Coburn-Carson debate: on Homeland Security


Brad Carson: Coburn voted against efforts to crack down on terrorism

CARSON: When he was in Congress, Coburn consistently voted against efforts to crack down on terrorism. When the State Department tried to push through legislation that would label terrorist groups like al-Qaida and prohibit known members of those groups from coming to this country, to seize their financial assets, Coburn led the opposition. The law enforcement techniques that Bush says are needed to crack down on terrorists who are already here - Coburn said as recently as last month he would oppose those things.

COBERN: I support Bush’s policy. I would have voted for the Patriot Act. That’s the kind of campaign we’re seeing run. It’s a campaign of half-truths and spin. We’ve seen it throughout. We don’t talk about the real issues that are important to Oklahoma. What we do is we talk about undermining people’s character and making untrue statements.

Source: Coburn-Carson 2004 debate on Meet The Press with Tim Russert Oct 3, 2004

Tom Coburn: Would have voted for the Patriot Act

CARSON: When he was in Congress, Coburn consistently voted against efforts to crack down on terrorism. When the State Department tried to push through legislation that would label terrorist groups like al-Qaida and prohibit known members of those groups from coming to this country, to seize their financial assets, Coburn led the opposition. The law enforcement techniques that Bush says are needed to crack down on terrorists who are already here - Coburn said as recently as last month he would oppose those things.

COBERN: I support Bush’s policy. I would have voted for the Patriot Act. That’s the kind of campaign we’re seeing run. It’s a campaign of half-truths and spin. We’ve seen it throughout. We don’t talk about the real issues that are important to Oklahoma. What we do is we talk about undermining people’s character and making untrue statements.

Source: Coburn-Carson 2004 debate on Meet The Press with Tim Russert Oct 3, 2004

  • The above quotations are from Debate between Tom Coburn (R) and Brad Carson (D), challengers for US Senate seat from Oklahoma, on Meet the Press, Oct. 3 and Oct. 28, 2004.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Homeland Security.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Brad Carson on Homeland Security.
  • Click here for more quotes by Tom Coburn on Homeland Security.
Candidates and political leaders on Homeland Security:

Retiring Senate as of Jan. 2013:
AZ:Kyl(R)
CT:Lieberman(D)
HI:Akaka(D)
ME:Snowe(R)
ND:Conrad(D)
NE:Nelson(D)
NM:Bingaman(D)
TX:Hutchison(R)
VA:Webb(D)
WI:Kohl(D) 		Retiring House to run for other office:

Running for President:
TX-14:Ron Paul(R)

Running for Mayor:
CA-51:Bob Filner(D)

Running for Governor:
IN-6:Mike Pence(R)
WA-1:Jay Inslee(D) 		Retiring House to run for Senate:
AZ-6:Jeff Flake(R)
CT-5:Chris Murphy(R)
FL-14:Connie Mack(R)
HI-2:Mazie Hirono(D)
IN-2:Joe Donnelly(D)
MO-2:Todd Akin(R)
MT-0:Dennis Rehberg(R)
ND-0:Rick Berg(D)
NM-1:Martin Heinrich(D)
NV-1:Shelley Berkley(D)
NY-9:Bob Turner(R)
WI-2:Tammy Baldwin(D)
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Page last updated: Sep 27, 2012