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And, presumably, repeal altogther. Feels great to have volunteered across the Potomac for this guy four years ago.
In other awesome news, Webb actually cites Gates' whining that he didn't get his way statement today. Here's Gates:
Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a grudging -- but crucial -- statement this morning through his spokesman Geoff Morrell, as the administration pushes forward with the repeal of the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military -- but pointedly insists that Congress carry the political burden.
"Secretary Gates continues to believe that ideally the DOD review should be completed before there is any legislation to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell law. With Congress having indicated that is not possible, the Secretary can accept the language in the proposed amendment," Morrell said.
Here's Webb:
"Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen have laid out a specific and responsible plan to examine the current 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in a manner that includes a comprehensive survey of those wearing the uniform. The White House and Secretary Gates both said today that, ideally, the Defense Department should complete this review before legislative action is taken. There is no question that a review of the policy is necessary and important. I see no reason for the political process to pre-empt it."
Notice any similarity?
This leaves 3 possibilities left out of which we need two and it is looking grim.
Yes
Carl Levin (Michigan)
Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut)
Jack Reed (Rhode Island)
Daniel K. Akaka (Hawaii)
Bill Nelson (Florida)
Claire McCaskill (Missouri)
Mark Udall (Colorado)
Kay R. Hagan (North Carolina)
Mark Begich (Alaska)
Roland W. Burris (Illinois)
Jeff Bingaman (New Mexico)
Edward E. Kaufman (Delaware)
Susan Collins (Maine)
No
John McCain (Arizona)
James M. Inhofe (Oklahoma)
Jeff Sessions (Alabama)
Saxby Chambliss (Georgia)
Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
John Thune (South Dakota)
Roger F. Wicker (Mississippi)
George S. LeMieux (Florida)
Scott Brown (Massachusetts)
Richard Burr (North Carolina)
David Vitter (Louisiana)
Jim Webb (Virginia)
Undecided
Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia)
Ben Nelson (Nebraska)
Evan Bayh (Indiana)
Ben Nelson announced last week he prefers to wait for the Pentagon review to be completed and while he hasn't said anything new since this deal, I am sure this is not helpful. We have 13 votes and need 2 out of the remaining 3 if you count Nelson as still undecided, to make a majority of 15 if all 28 members show up. There is a chance Byrd may not, in which case we need 14, but I found out he can vote by proxy, too, so it may not make a difference. I have heard from several sources close to the process that Byrd has given no indication of which way he will go. I am having bad memories of Byrd on this in 1993, though, which I will write about later tonight.
If you were ever going to take a minute to help pass repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, now is the time, OpenLefters. We are running out of possibilities.
Update: Politico is reporting that Bayh is a yes vote. However, I haven't been able to independently verify, and CNN as of 40 minutes ago is reporting him as a holdout.
Update 2: A leading advocate who is close to the process told me on the phone he thinks Bayh "is leaning yes at this time but not a definite".
And just for my own interest (and to make a point), I went back to my copy of George Stephanopoulos's 1999 book All Too Human: A Political Education, remembering a passage about Byrd in a 1993 meeting with Clinton and Gore on this. He writes:
"Suestonius writes that Tiberius, under whom Caesar served, had young male prostitutes in his service," Byrd began, before reeling off other tales of emperors, generals, and the men who served and serviced them. "We're talking about something that has been going around for centuries," he stated flatly, echoing one of the president's central arguments. Wow, are we going to get Byrd? Can't be. It wasn't. After a pause for emphasis, he delivered the opening blow. "But Rome fell when discipline gave way to luxury and ease." Then he traveled through time from the decline of the Roman Empire to the Christian Coalition's slippery slope. "Remove not the ancient landmarks thy fathers have set. I am opposed to your policy because it implies acceptance. It will lead to same-sex marriages and homosexuals in the Boy Scouts." These were the concrete concerns he would hear in West Virginia that weekend.
In other words, we have a tough sledding left getting those last few votes. Please take a minute and get in touch with constituents you know who are on the swing list.
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