Coburn Pokes Fox for Conservative Bias

Liberals have bashed Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) in recent days for blocking legislation to extend the filing deadline for unemployment benefits, the cost of which he wants to offset. But today, “Dr. No” revealed a more progressive side.

Appearing at an Oklahoma town hall gathering, Coburn took on some conservatives in the audience over issues as diverse as the scope of health care reform, the bias of Fox News and the geniality of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). The highlights:

1) Asked what he thought about the (nonexistent) provision in the health reform law that will jail those who don’t comply with the individual insurance mandate, Coburn shot down the myth. “The intention is not to put any one in jail,” he said. “That makes for good TV news on FOX but that isn’t the intention.”

2) He asked voters to divorce themselves from the biases of Fox News and think for themselves.

What we have to have is make sure we have a debate in this country so that you can see what’s going on and make a determination yourself.

So don’t catch yourself being biased by FOX News that somebody is no good. The people in Washington are good. They just don’t know what they don’t know.

3) And finally, when the audience hissed at Coburn’s characterization of Pelosi as “a nice lady,” he defended those remarks, even as he was quick to reject the Speaker’s politics.

“Let me give you a little lesson here — I hope you will listen to me,” Coburn said. “Just because somebody disagrees with you [doesn't] mean they’re not a good person.”

No word yet on whether the audience took note.

h/t: The Hill.