Sen. Tom Coburn Apologizes on Senate Floor for Calling Harry Reid ‘Incompetent’
- Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:40am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Tom Coburn (AP)
Sen. Tom Coburn took to the Senate floor on Monday to apologize for some brutally honest remarks he made about Harry Reid. Mainly, that Reid — the senate majority leader — was “incompetent.”
“If you want to ask why the Senate isn’t working, there’s one reason; it’s called Harry Reid,” Coburn said last week on C-SPAN. “Incompetent and incapable of carrying on the leadership in the Senate.”
Reid took exception to the remarks and told the Huffington Post about a private conversation he had with Coburn regarding them.
“I said, ‘Uh, Dr. Coburn, you know I — you have given me a lot of trouble, but I would never, ever say anything about you, even though I think what you do is absolutely wrong, what you’ve done to hurt the country. Why would you say anything like that?’” Reid said. “And he said, ‘I’m gonna pray about it.’…So maybe he did, I haven’t heard back from him, but I know what he said.”
Apparently after having time to think and pray, a humble Coburn decided to apologize:
“I don’t apologize for my frustration with this place, but occasionally my words are harsh and inaccurate,” he said. “This past week, I used words that were inappropriate in describing his actions in the Senate, and for that I offer a public apology. I do not apologize for how I think the Senate is being run and the damage I think is being done to the country.”
“As an individual, he has a very difficult time, and I understand that, and to whom I ask his forgiveness,” Coburn added.
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Comments (76)
OldGringo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:12amYou Don’t Have to Apologize for the TRUTH!!!
Report Post »Under Reid’s “leadership” (or lack thereof) the Senate has failed to meet many of its obligations as required by law.
Under Reid’s “leadership” (or lack thereof) the Senate has been denied the ability to act on numerous bills passed by the House.
Under Reid’s “leadership” (or lack thereof) the Senate has forced this country into a stalled economy that will not improve until Dumb Harry is sent home.
HKS
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:58amDitto,
Report Post »netmail
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 1:51pmStop compromising with falsehoods, evil and idiots….just completely STOP. This country doesn‘t have a prayer if you don’t.
Report Post »turkey13
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:57pmHe tells Colburn that he has hurt the country. What a crock and I can’t believe Tom apoligized to Reid. Here in Oklahoma we have term limits so our Congressmen don’t have to go around with their noses stuck up some idiots arse. They don’t have to run around kissing up to rich donors everytime they drop their pants and tell,em to get on their knees. This is what the fathers wanted from the get go!
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:05pmPlease don’t apologize for telling the truth. Reid has tabled everything that the house has passed and sent to the Senate. He doesn’t even allow a vote. He refuses to even consider a budget and hasn’t sincde he became majority leader.
The only reason he is still in the Senate is because SEIU bussed in hotel and restaraunt workers and told them to vote for Hapless Harry.
OMG Nov 6, 2012
Report Post »ron2win
Posted on August 1, 2012 at 5:39amThis is one of the problems we have with repubs.they stand up for truth then stand down.Harry just said romeny ‘s father would be embarrased by his sons actions today .This vile despicable little man has the nads to ask for an apology ! Harry has never back tracked on any of the filth he has spewed since the first day he was elected.Some one should tell coburn you never ,ever apologize for telling the truth to the American people ,period !
Report Post »MiCurmudgeon
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:09amHe ought to apologize for giving Reid such a large compliment.
Report Post »crazywater
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:04amStop apologizing!
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:10amReid is incompetent, he has not passed a budget since Obama took office and continues to kick the can. It is Harry Reids and the lefts fault that we are in this awful state.
Report Post »jamesctheman
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:03amWhydo we always feel the need to apologize for our remarks. I don’t really care if Harry has a higher level of decorum when speaking of a person. The problem is he hit the nail right on the head. Incompetent is a proper term for a man who can’t get a budget done & has blocked over for bills designed to get out of the way of our economy. Maybe Mr. Coburn apologized to that little rat up on the podium. You don’t deserve that respect or dignity Mr. Reid. The criticism of your tenure has been very light to say the least. Get a little tougher skin Harry & think about that the next time you go after a conservative. I didn’t ever think you said anything nice about Mrs. Palin. Or maybe that was everyone else in your party, just not you. Eat your veggies Harry. This is just beginning.
Report Post »jujubeebee
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:01amWhy apologize for telling the truth? Harry Reid is incompetent as a leader……no budget the whole time….etc. The senate can’t come together to comprimise on anything and the obama media calls the congress a do nothing. Harry Reid is the do nothing in charge of the do nothing senate.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:59amHey Tom, grow a pair.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:58amI hope he is apologizing because “incompetent” was not harsh enough to describe Harry Reid
Report Post »abwehragent
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:57amIt isn’t nice to call an idiot incompetent.
Report Post »yooperjo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:56amCoburn was exactly right, and I wish he had not apologized for telling the truth.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:04amYOO: I wish he had apologized for telling the TRUTH ! Would have been much more effective !
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:55amWe are definitely living through that old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” This is evident when anyone has to apologize for telling the truth. I’m sure that we have all heard Reid himself say much worse about a number of Republicans.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:55amAren’t unions great,they kept Reid in power to continue to screw us over and destroy this country.
Report Post »Coburn is a candyass for apologizing to a traitor like Reid,hell Reid should be in prison for all the corruption he’s involved in.
Gonzo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:12amThere are bigger problems than this with Coburn. Like endorsing and contributing to a Democrat running for a Senate we are trying to take.
Report Post »BHOMustFail
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:54amCoburn is absolutely correct in his assessment of Reid….the man is the definition of INCOMPETENT!
I‘m sure you’ve all heard of the newest sex position….it is called the Harry Reid. You get on top and then do absolutely nothing. :)
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:53amWonder what they threatened him / his family with????
TELL THE TRUTH AND DO NOT BACK DOWN!
Report Post »oklahomalady
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:52amI live in OK and we are very proud of our Senators, Colburn and Inhofe. Our unemployment is only about 4.6%, too, because we’re a very Red state.
I don’t understand why the liberals can be so horrible to the conservatives (and never even consider apologizing) yet nothing is ever said about that, crickets are all you hear in the media. When a conservative actually speaks the truth to corruption, we feel the need to apologize?
Report Post »barber2
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:02amLady: The problem here is the word ” truth.” Our Far Left liberals do not believe in truth. Read some Alinsky and you will understand what the “ problem” is in expecting truth from a Far Lefty.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:51amOh, brother. To call Harry Reid incompetent is like calling water wet. If Mr. Coburn thinks he feels frustrated by what is going on in Washington, he should know how the American people , who are PAYING for this gridlocked circus, feel . Off the charts.
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:49amPoor poor Reid, we will miss him soon. The king of the libterds will lose his seat in the Senate to R this go around, people are fed up with him.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:57amI’m afraid that we are stuck with him in the senate for another four years. He was just re-elected in 2010. I just hope that he is not even voted in as the minority leader after November.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:48amWhy apologize for an accurate and honest statement?
Report Post »NOTAMUSHROOM
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:48amOh puh leeeze! The only ones who ever apologize are those on the political right, even if they’re correct in their assessment of the situation and being brutally honest.
Still ick of this crap.
Report Post »Mutiny
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:47amWhen are politicians going to realize we are tired of people apologizing. Quit doing it. Grow a pair and stick to your words.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:47amSo much for another member of the Senate bothering to speak the truth and stand for the truth. Reid is the chief Obstructionist of the Senate, and with Obama, are wrecking the nation completely.
Report Post »GoodCook
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:46amCoburn was wrong. Reid is very competent at being an obstuctionist
Report Post »QuincySmith
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:46amWhile I generally agree with Tom Coburn, and rarely with dingy harry, I must conclude that dingy is not incompetent, he is quite capable of turning this great country into a socialist state. I suppose a better term for Sen Coburn would have been Statist – no apology necessary.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:01amSPOT ON!!!! Between Barak Obama, Harry Reid, Nancy Polosi and the rest of the far left liberals are concerned, Sen. Coburn did miss the mark. Consipratorial activities designed to nuter this country’s abilities on the world stage and turn us into a third world wasteland are well on track. Sen. Reid is just the Senate chambers point man for the plan. If these peope have their way, America, at best will become a failed socialist country ala Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. At worst, America, will become an inifficient political quagmire such as found in Latin America and much of Southeast Asia.
Harry is a key linchpin in the plot.
Report Post »Individualism
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:46amAudit the Fed tell him to flip flop back to 1995 and put it up for a vote if not support it.
Report Post »Critters58
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:46amWhy the apology? He told the truth. Harry Reid is destroying this country single handed! Get him out of there!
Report Post »barber2
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:53amNow wait a minute. You give Harry too much credit. He is getting a ton of help from his fellow Far Left Democrats !
Report Post »Gita
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:45amSo now we have to apologize for telling the truth. I don’t recognize my country anymore, thanks for nothing all you lazy, crazy and uneducated Obama supporters.
Report Post »Mutiny
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:17amThey dont have enough power to do it alone. The progressives in the GOP have given them plenty of help. Both sides got us into 16 trillion in debt and 120 trillion in debt of unfunded liabilities. Both parties have us in endless wars and us being the global police force. Both parties have been taking our freedoms for our own good for years.
The Democrats are horrible but at least you know who they are and what they want. The progressive GOP tell you one thing and do another, which I think is worse.
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