Joe Lieberman talked to Andrea Mitchell this morning and encouraged the Pentagon to go ahead and release its DADT study [which reportedly has very positive implications in support of DADT repeal], in order to speed up the process:
Mitchell: With all due respect, I was kind of stunned because – what about Mike Mullen – Admiral Mike Mullen is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. They [the commanders] report to him. If it’s good enough for him and for [Defense Sec.] Robert Gates and if this is the survey we understand is coming out in December – why isn’t it good enough for John McCain?
Lieberman: Well, of course, in this case, I disagree strongly with my friend John McCain and I agree with you. The fact is that this is a policy – we’ve had thousands of gay and lesbian Americans putting their lives on the line to protect our security and we’re telling them that basically they’ve got to lie about who they are.
I was so encouraged by the first indications of the study that’s being done – thousands and thousands of our military personnel and their families questioned – more than 70 percent, apparently, have said, ‘No Problem’ because in the classic situation when you’re in battle, you don’t care what anybody’s sexual orientation or race or gender or nationality or religion is. You care about whether they’re going to fight well. And that’s the way it ought to be.
And you’re right. The bill that – the measure that we’ve put in doesn’t automatically repeal Don’t’ Ask, Don’t’ Tell. It says that the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have to certify – based on everything they know, including the study that’s been done – that repealing Don’t’ Ask, Don’t’ Tell won’t compromise military effectiveness or morale. And that’s pretty rationale so I’m not giving up on us doing a repeal of Don’t’ Ask, Don’t Tell during the lame duck session. To make that possible, I hope that the Defense Department can find a way to issue this report that they’ve got pretty much done – but they’re going through clearance now – as quickly as possible. Certainly before December 1. We’ve got time to do this – and it’s the right thing to do.
Why does John McCain have so little respect for the Pentagon? Oh wait…this isn’t about respect; it’s about the fact that John McCain is a man completely devoid of principles or integrity.
