Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
In the ongoing saga of John McCain debating John McCain on "don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) and losing the debate, John McCain Flip-Flops, Rejects the Recommendation of the Pentagon on DADT, Grampy crankypants now wants to double-down on his pandering to the gay-bashing homophobe fringe of the Republican Party. John McCain: Filibuster to Stop ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal? – Newsweek:
[S]ome lawmakers are threatening to support a filibuster of the defense authorization bill (where the repeal language may be added) when it comes up for a vote, expected to take place late June or early July.
Some gay advocates—on background, and on the Web—are reporting that McCain has asked for the vote to be held in open session. Roll Call’s Kathleen Hunter reports that McCain said he would “without a doubt” support a filibuster if the bill goes to the floor with repeal language. “ ‘I’ll do everything in my power,’ the Arizona Republican said, citing letters from the four service chiefs urging Congress not to act before a Pentagon review of the policy is complete. . . (McCain, however, appears to have stopped short of saying he would call for a filibuster, only that he would support one).
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McCain is facing a fierce reelection fight in Arizona against Tea Party favorite opponent J. D. Hayworth, who has accused him in ads of being “a conservative actor” who only pretends to support conservative causes.
McCain has said in the past that he would support a repeal if military leaders first endorsed the change, and in February Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Adm. Mike Mullen told senators they supported President Obama’s pledge to seek a congressional repeal of the 1993 policy. Yet McCain said he was “disappointed” in the testimony and an aide said it represented only personal opinion. (McCain’s family has also expressed their personal opinion on gay rights; both wife Cindy and daughter Meghan have appeared in ads to support gay-equality issues.)
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Tuesday indicates that 78 percent of the public supports allowing openly gay people to serve in the military, with one in five opposed. CNN Poll: Nearly 8 in 10 favor gays in the military:
"Support is widespread, even among Republicans. Nearly six in ten Republicans favor allowing openly gay individuals to serve in the military," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "There is a gender gap, with 85 percent of women and 71 percent of men favoring the change, but support remains high among both groups."
Full results [pdf]
Perhaps Grampy crankypants should listen to his BFF Sen. Joseph Lieberman who is the sponsor of the repeal amendment, or "his friend" Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) who knows a thing or two about being told "the time is not right" and to wait in the long struggle for civil rights in America.
The House voted on Thursday 234-194 to let the Defense Department repeal the ban on gay and bisexual people from serving openly in the military, a major step toward dismantling the 1993 law widely known as "don't ask. don't tell." House Votes to Allow Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Law – NYTimes.com
Separately on Thursday, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved a similar measure allowing the repeal.
The vote, in a closed session, was 16 to 12, with one Republican, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, in favor of the repeal, and one Democrat, Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, in opposition.
The amendment would allow Pentagon leaders to revoke the ban 60 days after the military study group completes its report, due December 1, and President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, certify that it would not hamper military readiness and effectiveness or “unit cohesion.”
McCain is out of step with the majority of Americans and even a majority of Republicans to end discrimination against gays who are proudly serving their country in the U.S. Armed Forces. McCain has abandoned any principles he may have once had in pursuit of pandering to the gay-bashing fringe of the Republican Party in the interest of winning the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate. Johnny, do yourself and all of Arizona the favor of stepping down and retiring to one of your 7, or 8, or 9, or 10 homes for a long-overdue retirement. You have become sad and pathetic.
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If McCain had just bowed out before all this the general public would not have seen his humiliation in his last few years of political life; there’s a reason that Limbaugh nick named him “Yosemite Sam”.