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>> AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT TED CRUZ, LET'S SPEAK TO
SOMEONE WHO ENDORSED TED CRUZ IN
HIS SENATE CAMPAIGN, SENATOR TOM
COBURN OF OKLAHOMA WHO JOINS US
NOW, SENATOR, TELL US A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HIM.
>> GOOD MORNING.
A REAL PERSON.
MILD-MANNERED, VERY SMART.
ACTUALLY GETS IT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS AMAZED WITH YOUR
ALL'S CONVERSATION.
I DON'T THINK YOU ALL GET IT.
THE TEA PARTY --
>> I BEG YOUR PARDON.
>> IN THE TEA PARTY, THE TEA
PARTY IS EVERY PERSON IN AMERICA
WHO REALLY IS FED UP WITH
WASHINGTON AND RECOGNIZES THE
WAY WE GOT THERE WAS ABANDONING
THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF THE -- OF
OUR COUNTRY BUT ALSO ABANDONING
THE CONSTITUTION.
I DON'T KNOW ONE TEA PARTY
LEADER ANYWHERE THAT WANTS TO
ELIMINATE VETERANS BENEFITS.
I'M APPALLED.
THAT'S NOT A PLANK ANYWHERE.
IT'S ABOUT HOW DO YOU DELIVER
THOSE BENEFITS AND KEEP YOUR
WORE TO THE VERY PEOPLE WHO
DEFENDED THIS COUNTRY.
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE OF
VIEWPOINT IN WHAT A TEA PARTY
MEANS.
I THINK THEY'RE THE BEST THINGS
THAT HAPPENED IN THE COUNTRY,
BECAUSE WE'RE RE-ENGAGING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
IN THIS COUNTRY WHO GO TO WORK
EVERY DAY, OBEY THE LAW, PAY
THEIR TAXES BUT THEY'RE SICK AND
TIRED IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY SAY,
THE WASTE AND STUPIDITY THEY SEE
GOING ON IN WASHINGTON.
>> I DON'T HAVE I AQUESTION FOR
YOU.
I WANT TO USE MY BRIEF TIME HERE
TO THANK YOU FOR SOMETHING THAT
YOU DID RECENTLY ON THE SENATE
FLOOR.
IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD RARELY
SEE, I THINK, IN TODAY'S SENATE.
A WHILE AGO YOU SAID SOME THINGS
PUBLICLY ABOUT HARRY REID THAT
YOU DECIDED UPON REFLECTION WAS
INTEMPERATE.
YOU WENT TO THE SENATE FLOOR AND
YOU ACTUALLY APOLOGIZED.
YOU SAID YOU WERE SORRY.
AND I JUST HAVE TO TELL YOU
THAT, FOR SOMEONE WHO USED TO
WORK IN THE SENATE, TO SEE
SOMEONE SCORE A POINT FOR
CIVILITY IN THAT APOLOGY WAS
SOMETHING THAT I JUST WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR.
>> WELL, I'M NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT
WHEN I'M WRONG.
I GET OUT IN FRONT OF MYSELF.
I'M 64 YEARS OF AGE.
I GUESS I ALWAYS WILL A LITTLE
BIT EVERY NOW AND THEN MAKE
MISTAKES IN TERMS OF MY WORDS.
I DON'T MIND APOLOGIZING.
I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY, EVEN TALK
SHOW HOSTS THAT DON'T MAKE
ERRORS EVERY NOW AND THEN.
>> I MAY BE THE ONLY ONE, I
THINK.
>> IT'S INTERESTING, LAWRENCE.
I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
ANY CURRENT TEA PARTY --
WOULDN'T THAT WORK AGAINST YOU
IN THE NEXT ELECTION?
>> YOU'D MISS SOMETHING.
YOU'RE SEEING THEM TOTALLY
DIFFERENT TO WHAT THEY ARE.
YOU OUGHT TO COME AND VISIT WITH
SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST REGULAR
JOES THAT BELIEVE THE TEA PARTY
HAS GOT IT RIGHT.
THEY'RE UNION MEMBERS.
THEY'RE ALL SORTS -- THEY'RE A
CROSS-SECTION OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE
YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE A
PROBLEM.
MOST OF THEM ARE REALLY KIND
PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT A TEA
PARTY RALLY AND WHEN THEY'RE
GONE, IT'S PRISTINE.
THEY PICKED IT UP.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE
RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND THEY'RE
ALSO PRETTY BRIGHT.
THEY ACTUALLY GET THAT YOU GOT
TO HAVE HUMAN RELATIONS TO GET
ALONG IN THIS WORLD.
AND THEY ALSO REALIZE WE ALL
MAKE MISTAKES.
PICTURE YOU PAINT DIDN'T COME
CLOSE TO ANYBODY I KNOW IN THE
TEA PARTY, THE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE I'VE SPOKEN
TO AND MET.
>> SENATOR COBURN, IT'S JONATHAN
CAPEHART.
I WANT TO BRING YOU BACK TO
SOMETHING YOU SAID WHEN YOU
FIRST CAME ON, YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE TEA PARTY
WHO ARE FED UP WITH WASHINGTON
AND FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF THE
CONSTITUTION.
COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME HOW AND
WHEN DID WE ABANDON THE
CONSTITUTION?
>> YES.
AGAIN, GO READ ARTICLE 1,
SECTION A.
IT GIVES THE ENUMERATED POWERS
AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HAPPEN --
THIS HAS BEEN A PRO-GRASSIVE
THING, THE COURTS HAVE ABANDONED
THE CONSTITUTION, NOT HOLING
CONGRESS WITHIN ARTICLE 1,
SECTION A OF THE CONSTITUTION.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GET IT.
OUR FOUNDERS GOT IT.
THE BALANCE OF POWER THAT
DOESN'T GET TALK ABOUT AND WHAT
YOU'RE SEEING EXPRESSED THROUGH
THE TEA PARTY IS WE THE PEOPLE
WANTING TO HOLD THE GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABLE.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE'RE $16 TRILLION IN DEBT.
WE HAVE TOTALLY CUT THE LEGS OUT
FROM UNDERNEATH OUR KIDS AND
GRAND KIDS AND NOW WE'RE SAYING
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE
PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET BACK TO
THE THING THAT BUILT THIS
COUNTRY RATHER THAN THING THAT
TORE IT DOWN.
>> I TELL YOU, SENATOR, ARTICLE
1, SECTION 8, I SHOULD KNOW THIS
BUT I DON'T.
>> IT'S THE ENUMERATED POWERS
WITH BE WHAT THE FOUNDERS GAVE
US AS THE AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH
WE CAN WORK.
THE CONSTITUTION IS LOADED WITH
NOS.
IT'S NOT LOADED WITH YES, SIRS.
WE'VE EXPANDED THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT OUTSIDE THE RANGE,
OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF WHAT OUR
FOUNDERS EVER THOUGHT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE A
HAND IN.
YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T HAVE
INVOLVEMENT AND WRONGLY SO,
BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, EVEN
THOUGH WE'RE WELL INTENTIONED,
WE'RE NOT VERY GOOD AT DOING
THESE THINGS.
>> SENATOR SAM STEIN'S IN
WASHINGTON.
HE HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU.
SAM?
>> IF IT'S TEA PARTY SHEEP TO
REIGN IN THE SIZE AND SPENDING
OF GOVERNMENT, I GUESS BY
EXTENSION ONE OF THE THINGS THE
TEA PARTY MEMBERS SHOULD WANT TO
DO IS CHAMPION OFF SOME OF THE
FAT FROM THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET.
WHAT WE SEE IS A BUNCH OF
REPUBLICAN SENATORS GOING AROUND
THE COUNTRY ARGUING THAT THE
SEQUESTER, THE CUTS THAT WILL
HILL THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET IF NO DEAL IS REACHED
SHOULD BE ACTUALLY ELIMINATED.
DO YOU LOOK AT YOUR COLLEAGUES
YOUR JOHN McCAIN, LENCY GRAHAM
AND OTHERS AND SAY THEY AREN'T
GETTING THE TEA PARTY MOJO HERE?
>> YOU MIXED TWO PEOPLE.
YOU SAID TEA PARTY AND THEN YOU
SAID REPUBLICANS.
THERE ARE NOT VERY MANY.
>> I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID.
>> I DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY.
>> JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A
REPUBLICAN DOESN'T MEAN YOU
EMBRACE THE PRINCIPLES OF THE
TEA PARTY.
>> I ACTUALLY AM A REPUBLICAN
THAT EMBRACED THEIR PRINCIPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S WRONG.
I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS OVER THE
LAST MONTH WITH MY FRIEND JOHN
McCAIN AND LINDSEY GRAHAM.
I CAN FIND THE FAT IN THE
PENTAGON.
THEY'RE JUST NOT WILLING TO DO
IT.
THEY DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THERE.
I BELIEVE IT'S THERE.
I'VE STUDIED IT.
I PUT YOU DON'T A TRILLION
DOLLARS WORTH OF CUTS IN THE
PENTAGON OVER THE NEXT TEN
YEARS.
WE CAN DO THAT.
THE POINT IS, THEY'RE WORRIED
THAT WE WILL CUT INTO THE ACTUAL
REAL THING THAT WILL KEEP US
DEFENDING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN.
PLUS, SEQUESTERING IS STUPID.
>> GAIL COLLINS, TEA PARTY
CHAMPION, "NEW YORK TIMES."
>> SENATOR, BOTH PARTIES TRY TO
GET THINGS GOING IN CONGRESS,
TRYING TO CREATE LEGISLATION AND
COMPROMISES THAT WILL WORK.
BUT YOU'RE GOING AWAY, CONGRESS
IS GOING AWAY WITHOUT HAVING
DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THE FARM
BILL, WITHOUT HAVING DONE
ANYTHING ABOUT THE POST OFFICE,
WHICH IS NOW THE POSTAL SERVICE,
WHICH IS NOW IN DEFAULT.
WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT KICKS IT
DOWN THE ROAD FOR ANOTHER SIX
MONTHS WITHOUT MAKING ANY
CHANGES.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM THERE, DO YOU
THINK?
>> THE PROBLEM IS AN ELECTION.
THE ELECTION IS KEEPING US FROM
DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO,
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE
23 SENATORS UP, YOU DON'T WANT
THEM TO TATE FIRST HARD VOTE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T HAD A
BUDGET.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T DONE
ANYTHING TO ADDRESS THE REAL
PROBLEMS IN THIS COUNTRY.
YOU NAMED THE POST OFFICE.
YOU NAMED THE FACT THAT WE'LL
HAVE SEQUESTRATION.
THERE WON'T BE ANY MONEY.
THERE'S NO WAY TO GET MONEY FOR
IT WHEN IT DOES RUN OUT OF
MONEY.
WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING THE REAL
PROBLEMS.
THAT'S WHY I OVERSPOKE ON HARRY
REID.
HIS LEADERSHIP IS LACKING,
BECAUSE HE'S NOT ADDRESSING THE
REAL PROBLEM.
HERE'S WHAT MY OBSERVATION IS.
AMERICA'S READY FOR US TO DO
HARD THINGS BECAUSE THEY KNOW
WE'RE IN TROUBLE.
AND AMERICA CAN DO HARD THINGS.
BUT WHEN WE'VE DONE HARD THINGS
IN THE PAST IT'S REQUIRED REAL
LEADERSHIP.
WE DON'T HAVE IT FROM THE
PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW, REPUBLICAN
LEADERS OR THE LEADER OF THE
SENATE.
WE NEED REAL LEADERSHIP THAT
REQUIRES PEOPLE TO MAKE
SACRIFICE.
>> I UNDERSTAND THIS AFTERNOON
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRESS
CONFERENCE TO TALK ABOUT THE
BILL THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, THE
AUDIT THE PENTAGON ACT.
CAN YOU TAKE US, JUST BRIEFLY,
INTO THE WORLD OF WHY WE NEED
MORE BILLION DOLLAR AIRCRAFT
CARRIERS AND MORE BILLION DOLLAR
AIRPLANES FLYING AROUND?
>> WELL, WE DONE THE HAVE ANY
BILLION DOLLAR AIRPLANES FLYING
AROUND BUT THEY'RE PRETTY
EXPENSIVE.
WE DO NEED TO HAVE A STRONG
DEFENSE.
BUT THE DEFENSE OF THIS COUNTRY
AND OUR ABILITY TO DEFEND
OURSELVES IS BASED ON OUR
ECONOMIC STRENGTH.
AND YOU CANNOT HAVE A STRONG
DEFENSE WITHOUT A STRONG
ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, GROWING
NATION.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS SPENT WAY TOO
MUCH MONEY AND NOT HAD ANY
GROWN-UPS IN THE ROOM WHEN IT
COMES TO MAJOR WEAPONS SYSTEMS.
>> WHAT ARE WE SPENDING TOO MUCH
MONEY ON?
>> WELL, LET ME -- THIS IS A
LONG STORY, IF YOU HAVE TIME FOR
IT, I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO IT.
WHEN SOMEBODY GETS AN IDEA IN
THE PENTAGON AND THEY WANT TO
SAY, WELL, HERE'S A NEW IDEA,
THEY PUT OUT A COST PLUS
CONTRACT ON RESEARCH.
WELL, IF YOU'RE ON OTHER SIDE OF
THAT, YOU SAY, OH, YUMMY.
YOU KNOW?
THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING, WE'LL
DO IT, AND THEY MAKE GOOD MONEY.
THEN THE IDEA FOR A WEAPONS
SYSTEM COMES UP.
WE START THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
WEAPONS SYSTEM.
AND IT'S A COST PLUS CONTRACT.
NOW YOU HAVE 50 PEOPLE SAYING
WHAT IF WE DO THIS, WHAT IF WE
DO THIS, WHAT IF WE DO THIS.
THERE'S NO GROWN-UP IN THE ROOM
TO SAY THE BELLS AND WHISTLES
HAVE TO STOP, GUYS.
HERE'S HOW MUCH WE CAN AFFORD TO
SPEND TO GET TO THIS TECHNOLOGY.
AND BECAUSE THERE'S NO GROWN-UP
OR LIMIT ON WHAT WE --
INNOVATION DRIES UP AND WHAT WE
DO IS WE SUCK THE DOLLARS OUT OF
THEN PENTAGON, APPROPRIATELY SO,
BUT BECAUSE THERE'S NO ADULT
WATCHING.
AND THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM IN
CONTRACTING FOR MAJOR WEAPONS
SYSTEMS IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE
WE -- NOBODY CAN BALANCE WHAT
THE TECHNOLOGY IS AGAINST WHAT
WE CAN AFFORD.
WHAT HAPPENS IS WE BUILD
TECHNOLOGY GREATER THAN WE CAN
AFFORD WITH VERY LITTLE
INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN BENEFIT
FOR THE WAR FIGHTER BUT
TREMENDOUS INCREASE FOR THE
PRESTIGIOUS OF THE PENTAGON AND
THE PROFITS FOR THE COMPANIES.
>> SNOW TOM COBURN, A GROWN-UP
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT