.

All that said, to me, the choice is a simple one. We have a conservative Republican with a fanatical evangelical christian driven stand on social issues and Brad Carson, a very conservative Dem.

My advice: Vote for Carson. At least you will feel better knowing you did your best to get someone at least resembling a Dem into a Senate seat. I fear this opportunity might not come along again. I remember shrugging off Dave McCurdy's loss to Inhoffe. No way Inhoffe, a man that lost a mayorial election to none other than Terry Young, could last in the Senate. Clearly I was wrong and now Inhoffe is entrenched and will be in the Senate until he kicks. I don't want to see that happen again.

On edit: Get the info you have about Coburn out there. Every little bit helps!

[okieinpain]

9. sorry. love henry. by the way I wish dems would use henry as

an example. in the states that are just too repug, dems should run a repug. that's is what the repugs did in 02, I don't know how many times I heard some repug say that their guy in a liberal state wasn't conservative, "he's a moderate".

that's how they have control of everything, hell why can't we convert some moderate repugs to dems, that's what they do. reminds me of a eddie murphy movie, where he gets elected by using a dead politicians name. "vote for a name you know".

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. Despite your difference with Carson on the issues,

if he is elected, it will mean one more vote for the Senate Democratic caucus, which could be the difference between the minority and the majority. Which could mean several other Democrats that you DO agree with will be chairmen instead of ranking members, and so on, and so on...

[DURHAM D]

6. Hair splitting on issues does not matter - the only thing that

really matters is which side of the isle will the Senator be on. In other words, the most important issue facing the Senate over the next four years is the selection of one, two or three new Supreme Court justices. Everything else is background noise.

These bench choice(s)made next year will set our future for the next 40 to 50 years. Your children's future is more in the hands of the Senate then any President. This is not something anyone in their right mind would want the current hate-mongering and civil liberties destroying Republicans to control.

[renotyme]

7. anonymous leak

drop the dime, but use a payphone

[Onlooker]

8. Think of the Supreme Court

We desperately need Democratic control of the Senate or the Presidency or else the Supreme Court is going to become a nightmare for everyone but wealthy white men.

[karlrschneider]

10. Replying to my own post by way of acknowledging everyone who replied

Thanks everybody. I will vote for Carson, holding my nose. (I'm not really a huge fan of Kerry either, was a Clark supporter through the primary here) but will of course do whatever it takes to get the Chimp out...and I understand how important it would be simply to have another D in the senate (but as much as I hate to say it, I think Coburn will win.) :grr:

Tom Coburn doesn't really have that many skeletons...I could expose a few but they aren't all that scandalous. His dad and older brother (dad is dead now...he donated $7 million to Anal...er, Oral Roberts back in the early 80s in what looked to me at the time to be a 'penance' of sorts...he was a randy old SOB) are very different kettle of fish but I can't honestly blame Tac for his father & brother. I guess I'll just forget about it and hope OK voters will gain a little sense. :eyes: