Tom DeLay says the Oklahoman would be a good GOP choice to run with McCain.

WASHINGTON -- Arizona Sen. John McCain has yet to clinch the Republican presidential nomination.

That, however, has not stopped a favorite Washington parlor game: Predict the running mate.

''You've got a lot of good conservatives to pick from. Why not Tom Coburn from Oklahoma?'' former-congressman-turned-pundit Tom DeLay said Sunday on ABC's ''This Week,'' when pressed on the veep speculation.

DeLay stressed that such talk was premature but also made it clear that McCain's vice presidential choice would be a ''very real signal'' to the coalition he needs to build to win in November.

Clearly Coburn's self-described ''hard-core conservative'' record, reputation as a budget hawk and anti-Washington rhetoric have helped land him on the list for some.

His endorsement of McCain is cited repeatedly to show how much McCain has shored up his support among conservatives.

In 2000, the Oklahoma Republican endorsed Alan Keyes for president.

Coburn's own story as a doctor who has delivered thousands of babies would add another unusual twist to a campaign year that already is viewed as historic with the Democrats on the verge of naming either their first woman or first black nominee.

''If that were to happen, it would be great for Oklahoma,'' Gary Jones, chairman of the Oklahoma

Jones said Coburn would help McCain with key voting blocs, such as social conservatives in the South.

''People know he is a man of his word,'' he said of Cob urn.

''He is more concerned with the future of this country rather than getting elected.''

Professor George Edwards of Texas A&M University, however, listed a number of reasons Coburn may not be viewed in the end as a viable vice presidential possibility.

''He is not going to bring a state in play,'' Edwards said in reference to Oklahoma's record of giving its electoral votes to the Republicans every presidential election since 1964.

Edwards also compared Coburn's lack of experience to the take some have on Democratic hopeful Barack Obama.

Then, there's the vetting process.

''You certainly don't want to do any harm,'' Edwards said.

He recalled the experience of Dan Quayle in 1988 when he was picked as the running mate for the first President Bush.

Edwards singled out Coburn's stance on abortion as possibly too extreme to help McCain's goal of reaching out to moderates and independents in a general election, which he believes the Republican must do to win.

All of Coburn's past statements, he said, would be put through additional scrutiny.

''That's all part of the baggage,'' Edwards said.

Coburn just might take a pass on the kind of scrutiny a national campaign brings.

By the time his Senate campaign was over in 2004, he was not as accessible to the press as he had been earlier.

Coburn declined to comment.

In a 2007 interview on C-SPAN, however, he was asked if he had given any thought to running for president.

''No sir. I've given a lot of thought,'' Coburn replied.

''First of all, my -- I don't have the capability to do that job, one. No. 2: It's not something that I'm called to do.''

Edwards said that quote alone could be enough to knock Coburn out of contention.

''You know what everybody is going to do with that,'' he said.

''I frankly don't think he is a real contender.''

Jim Myers (202) 484-1424
jim.myers@tulsaworld.com

Coburn quotes

Some of Coburn's newsworthy statements of the past include:

Border security: ''Why is it wrong for a Border Patrol agent who has stopped a van full of drugs, and the guy's running, why it is wrong to shoot him after they've told him to stop?''

-- July 19, 2007, The Dallas Morning News.

Party in power: ''It's OK if the Republicans lose control, for our country in the long run, because one cycle won't make a difference, two cycles won't make a difference.

''Republican politicians are the same as Democratic politicians in that they like to spend money. Democrats want to raise taxes to pay for it, and Republicans allow the next generation to pay for it.''

-- Oct. 20, 2005, The Hill.

Gay issues: ''He was telling me lesbianism is so rampant in some of the schools in southeast Oklahoma that they'll only let one girl go to the bathroom.''

-- Oct. 12, 2004, Tulsa World.

Abortion: ''I favor the death penalty for abortionists and other people who take life.''

-- July 10, 2004, The Associated Press.

Political parties: ''I think the political parties are killing us.''

-- April 27, 2000, Tulsa World.

Gun control: ''If I wanted to buy a bazooka to use in a very restricted way, to do something, I ought to be able to do that.''

-- May 2, 1999, Tulsa World

A key state endorsement for McCain

State Republican Chairman Gary Jones has endorsed U.S. Sen. John McCain, GOP frontrunner, for its 2008 presidential nomination, according to the McCain campaign.

McCain won 32 of Oklahoma's 41 delegates to this summer's Republican nominating convention in last week's state primary. Jones was one of three uncommitted Oklahoma delegates.