Fueled by a Wall Street Journal report this morning, the Internets today have been chock full of the news that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is all but dead. (Read: “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell†Repeal is 99% Dead.) But today, Metroweekly’s Chris Geidner, with the help of HRC, has been pushing back, even battling the likes of Glenn Greenwald via Twitter.
Geidner reports this tonight:
“Dan Pfeiffer, White House communications director, said in a statement on Monday evening, “The White House opposes any effort to strip ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ from the National Defense Authorization Act.”
Is it possible the Obama Administration has grown a backbone since last Tuesday’s election?
“Senator Levin has been discussing with the Defense Department when the report relating to the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy – due to the Secretary of Defense on December 1 – will be made available to Congress and the public, and he has also been discussing with Senator McCain how to proceed,†said Tara Andringa, spokesperson for Sen. Levin.”
“While traveling in Australia over the weekend, Secretary Gates urged Congress to pass the bill with the repeal measure before the end of the year.
“Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, called the remarks “extraordinary†since Gates has consistently asked lawmakers to wait until the Defense Department’s study of repeal is issued.
“This is the first time Secretary Gates has been on the record and calling for passage before the Pentagon working group report comes out,†Sarvis said. “I think the secretary is generally aware of the recommendations that are going to be coming from Gen. [Carter] Ham and the working group.â€
Some are saying this is all posturing so Senator John McCain does not have to vote against a military spending bill. Others are saying that this is merely a continuation of the GOP’s push to prevent Obama from accomplishing anything.
Congress returns November 15. We shall see.
The New Civil Rights Movement
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