News/Lawmaker News

Coburn Sings ‘Rocket Man’ for Nelson

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) followed through on his bet with Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) over college football’s national title game by singing Elton John’s “Rocket Man” before some of Nelson and Coburn’s staff on Wednesday.

Nelson won the bet after the University of Florida Gators managed a 24-14 win over the University of Oklahoma Sooners last week during the Bowl Championship Series title game.

Nelson’s office had razzed Coburn’s last week for having lost the bet, but Coburn made good on his pledge and sang for Nelson’s constituents today.

Coburn had asked his staff, who were present, to sing along with him. They declined, and Nelson joined him instead.

“Bill’s gonna sing along because he’s the rocket man,” Coburn said. Nelson spent six days in space aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 1986 as a sitting member of Congress. He is regarded as a leading congressional expert on NASA.

Watch a video of Coburn’s performance below: