Tulsa World: Video: Coburn to seek second term

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Video: Coburn to seek second term

Sen. Tom Coburn announces Monday that he will run for a second Senate term at the Tulsa Press Club. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World

By RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer
Published: 6/1/2009 6:55 AM
Last Modified: 6/2/2009 12:13 PM

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn said Monday he will seek a second and final term in 2010.

"My decision to run again came down to a sober realization that our country's future is at stake," the Muskogee Republican said during a morning press conference at the Tulsa Press Club.

"The real problem is that we don't have leaders who will talk about the real problems. They are more concerned about the calculus of what is in their own best interest and not what is in the long-term best interest of the country."

Coburn, 61, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995-2001, earning a reputation for fiscal and social conservatism and political independence. After leaving the House, he published a book, called Breach of Trust, harshly critical of Washington and the political process.

He returned to politics in 2004 with a late entry into the race for the Senate seat held for 24 years by Don Nickles. Coburn defeated three primary opponents without a runoff and beat Democratic Second District Congressman Brad Carson in a bitter and expensive general election campaign.

No opponent has stepped forward to challenge Coburn, whose approval ratings consistently top 60 percent, in 2010.

Coburn said the most difficult part of his decision was "whether I could continue to sacrifice my family." He said he will keep his 2004 pledge not to seek more than two terms in the Senate.

"We stand at a crossroads in our country," Coburn said. "What we look like six or 10 or 12 years from now will be determined by our decisions in the next few years."

Coburn repeatedly reiterated he thinks most of the decisions being made are wrong.

"Today we tend to see ourselves ruled out of fear instead of courage."

Watch the full press conference:

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Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Video: Coburn seeks second term," which was published on 6/2/2009. So far, 143 comments have been made.