Fresh from convincing his wife to ditch the homosexuals, Sen. John McCain appeared on Meet The Press this morning to preemptively grant himself cover on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Having claimed all along that if military leaders supported repeal, then so would he, McCain already found a few ways around his previous promise, like quoting retired and dead military leaders who support keeping gays in the closet. Today, he went one step further, claiming the Pentagon survey isn’t sufficient, and that leaks from its results prove it is faulty.
“You and I have not seen that study. And this study was directed on how to implement the repeal not whether the repeal should take place or not,” says McCain, shooting down the current 10-month study that’s about to put a report on President Obama’s desk. “A thorough and complete study of the effects, not how to implement a repeal, but the effects on morale and battle effectiveness, that’s what I want. And once we get this study we need to have hearings, and we need to examine it, and we need to look at whether it is the kind of study that we wanted.”
Read: Once this survey is officially complete, and it officially (not just through leaks) shows most American troops don’t give a crap about serving with openly gay comrades, McCain will not stand by its results because it does not meet his standards. But what’s so hokey about McCain’s position is that the study is giving him exactly what he wanted. “I want a thorough and complete study on the effect on morale and battle effectiveness on the United States military,” says the senator. Except if you look at the questions asked of soldiers, those very things are addressed.
But as we all know, Republicans have been busy shooting down the study — led by Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson and U.S. Army Forces Europe commander Gen. Carter Ham — for weeks. Now McCain is ramping up the messaging just in time for the report’s release.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Addressing wife Cindy’s support of DADT repeal until reversing herself, the senator says, “I respect the First Amendment rights of every member of my family.” First Amendment: Good. Fourteenth Amendment: Useless.
Brutus
Yeah, but let’s keep putting Republicans in office because the Democrats are such wusses.
alan brickman
Which side is on our side again???
Matthew
What? I’m sorry, I voted for Hilary Clinton, she was the only one who agrees with gay marriage out of all the other candidates. If the president wants to win another 4 years I suggest ditching Biden and having a Obama/Clinton 2012.
Devon
Y’know I never thought I’d see the day when I’d actually be rooting for skin cancer.
And yet, here we are.
Kaderade
His reasoning is just so out contrived and high school football player. “Dude, I don’t want the queers in my showers.”
Tylertime
@Matthew:
Matthew, if I recall correctly H, Clinton didn’t support gay marriage during her campaign. She took the same stance that Obama did. Has she changed her mind?
Matthew
@Tylertime: No, she supported it during her candidacy, Obama wanted everything but the word marriage, while Hilary wanted to legalize gay marriage(she even said it on an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres show that she supported gay marriage).
Matt
But I feel, if the Republicans win the presidency then there is no chance for repealing DADT.
the crustybastard
@Devon:
?
the crustybastard
@the crustybastard:
sorry. i typed a heart and it published a question mark. Awesome comment, tho.
Matthew
I don’t get what the big deal is with him about gays serving in the military anyways. Soldiers don’t care, ppl don’t care, only old washed up politicians care about it, and they aren’t even associated with the military in any way!
jason
Why is everybody so fixated on McCain? It was Obama who promised to repeal DADT, not McCain. Get your priorities right. The person who promised repeal was Obama.
Don’t let Obama get away with the McCain cover. Obama set this whole thing up so that it would fail. From the abortive attempt to have the Senate pass repeal just a few weeks before the Congressional elections to the repeated legal challenges to DADT repeal by Obama’s own administration.
Wake up, guys. You’re falling for the spin from Gay Inc as well as the New York Times. Obama is the one you should be addressing, not McCain.
B
No. 11 · Matthew wrote, “I don’t get what the big deal is with him about gays serving in the military anyways.”
If you listen to the video, one of the things he said is that various sergeants and petty officers asked him about the effect on moral while he was visiting Afghanistan. What he didn’t realize is that the vast majority who couldn’t care less never bothered to ask him anything regarding that subject.
And that is why you don’t want someone who graduated at the bottom of his class to be our president. Or even a senator, for that matter (except in a case where the guy’s opponent is even worse).
Cam
Look, McCain has ALWAYS lied, and has NEVER, EVER, kept to one opinion. The press has just let him get away with it. Here are a few examples of him flip flopping.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioy90nF2anI&feature=related
He is used to never being called on his lies, he is like a spoiled child who’s parents let him get away with everything being shocked that his grandparents are actually going to punish them.
B
No. 12 · jason wrote, “Why is everybody so fixated on McCain? It was Obama who promised to repeal DADT, not McCain.”
Obama promised to try, but he’s only our president, not our dictator in chief. We didn’t get it repealed because there weren’t enough senate votes to stop a filibuster. It’s close, though. McCain voted against it, and he can do more to block it
that Obama can do to get it passed, even though a majority in the U.S. Senate supports a repeal.
