By Constitution Staff

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn was about one minute into his speech at the April 18 Republican State Convention when several delegates started shouting, "Bailout!," a reference to Coburn's vote for last year's $700 billion-plus bailout for the banks.

Coburn defiantly defended his vote, giving not an inch, saying that had he not voted for the bailout, then "your ATM machine would have quit working." That led to scattered boos and catcalls.

In a town hall late last year, Coburn said, "I would vote that way again and again." He told the town hall group that he could have "looked good in Oklahoma" by voting no to the bailout. Coburn was joined in voting for the controversial bailout by fellow Oklahoma members of Congress John Sullivan, Dan Boren, Tom Cole, and Mary Fallin. Senator Jim Inhofe and Congressman Frank Lucas "looked good in Oklahoma," by voting no to the bailout.

After some other remarks about how he is for limiting government spending, Coburn launched into an attack upon the proposal to return Oklahoma's Republican Party to picking its national delegates by a caucus system, instead of the presidential primary, which presently binds the delegates. This is why John McCain, who received about one-third of the vote in the primary, gathered almost all of the state's national delegates. Coburn endorsed McCain in the primary.

Coburn forcefully dismissed the caucus proposal as one that would kill the Republican Party's chances to win in eastern Oklahoma. Coburn is a resident of Muskogee. His strong denunciation of the caucus proposal elicited even more boos. Coburn finished his speech and left the convention.

Congressman Tom Cole had barely begun his speech when he was also interrupted with cries of, "Bailout!" Cole, in contrast to Coburn's combative response, simply continued his speech, peppered with references to the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln.

Congressman Frank Lucas, who voted against the bailout, was received warmly. Neither Senator Jim Inhofe, who also voted no to the bailout, nor Cong. John Sullivan, who voted yes to the bailout, attended the convention.

Congresswoman Mary Fallin did vote for the bailout, and she recently announced for governor. In the past, Fallin has been a very popular speaker at Republican conventions. This time, she appeared taken aback when she faced the same catcalls about the bailout. She ignored the shouts for awhile, then said that this was her "time," now, and that the detractor could speak on "your time" later. Like Cole and Coburn, Fallin quickly concluded her remarks.

Shortly after that, state Senator Randy Brogdon announced his candidacy for governor, denouncing the bailout of last year, but especially the stimulus package of President Barack Obama. Brogdon denounced the "strings" that he said are attached to any stimulus money that the state is receiving from the Obama Administration.

Other candidates for statewide office who spoke included Ryan Leonard, who is considering a run for attorney general. Leonard is the son-in-law of former Governor Frank Keating, and the son of federal judge Tim Leonard. A candidate for Labor Commissioner, Jason Reese, also spoke.

Corporation Commissioners Bob Anthony, Jeff Cloud, and Dana Murphy each delivered short talks to the convention.

Just before lunch, Gary Jones was reelected state chairman over state vice chairman Cheryl Williams. After the chairman's race was settled, Angela LaPlante was elected the new vice chairman, without opposition. Williams's running mate was Don Smitherman, but due to state party rules requiring that the chairman and vice chairman be of opposite genders, Smitherman was ineligible to run for the post.

After lunch, the proposal pushed by Caucus OK!, to return the Republican Party to the caucus system of electing national convention delegates instead of the present presidential preference primary method in place since the 1988 election, was considered. After a debate, the proposal was defeated.

Another proposal, by Woodward County and National Committeewoman Carolyn McLarty, to create a committee to consider changes to state party rules to be considered by a special convention next year was also defeated.

The attendance at the convention, at just more than 1200, was thought to be the largest at a state convention since 1993. Like 1993, this convention was the first after a Democrat was elected president, and that seems to have contributed to the larger turnout. A strongly contested chairman's race, and the caucus proposal were other reasons for the increased attendance.