Tom Coburn in Coburn-Carson debate

On Budget & Economy: Creating deficit is stealing from our children

A: If we steal from our children, when we don’t have to, [that is a] problem. We have decision-making often being made that centers around the politician and not the next generation. Our decisions ought to be long run and we ought to be caring for the next generation rather than the next election. And the expediency of spending money we don’t have hurts now but it also hurts the next generation

On Budget & Economy: Freeze any increase in spending except homeland security

A: Congress has not been responsible with spending. Everybody in America knows that the government is not efficient. We need to have a freeze on any increase in government spending except homeland defense and defense. We need to look at every government program. We have to be frugal. We have to do the right thing in terms of discretionary and we have to address the issues with Medicare and Social Security.

On Budget & Economy: Hard to repay the ever expanding discretionary spending

On Government Reform: Rejected a road bill that came with a bribe

A: The Republican Congress had agreed with Bush that we’d have a Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Immediately thereafter, they spent $27 billion we didn’t have. I’ve put every project in that bill that the Oklahoma Department of Transportation asked me to put in that bill. I was then offered a bribe by the committee to vote for the bill, I could have $15 million to spend wherever I wanted to. I don’t believe that’s the kind of government we want. That’s what we’re seeing in Congress now with some of the ethical problems there. In fact, when the bill came through, I did vote against it, but I made sure that every bit of that money went to Oklahoma, including the $15 million bribe. I drive on Oklahoma roads. I have grandchildren on Oklahoma roads. They’re vitally important to me.

On Homeland Security: Would have voted for the Patriot Act

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.

On Principles & Values: Chose Alan Keyes over George W. Bush in GOP Primary

A: I thought his ability to speak with clarity of purpose was good and his ability to communicate was good. I supported Bush after that primary, which we all pick winners and losers in primaries, and then I supported Bush, and I would to this day. And he is my commander in chief.