Face it, our system of government is royally screwed up, and we are royally screwing it up without even having a monarch.
KATHYRYAN
@B THANK YOU! Clearly skinny draggy feet Obama isn’t the messiah we thought he was. He can’t magically produce 60 yes votes in the senate. But to keep blamming him while McCain spews hate through our airwaves daily is a bad case of denial on our part.How do you sleep at night McCain???
Mike_AFX
@Matthew: On the Ellen show, Hillary said she supports Civil Unions only. Ellen asked her if it was not a smart political move to make by supporting full marriage equality, and Hilary said she did not know. Hilary is no better than Obama. Gay rights is an issue that has been politicized. It’s no longer about our rights, it’s a political issue. American politicians are probably the most hypocritical politicians in the world.
AlanReeser
I don’t care if he’s a US Senator or not. I wonder what this homophobic sonofabitch is hiding. He appears to be the only one who is crying about this and if the majority rules, then he needs to shut up. I’d tell him that to his fat face, too.
reason
@jason: It is that kind of Dan Choi stupidity that blocks us from getting legislation past. It is our job to convince our congresspeople to support repeal of DADT, they answer to us not to the president. Granted that McCain is filibustering the bill it is very much a McCain problem, and we should be attacking McCain non stop till he drops his efforts. Everyone in here that knows anything about government is well aware that the president can’t write legislation, and can’t convince congress without the support of the people. Health care passed with a fight from both sides, the progressive organizations and labor movements v.s. the tea party; it was weakened but it got through. DADT repeal is up against the GBLT community v.s. Bigoted GOP lawmakers, but the GBLT community has not shown up for the fight. To busy railing of friendly fire. Rights are not won by osmosis they are won by actively working for them, pointing the finger at the person that is on our side is not going to get anything done.
John McCain was right about the survey, its intent was to help determine the steps necessary to put in place for repeal, not to decide if the law should be repealed. The results were good so little needs to be done by the military, if they were bad safeguards would have been put in place. More misinformation in this community has lead some to believe that the survey was there to determine if the law would be repealed, letting the military vote on our rights. Not true. McCain’s worries about battlefield effectiveness are a moot point because GBLT people are already a part of the military and on the battlefield. Effectiveness would not be effected, the fact that barley anyone cares about open service provides enough evidence that the ability of our force will change.
Kieran
When people ask me why I voted for Barack Obama, I can answer in three words: John Sidney McCain.
James
@Matthew: Learn some recent history. There were only 2 Presidential Democratic candidates, Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich, who supported gay marriage.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12668652
Jack E. Jett
John McCain hasn’t seen his dick in 28 years but he still believes he has one.
reason
@Matthew: You are flat out wrong and spreading disinformation. Granted that we live in an information age all of the past debates and the political positions are on the internet. Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich are the only ones that ran for office on the democratic ticket in 08 that supported same sex marriage. Cynthia McKinney was the only other candidate not in the democratic nomination process to support same sex marriage and actually was in office during the passage of DOMA and voted against it. Hillary Clinton like Obama absolutely did not support same sex marriage. Both of them did express support for wanting to see DOMA repealed. Barley been two years and you are already trying to change history, if it wasn’t for those pesky internets with videos of positions coming right out of the candidates mouths. Facts may not matter on the GOP side and over at Fox News, but they do in this community.
reason
@Kieran: You voted for this president, that is hard to believe.
JR
First John McCain wnated a survey on the effects of repeling DADT, now when the survey is just about over, because it didn’t go the way he wanted, he’s throwing what amounts to a temper tantrum. How can anyone be so out of touch with the people and be a Senator? He’s just an old bitter dinosaur of a man, who knows his time has passed. Just get rid of him already.
KATHYRYAN
@REASON
@Kieran:You voted for this president, that is hard to believe.
LOL! I know!Wonders never cease.
Matthew
Okay I do admit I was wrong on that aspect, there for I apologize, I wasn’t informed. But I still stick by wanting a Obama/Clinton 2012 race, because although I don’t like how everything is going now, it will be a hell of a lot better(for our community anyways) then another Republican candidate winning. We’ll most likely lose the battle to repeal DADT because of the divide(the senate and the house of representatives). If we lose the presidency then you can kiss all the hard work we’ve done from now goodbye. At least until another election.
MickW
Matthew is an idiot and a Republican who just wants to take the attention away from McCain not wanting to repeal DADT and make you all fight about Hillary vs Obama.
Just ignore this guy.
ewe
John McCain is not well wrapped upstairs. He is a flip flopping hypocrite. He should retire.
ewe
If society is deciding whether or not the elderly should be able to drive then the same people of a certain age should not be permitted to politically represent the masses.
