White House Opposes DADT Deal

[Tx4obama]

Source: Advocate

A top White House official issued a statement Monday evening saying the administration does not approve of any attempt to remove “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal from the Defense funding bill to which it is currently attached.

“The White House opposes any effort to strip 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' from the National Defense Authorization Act,” said Dan Pfeiffer, White House Communications Director.

The Advocate reported Sunday that Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was exploring the possibility of offering a stripped-down version of the Defense funding bill that scraps the repeal measure, and a spokesperson for Sen. John McCain, the ranking Republican on the committee, confirmed the discussions to The Wall Street Journal.

A spokesperson for Sen. Levin said Monday afternoon that he has been discussing with Sen. McCain the path forward on the National Defense Authorization Act, but she did not confirm whether the two were considering a version of the legislation that dropped the repeal provision.

Read more: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/11/08/White_House_Opposes_DADT_Deal/

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White House Opposes 'Any Effort' To Kill DADT Repeal

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

[Tx4obama]

1. Turn on Rachel Maddow's Show - she's having DADT segment coming up. n/t

[de novo]

2. We need to jump on board with this. DADT repeal MUST be part of the

defense bill.

[TheWraith]

3. Unfortunately, the POTUS doesn't make the final decision.

What to pass is in the hands of the Senate. Anyone who's nervous about this should spend their time flooding Levin's office with phone calls.

[David Zephyr]

4. Ah, but what the POTUS signs are vetoes is his final decision, isn't it?

I think the White House is going to go to the mat on this.

[TheWraith]

7. Yeah, but that's a complex equation.

It's like a game of chicken with Congress. For it to work, you have to be confident that Congress wants the bill passed badly enough to give you what you want, but not badly enough to be able to override a veto. And you have to be really confident, because to lose a veto override is incredibly bad press.

That said, I don't think it'll come down to that.

[No Elephants]

22. LOL! Not all that complex when Prez and a majority of the Senate are in the same Party.

Besides, what is wrong with vetoing and making those who want to override go on record?

[cyr330]

26. I wish I had your faith in the POTUS

I just can't believe he'll go to the mat for gays over anything. He certainly NEVER has before. Perhaps you're right? I'll be shocked, but I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[David Zephyr]

28. I'll have the faith for you, cry330.

Believe me, I understand where you are coming from and I can not, nor will I argue with you, or try to tell you to have faith, for not only would it be insulting, the faith is not merited.

Having said that, there are 60 Senators in this lame duck session who are on the record as to wanting to end DADT. More importantly, there are a few Repubicans on their way out, who may want to do the right thing before they go.

Nancy Pelosi, for all the shit she takes here, already ran this through the House. The study that President Obama requested was not, as Rachel Maddow pointed out this summer, to come back with a recommendation whether or not to end DADT, but rather as to "how" to end it. Both the Secretary of Defense and the COTJCS have spoken out to end it.

We need 60 votes in the Senate. We have them.

President Obama said he would DADT this year.

I believe that will be a promise that he actually will keep.

If I'm wrong, I will take my scolding. But in the meantime, I see it ending this year. :)

[cyr330]

29. Thanks, David.

I've been wondering how this all might pan out, and it sounds plausible!

[David Zephyr]

32. It will really be tricky.

I also, perhaps naively, believe that many Republicans -- including Karl Rove who worked the anti-gay wedge for decades more than any pol in American history -- would like to let this albatross off their backs now in any way possible. If that means that they can pretend that they opposed ending DADT, but somehow lost the filibustering of it because a few "liberal Republicans" joined with those "liberal Democrats" to give it to Obama to sign, then they will be relieved.

However, being frank, if it doesn't make it in the lame duck session, it never will. So even my optimism has its limits. In this case, I hope I can say I told ya so. If not, I will be as crestfallen as you will be and you can point me back to this OP when I was wrong.

Obama really started out on the worst possible foot with inviting Ricky Warren to his Inauguration. It was beyond insulting, it was simply shitty. And what did he "win" for having done it? Nothing. That crowd despises even more today than they did then.

Still, I believe he will do this and will make it happen. Not only because it's the right thing to do, not only because it would be another promise he broke, but this time, he will lose any residual LBGT support that is still there. So, it serves his position now to make this happen.

For me, it will be his last straw. I am only one person, but I've given him a lot of slack and a lot of passes, but this is a promise he has to keep. If he fails to do it with a Democratic Senate and House, then either he couldn't do it or he wouldn't do it.

[Tx4obama]

31. Yes he has. List of Obama's LGBT accomplishments below

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x485790

[24601]

36. Sure - just explain that you vetoed wounded military getting their

medical care because DADT repeal wasn't in the bill. It's a hot issue with the far left & right, but a loser issue with the 70% in the middle who just don't care.

