Coburn: ‘Disgusting:’ In DC, Elections Are More Important Than The Health Of The Country
Former Sen. Coburn on what’s ‘disgusting’ about Washington
BY PAIGE WINFIELD CUNNINGHAM
Now that Sen. Tom Coburn has retired from Congress, who will publicize government spending on things like Swedish massages for rabbits and “Sesame Street” remakes for Pakistan?
Battling prostate cancer, the Oklahoma physician vacated his seat in December, two years before his second term was up. He leaves behind a legacy marked by government transparency efforts and is perhaps best known for his annual “Wastebook,” in which he listed federally funded projects he found to be frivolous.
In several ways, Coburn bucked the norm in the increasingly polarized Congress. An obstetrician by profession, he earned the nickname “Dr. No” for opposing bills even championed by his fellow Republicans if he believed they would spend federal dollars ineffectively.
But while Coburn’s fiercely conservative, he has one of the friendliest relationships with President Obama of any Republican.