Coburn is one of the loudest critics of the strategy to use the CR to defund Obamacare. Coburn: GOP will 'fold like hotcakes'

If the government shuts down on Oct. 1, the GOP will “fold like hotcakes” in the fight to defund Obamacare, Sen. Tom Coburn said Friday afternoon before a critical set of votes.

The Oklahoma Republican said that after seven or eight days of shutdown the Republicans will begin to feel the heat from their constituents over lack of services back home, like pay for members of the military. To that end, Coburn explained that Republicans will not keep the government shuttered in order to defund Obamacare.


“The only time you shut down the government is when you shut it down and refuse to open it until you accomplish what you want. But we’ll fold like hotcakes,” Coburn told reporters. “You do not take a hostage you are not going to for sure shoot. And we will not for sure shoot this hostage.”

( Also on POLITICO: The GOP should just do it)

Coburn is among the loudest critics of a strategy to use the continuing resolution as leverage to defund the healthcare law. Coburn knows a little something about shutdowns: He was a freshman in the House when the government last shut down in 1995 and 1996, which many believe left a blemish on the party in subsequent elections.

“When the pressure comes, the conflict for a politician is you want to get reelected,” Coburn said. “Shutting down the government doesn’t work.”