Mr. Smith goes to Washington

Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. got elected in the primary over the choice of the professional politicians of the Republican party (both state and national Republicans backed and funded his opponant)...
He was elected over a better known and popular Democratic politician...

When he arrived in Washington, there was at least one article in the National Press ridiculing him...

But then came Katrina, and porkbusters started with Instapundit, logging all the pork (see: http://truthlaidbear.com/porkbusters.php )...and now he's being praise in the WSJ....who discusses the "ethics" problem of holding a part time job as a doctor ...

"...As for the notion that Mr. Coburn will be corrupted by having his expenses delivering babies compensated, it's common practice for senators to be whisked away, all expenses paid, to exotic locales where they give speeches to special-interest groups. Sen. Coburn is clearly no slouch when it comes to keeping his nose to the grindstone. Even though he has maintained a part-time medical practice so far this year, he has written 10 bills and 72 amendments and presided over a dozen committee hearings.

"Sen. Coburn says the way Congress is structured discourages people with real-world experience in fields other than law from giving up their career and serving. "It is absurd to think that I have a conflict of interest the way a lawyer being compensated by a client of expenses would," he told me. "None of my patients come to see me and ask them to deliver their baby in order to influence my vote in Congress. Let's get real."..."

If he wasn't a right wing nut case, it would make a good movie...

Jimmy Stewart, call your office...