From West Wing: "Lincoln...did what he thought was right even though it meant losing half the country. I think you don't do what you think is right...if it means losing Michigan's electoral votes."

http://movie.subtitlr.com/subtitle/show/75103

[No Elephants]

21. Actually, the POTUS does make the final decision, unless his veto is overidden.

[David Zephyr]

27. Which takes a 2/3 majority.

You have this right technically and in spirt, too. :)

[kirby]

5. So which is it?

The title says "White House Opposes DADT Deal"
The first sentence says 'does not approve of any attempt to remove “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal'

I'm confused.

[Tx4obama]

6. The WH opposes any deal to strip DADT from the Defense bill.

They are referring to the 'deal' that's being talked about all over the internet regarding a McCain/Levin deal to strip it from the bill.

[kirby]

8. ok, thanks. n/t

[NuclearDem]

9. The WH really needs to take a stand on this

If DADT isn't in the bill...veto.

Time for our President to take a stand.

[Tx4obama]

10. The WH / President has taken a stand. Read the WH statement above. n/t

[Mikeystyle]

11. Don't worry, Larry Craig will lend a hand, and a toe tap

Faced with the eventual repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy on gays in the military, a group of current and former Republican lawmakers introduced their own proposal on Wednesday whereby gays would be allowed to serve in the military as long as they provide graphic details about their encounters. They call it “Don’t Ask, DO Tell.”

“I want to hear all their sordid tales,” said former Sen. Larry Craig. “I mean, where are they getting together? Are there any positions I’m not aware of? It’s time for gays to come out of the men’s rooms and give some pointers to those of us living in denial. When I think of all those buff military guys doing what comes unnaturally I just uh…. excuse me….. I gotta find a restroom.”

(continued…)

http://www.thechicagodope.com/2010/10/27/republicans-call-for-%e2%80%98don%e2%80%99t-ask-do-tell%e2%80%99/

[w4rma]

12. Whew, I thought I would be disappointed again. Very good. (nt)

[Historic NY]

13. & people don't trust POTUS..

[alp227]

14. Oh geez, DEFENDING DADT still?

"The White House opposes any effort to strip 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' from the National Defense Authorization Act." Not even when a bunch of people including even some Congressional Republicans and THE FREAKING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (who was also appointed by a Republican president) don't want DADT anymore? Gee, Mr. president must be pandering to soldiers with those irrational "the gays will rape me" fears.

[Tx4obama]

15. You read the article incorrectly.

"The White House opposes any effort to strip 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' from the National Defense Authorization Act."

THE WHITE HOUSE OPPOSES any effort to strip DADT from the Defense bill - which means OBAMA WANTS DADT TO BE REPEALED.

[alp227]

16. I interpreted "strip DADT from the bill" as repeal.

And I thought that the WH opposed repealing DADT. If you're right, this must be a poorly worded article.

[CLANG]

17. I'm thoroughly confused too!

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. The language currently in the bill is repeal

The White House opposes removing the repeal language from the bill.

[Tx4obama]

20. I am right.

The first sentence of the OP up above: A top White House official issued a statement Monday evening saying the administration does not approve of any attempt to remove “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal from the Defense funding bill to which it is currently attached.


1) The repeal of DADT is in the Defense Appropriations Bill.
2) McCain and Levin are rumored to be making a 'deal' to take the repeal out of the bill - to 'strip it out'
3) The White House OPPOSES any deal to strip the 'repeal' DADT out of the bill. The White House/President want the repeal of DADT to stay in the Defense App. bill.

Hope that is now clear for ya ;)

[CreekDog]

19. Your confusion will be allayed by reading the article

and understanding that DADT repeal was a provision currently IN the Defense Authorization.

[No Elephants]

23. As always, let's wait and see what actually happens before either throwing stones or applauding.

Here's hoping for human rights.

[Freddie Stubbs]

24. So, he'll veto the bill if DADT is taken out?

[cyr330]

25. Obama will cut a deal and throw

gays under the bus. I have no illusions about this, and I've seen it happen time and time again. Just fucking watch.

[Tx4obama]

30. Obama has done more FOR the gay community than any other president

Obama's LGBT accomplishments
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x485790

[cyr330]

33. Sorry, don't buy it.

And neither do any of my gay friends here in SF.

[Politicub]

34. Huh? What other president has done more?

Perhaps you're posting from another planet.

[Arkana]

35. Heh.

They're doubling down.

Republicans will be on the morning shows Sunday screaming that we're holding the defense budget hostage, but I've seen dirtier tricks played in politics for worse things.