Is President Obama working to get the votes to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell? There’s possibly a vote tonight. Aubrey Sarvis, the executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) says, “Yes.”
“We expect Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will try again today to take up the defense bill that includes repeal.  Reid is actively reaching out to his Republican colleagues to reach an agreement on how to proceed. We also know from Hill sources the President is actively working today’s vote with key Republican senators. Today the Senate has an opportunity to make the nation’s defense funding and our service members a higher priority than tax cuts for millionaires.”
But Chris Geidner at MetroWeekly adds this:
“Alex Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, was more cautious.
“If Senator Reid is planning to bring up the vote on the defense bill today, we certainly hope that he has confirmed that our Republican votes are ready to proceed based on the tax cut deal,” he said. “We have not yet received confirmation on that one way or the other.”
The Hill reports, “Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a chief supporter of repeal, told reporters on Tuesday that Democrats have a “good shot” at getting the 60 votes necessary to start debating the defense bill.”
SLDN also lists the following Senators as critical. Call them!
–Susan Collins (R-ME);
–Olympia Snowe (R-ME);
–Richard Lugar (R-IN);
–Judd Gregg (R-NH);
–Scott Brown (R-MA);
–George Voinovich (R-OH);
–Kit Bond (R-MO);
–Lisa Murkowski (R-AK);
–Mark Kirk (R-IL);
And vote tonight, tomorrow, or not, there is a rally on Friday in DC!