[BillyBoy]

>> I once thought that Senator Coburn was the logical heir to Jesse Helms as a consistent conservative leader, but as time has passed, I find him less and less useful. That’s why I will be glad to see him bow out in 2014; I think he said he would only serve two terms, or has he changed his mind? <<

I share Theodore R.'s reaction. Coburn was one of the most outspoken conservative leaders in the House (before all the history revisionism about Newt, Coburn was widely applauded by conservatives for standing up to Newt once Newt backed away from the goals of the Contact for America) and I had high hopes for his Senate career. Sadly, he's been a huge letdown. His voting record is still OK overall, but he's very much become the kind of cozy, go-along, get-along Washington insider politicians that he rallied against in his book:

I agree this path towards embracing the GOP establishment started when he endorsed McCain for President early during the 2008 primaries (by comparison, he one of only a tiny few elected officials to endorse Alan Keyes for President in 2000) Ironic they fought so bitterly to stop him from getting the GOP primary nod for U.S. Senate because of his house career. He's really become a Trent Lott type Republican.

As far as I know, he hasn't broken his self imposed Senate term limit pledge, which means he'll be retiring in 2014 if he sticks with it like he did with his House term limit pledge. But the sad thing is I really can't trust this guy on anything anymore.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Coburn’s current term doesn’t expire until Jan 2017.

[Impy]

Wow Coburn, damn man. He was the last guy I thought would go iffy though it’s been clear he has been curdling in recent years (and he was buddy buddy with Obama when he was in the Senate) but this? This is low.

My opinion he works with these rat scum as equals and considers their opinions in good faith. This is the last quality we need in a US Senator. He’s allowed his thinking to be altered. His retirement can’t come soon enough.

BTW it’s not correct to call Manchin a traitor since he was never really on the side of gun owners being a lying hick bastard. NRA membership means nothing.