don't ask don't tell

Democrats Try to Shame McCain Out of Filibustering DADT

Senator Joe Lieberman said yesterday that he’s confident the Democrats have at least 60 votes in favor of the Defense Department measure, already passed in the House, that includes repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Lieberman’s stern reiteration, “I repeat, there’s more than 60 senators, I’m convinced, who are prepared to vote for this bill including ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” seemed directed at one man in particular: his ol’ pal, John McCain, who has threatened to filibuster the policy (again!) by adding a long list of amendments and insisting a vote on each. Senator Jeanne Shaheen also took aim at the maverick of derailment, “This is not about how many amendments we’re going to do, or how long we’re going to debate. This is about those who oppose this policy wanting to kill it and taking every opportunity they can, and using the Senate rules to do that.” Lieberman seems to be taking a more public course, after failing to convince his friend in private, “I’ve had discussions. I’ve had no success.”

Despite the fact that Secretary Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, have come out in favor of a repeal, and that leaked portions of the extensive Pentagon survey on DADT showed strong support for doing away with the policy by military personnel, McCain insisted he’s not so sure about the “Pentagon’s” ability to “survey” their own “soldiers,” saying, “All I want is a study that assess the impact on battle effectiveness and morale of a repeal. The so-called ‘survey’ was on how to implement a repeal.” That’s all he wants. Well, that and for DADT never to come to vote on the Senate floor.

See the thing is, if public shaming by people who were close to him worked on John McCain, his wife’s video blaming his policies for gay teen suicides would have made a dent. People, please. You can’t shame the shameless.

Senate Dems claim enough votes to repeal ‘Don’t ask’ policy
[The Hill]

Democrats Try to Shame McCain Out of Filibustering DADT