Lights, Cameras, Coburn -- He Sure Likes Oprah's Spotlight!

Oprah's campaign to pass legislation against child predators didn't mention the Coburn hold tactic. It didn't mention Coburn. It merely stated that the legislation had been stalled by partisan politics and needed to be passed.

Coburn couldn't pass up the chance to get on his high horse with a piece of legislation that is bound to attract media with Oprah's current engagement.

Coburn's September 15 statement to Oprah's viewers.

“Oprah’s viewers deserve to know that Senate leaders have twice objected to passage of the bill she supports. Senate leaders have insisted that S. 1738, authored by Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) and endorsed by Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), only pass if it is included in a package of unrelated bills that addresses less vital concerns such as the interstate commerce of non-human primates. When I proposed de-linking the causes of protecting children and chimpanzees, Senate leaders objected,” Dr. Coburn said.

One of the bills in the "package of unrelated bills that addresses less vital concerns" is the ALS Registry Act.

Please take a moment today to email both of your Senators to remind them that the ALS Registry Act is a vital concern to the families of the 750+ people with ALS who have died since their vote not to vote on July 28. It is a vital concern to the 6000+ families dealing with ALS today. It is a vital concern to the hundreds of thousands of widows and widowers and orphans who have lost precious loved ones to a disease that kills today just as it killed Lou Gehrig in 1941.

We must speak up now. Oprah's millions of viewers are going to demand some action and not let Coburn speak for all Americans (or for all Republicans). Now is the time for our voices to join theirs to get the Senate to pass the ALS Registry Act!

The Coburn hold tactic was the reason the bills had to be packaged together in the first place. Ironic, isn't it. Perhaps Oprah will make him regret that he decided to step into this spotlight.