Matthew
@MickW: hey that’s a little bit harsh, don’t you think? 🙁
AlanReeser
McPain retire? In the almost 20 years I’ve lived in Arizona, I’ve found the retirees, Republicans and Mormons here believe he truly walks on water, and he was just re-elected. I call him McPain because he’s a pain in the ass to just about everybody else. We’re stuck with that old bastard and his f-buddy Kyl.
tjr101
All the gays in Arizona that voted for this douche should be ashamed of themselves!
Theo
I want nothing than punching this old shithead in the face. He’s incredibly awful animal.
Theo
I want nothing than punching this old shithead in the face. He’s an incredibly awful animal.
Annan
He’s a fucktard.
gregger
I’d be happy to wear red and dance at his funeral, after that may be piss on his grave.
Sophie
Firstly, just because Democrats aren’t doing much for gay rights at the moment doesn’t mean Republicans would do any better.
Secondly, McCain needs to go f*ck himself.
bruce
Many of you are misguided fools. You’re the reason why the gay community is in decline. Your mental capacities have been affected by either too much partying or too much drugs.
Let me repeat for the benefit of the misguided: Obama can easily stop enforcement of DADT by not appealing through the courts. He’s refused to follow this path. On the contrary, he’s avidly appealed through every court to stop the repeal of DADT through legal means.
It will be interesting to see whether the DADT repeal legislation is stripped from the Defense Authorization Act soon to come before Congress. If the Democrats agree to have it removed from the legislation, Obama’s cover will be blown. He will no longer be able to claim Congressional action as his preferred option for repeal.
We in the GLBT community will rightly be able to point out that he and the Democrats have, by stripping the DADT legislation from the Act, conceded that Congressional action is unlikely to succeed, and that the only option now is for Obama to stop supporting DADT through the courts.
If he continues to stop DADT repeal through the courts, he will be exposed as a fraud. No gay person with a conscience would then support him.
Pat Duffy
@bruce: And that’s why I’ll NEVER Vote for him again. I used to Respect McCain, till he showed the save “clours” Obama is as well, being just another Polito pandering for Votes and will say anything to get Elected.
I Pray every night for Obma to get a Spine and for McCain and Gingrich to drop dead….
Michael
What a hateful man. Isn’t it embarrassing that the US is virtually alone in its ban on gays in the military. America, home of the brave??? The world is watching and they are amused.
Casey
Direct action, withholding of taxes, civil unrest and civil disobedience (along with as many court cases as possible court cases as possible) is how we are going to gain our right.
Fuck Obama and the Democrats. Fuck McCain and the Republicans. They hate us, and they will always hate us.
Th Republicans are open in their hatred of us. So no surprises there.
The Democrats utter hatred of the gay population is disguised. But make no mistake – Obama will keep us sitting in the back of the bus.
Ms. Ing the Point
Is no one seeing the huge contradiction in wanting to repeal DADT?
A queer movement should be about more self-determination for all queers and more broadly about changing social structures. But apparently supporting the U.S. military, which is destroying the self-determination of many people in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan is apparently something we want?
If the question is why don’t queers have the opportunity to serve in the U.S. military, the question also must be asked, opportunity to what? To destroy the earth, civilians lives, future generations and governments? If a queer movement really needs the approval of the U.S. military, then I want out.
So you know, if you’re into that sort of thing, go ahead support repealing DADT…but you are becoming complicit in the main dominating force in the world. That’s equality?
coco
@BRUCE. You are the misguided fool. McCain is the one who hates YOU/US! NOT Obama! Get a grip dude!
Ima Kominatcha
Ms Ing The Point,
I’m with you!
Franco
He is a dying breed. I hope.
Curtis Jensen
I love how he goes out to the field to find the one soldier who is willing to sign on to his pathetic brand of bigotry. Something tells me he’s not sharing the stories of the soldiers who said, “No biggie Senator”
He’s pathetic
customartist
reason,
With all due respect, you (and those like you) are wasting your efforts in tring to get the Legislature to gain Rights for Gays.
Gay rights will be gained via the Courts, not via the Legislatures.
If Gays wish to truly be effective, then we should send our campaign dollars to GLAD, the ACLU, and to Lambda Legal, not to Politicians who are beholding to the Majorities (straights) in order to be elected.
McCain also “flipped” on the issue of Bush Tax cuts. Originally ha said, on the morning after passage, that “This is Bad Legislation” – exact ouote,… and then when running for Pres. he then towed the party line and reversed his previous position, backing cuts for the rich.
Basically, Gays cannot get Federal Tax Recognition for Legal Marriages, and the Rich in turn Receive the Tax Benefits we pay by mway of Tax Cuts . McCain backs this.
R
May he die painfully. Amen.
