— report by Quin Hillyer
Yes, former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn had been willing to be drafted to run for president — confirming my earlier report.
After yesterday’s obscene trampling of rules, decency, and basic republican values by the combined forces of the Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign — which resulted in duly signed petitions being ignored without proof that they had been duly withdrawn, along with a denial of the basic democratic right to have a vote actually counted — former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn told The Hill that he no longer thought it reasonable for his name even to be considered for a delegate “draft” for the Republican nomination.
Some misimpressions, though, were caused by The Hill’s accurate story. Coburn did not tell the publication that he had not said he was open to a draft, but merely that as of now, “That isn’t going to happen, so it’s all speculation.” Some readers, however could take that statement as a denial that my original report had been accurate.
To clear the air, what changed between my report and The Hill’s was the trampling of the rules that occurred yesterday.
Just a few minutes ago, Coburn gave me this statement, issued both orally and via text message through his longtime consultant Terry Allen:
“I let it be known that I was willing to serve if asked by the delegates. But, after the voice vote was shot down — which was done in error –there was no opportunity to challenge the presumptive nominee.”
In short, my original reporting was accurate, as is The Hill’s report today.