Democrat Brad Carson on Oklahoma Senate opponent Tom Coburn in the debate going on right now: Plenty of times we've sent someone to represent us in Washington who hasn't done anything for us. But we've never sent someone whose platform was that he wouldn't do anything for us. Pretty much sums up the problem with compassionate conservatism: Few Americans really believe, as Dr. Coburn just said he does, that government can't do anything to create jobs (/improve healthcare/provide housing/redress discrimination etc.). But a whole slew of Republican candidates do. Going after Coburn from the hard right on weapons systems and the PATRIOT ACT? Less visionary. Especially the trying to pull Republicans into your corner by accusing their candidate of not giving enough support to the President part.