Coburn to slam wasteful spending at GOP convention

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has been given an evening speaking slot at the Republican National Convention and will focus his remarks on wasteful government spending and earmarks, his office said Thursday.

Coburn, who, like GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), is a vocal opponent of pork barrel spending, will address the convention on Tuesday night.

{mosads}Giving the Oklahoma senator a coveted evening slot will highlight McCain’s commitment to curbing wasteful spending and is seen as a nod to fiscal conservative voters fed up with the deficit spending that occurred during Republican control of Congress and continues under the Democratic majority.

Inviting the pugnacious junior senator from Oklahoma onto the podium also shows a willingness to ruffle fellow Republicans’ feathers. Coburn is notorious for attacking the pet projects of fellow Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle, no matter how powerful they are and for stymieing the legislative process by placing holds on bills.

Right before the recess, Coburn blocked passage of a raft of bills with broad bipartisan support. He objected to the measures because, he said, they were laden with pork and he thought they should be thoroughly and publicly debated.

Coburn’s speech will no doubt highlight his pork-busting plight.

“Although the program has not been finalized, his remarks will likely focus on earmarks, wasteful spending and the need for real reform in Washington,” said his spokesman, John Hart.

Hart also explained that Coburn was invited to speak early in the convention-planning process but wasn’t listed on the initial schedule because he has a family wedding that week and was working to resolve scheduling conflicts.