Merlyn
I could almost have predicted this. John McCain hates GLBT people and will block our progress any way that he can. God, I hope that old fossil doesn’t run in 2012. He’s already done more than enough damage to Arizona!
Ken S
John McCain only cares about one thing: the continued political career of John McCain. He’s a crass, cynical, unprincipled opportunist who will sniff out the biggest, dirtiest gangbang to suck dick at if he thinks it will get him the votes to stay in his comfortable office. Fuck him. Fuck him up the ass with some Vietnamese bamboo. Try him for treason- for obstructing the military’s effectiveness by legislatively supporting a policy that undermines troop retention- and then throw his ass against the wall in front of an all-fag firing squad.
Cam
@Ms. Ing the Point: said..
“”A queer movement should be about more self-determination for all queers and more broadly about changing social structures. But apparently supporting the U.S. military, which is destroying the self-determination of many people in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan is apparently something we want?””
________________________
No fool, the issue is, that we can determine what it is we want AFTER we are no longer deemed second class citizens. This isn’t about my wanting to serve in the military, this is about how currently in the U.S. there is a federal law on the books stating that gays are not to be given their full rights.
What you are suggestion is just a reincarnation of the same old burned out 70’s rhetoric that queers from back then said about gay marriage “We shouldn’t want to emulate straights ANYWAY!”.
Yeah, since they didn’t have the rights back then, better to pretend that you don’t want them.
Markie-Mark
McCain is a dirtbag. But it would be really interesting if Obama had appointed a Sec. of Defense who was really in favor of ending DADT and who would confront McCain and all the other republican bigots on the floor of the Senate. What do you think McCain would say if the Sec. of Defense had said: “We’re ready. 25 other countries have done it. Pass it!” It really makes me think that it’s all a show: McCain is playing his part to give Obama and Gates cover. A pox on all of them. This whole thing has turned into a sickening sh#t-storm. The only salvation will be in the courts.
ewe
@bruce: Discussing the fact John McCain is senile takes nothing away from your point of view. People who attack gay people solely for their sexual orientation deserve to be scorned.
reason
@Markie-Mark: Gates has nothing to gain or loose by DADT repeal, if he didn’t support it he would say so. The Obama administration had to beg him to stay becuase he is the best man for the job and the only chance of ending the wars on time. Bush had to get on his knees and pray to get Gates away from Texas A&M where students of all stripes loved him, Bush Rumsfield and Co. war was circling the drain and Gates is one of the few people in the country that could pluck it out of the sludge. The democrats don’t really have any competent people to run that department that can gain the respect and be affective enough. You have a lot of strong power brokers over at the pentagon with tentacles in every state and country around the war. It was also the first war time transition in 40 years and stability was a wise move least our enemies take advantage. As for McCain he hates Obama, his hatred is so strong that you can see it all over his face when he is anywhere near the president.
reason
@customartist: The best way to repeal DADT is through the legislator, it is an affirmation of the people toward the GBLT community. It is reinforcing to the public that 70% support it and it is legislated through the body closes to the people, I think that will open the gateway for public support of EDNA. Letting the people know that/think that they are good and just will lead them to act that way. Something like DOMA I think would take some time and I would be able to agree with you on pursing that through the courts. I think it would be a big loss for us and the system if the legislature falls to repeal the law, but if they do the supreme court will get a say in the end.
Marriage came through the Vermont legislator and was enacted without the signature of the republican governor. Texas passed hate crimes laws through its conservative legislator with lbgt protections. The feds have passed some legislation and more will come.
JoeyO'H
McCain has such a hard on against repeal of DADT that he’s making a career out of it.McCain is nothing more than a pint sized bully. Thank God this jerk didn’t become President! He’s the cranky little brat at the Christmas tree whining over the presents he didn’t get.
I’d like to see a banana and two round lumps of coal in his stocking this year with a tag saying, “To Bigot, Love Santa.”
Markie-Mark
@reason: Sorry, I don’t buy anything that you are saying. 1) the bill in the Senate is not repeal; what the court ruled is real repeal, 2) if Gates were serious he would have rebuked or fired underlings (like the head of the Marines) that have been trying to undermine the legislative so-called “repeal,” 3) if Gates were serious he had 2 years to prepare for an actual repeal instead of delaying tactics until the republican can come to the rescue in a little over a month, and 4) if Gates were serious about repeal he would welcome the court ruling and negociate for the necessary time to accomplish the real repeal of DADT. Oh, and I don’t believe that that there are no democrats in the world who can run the Dept. of Defense. They are all playing a game and they should all be called out. Especially McCain, who is a dirtbag.
AlanReeser
I just uploaded a special comment type post on my blog, http://dustythoughts.com about this. I’ve hammered McPain before, but I’m including the clip from Rachel’s show last night and then the nice piece John Stewart did on his.
We can’t let this old fool get away with this… we just can’t.