While the Log Cabin Republicans blame Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for yesterday’s DADT fail, here’s a novel thought: blame Republicans.
Led by Sen. John McCain, the Republicans successfully managed to block the Pentagon’s entire spending bill, all because Democrats were trying to push it through with a compromised DADT repeal — something that still required the defense secretary to sign off on the policy’s end. What Republicans didn’t mention is that they regularly — year after year — attach amendments to the Defense Department’s bill not related to national security.
But, what’s this? Vice President Joe Biden is aware of a “compromise” of his own, one that had lawmakers supporting the legislative repeal of DADT only if the White House kept kicking out gay soldiers? Yes — and we’ve known this since at least last week, when Biden told Maddow exactly that. Except that compromise didn’t work. The votes weren’t there.
So surely the White House will see that strategy failed, and Obama will issue an executive order blocking further discharges. Right?
How about we take this to the next level?
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Cam
So McCain has gone from being seen as a maverick, to ending his career as a petty little new aged Ku Klux Klan style bigot. Nice spiral down John.
I wonder what his openly gay chief of staff, and head of his most recent election campaign, Mark Buse thinks about his boss’s attack on gays? After all, if McCain thinks a gay guy can run not only his Senate campaign, but also the toughest reelection campaign he has ever faced, then I would love to hear his reasoning for not wanting them in the military.
Oh, thats right, he’ll say or do anything to get elected.
If McCain’s district suddenly went pro-gay, he would release a sex tape of himself with a man to try to get votes.
7
God, she’s awesome.
And all of Washington needs to go. All of it, everyone is absolutely useless.
Baxter
Harry Reid wanted the bill to fail so he could get Hispanic votes. The votes were lined up, even some Republican ones, so Reid made a last minute move to tank it.
J. Clarence
@Baxter: I thought Reid’s procedural move to vote against the amendment was to allow him to bring the bill back up again later? He’s done that when a bill being voted on the floor is about to go down so that he re-introduce the amendment later.
I don’t understand why the White House had to make a deal on this, when the vast majority of the American people want gay soldiers to serve openly. It’s not like passing healthcare or the stimulus package, this is one bill where American is actually behind him on.
Also, @7: I don’t think failing to get a super-majority on one vote means that the institution is useless. Dysfunctional, absolutely, but useless seems a bit much, after all more than half of all US Senators voted for debate/bill to go on.
AndrewW
You people didn’t make enough calls and send enough emails. Shame on you. McCain would have changed his vote if he got 17,000 emails, but he only received 10,981.
Next time hire temps and call 24/7. Really, it’s that easy.
B
No. 4 · J. Clarence wrote, “I don’t understand why the White House had to make a deal on this, when the vast majority of the American people want gay soldiers to serve openly.”
While the vast majority have no problem with gay soldiers, they don’t feel so strongly about it that it would change how their vote for their senator. Meanwhile, you need 60 votes in the senate to stop a filibuster.