I know it's been a busy news day but did anybody catch this?

[William769]

Gay Man Confirmed as Air Force Undersecretary
Eric Fanning now holds the second-highest civilian position in the Air Force.



A gay man has been confirmed to the second-highest civilian position in the U.S. Air Force.

The Senate confirmed Eric Fanning as undersecretary of the Air Force Thursday, in a voice vote approving nominees for several other positions as well, the Washington Blade reports. President Obama had nominated him as undersecretary last August. His duties will include recruiting, organizing, supplying, and mobilizing the force.

“I very much look forward to becoming a part of the Air Force family,” Fanning said in his confirmation hearing. “It would be my honor to play a role in making sure that the best men and women our country has to offer get all the support they need in undertaking the mission of defending our country, a mission for which they freely volunteered.”

http://www.advocate.com/politics/military/2013/04/19/gay-man-confirmed-air-force-undersecretary

[AndyA]

1. Yes, I did! A bright spot in an otherwise very dark day

Best wishes to Mr. Fanning! May he help open the door for other LGBT people to follow in his foot steps.

[longship]

2. That's the way to get attention during a focussed DU.

R&K

[Fridays Child]

3. k/r

[Triana]

4. I didn't but it's GREAT news!

[truebluegreen]

5. Excellent news.

And I hope it really rattles that bastion of Christianists that is the Air Force (or at least the AF Academy).

[William769]

6. GTMA!

[truebluegreen]

8. Um, GMTA?

[arcane1]

9. General Motors Test Autos

[truebluegreen]

11. That was my very first thought!

[William769]

12. Great Minds think alike.

On major pain killer right now, wasn't sure which way the wind was blowing here.

[truebluegreen]

14. I know (and you're right!).

I was just joshing ya.

[dballance]

7. Yea! Good news /nt

[arcane1]

10. A "voice vote". Does that mean some repubs played ball but did so anonymously?

Even better!

[MADem]

15. It means they weren't going to make an issue of it.

Voice votes are usually reserved for "Yep, that'll work" appointments. It also is used for "OK, but don't use MY name..." appointments, which is probably closer to your construct. It provides some "cover" but only if people don't think about it. Anyone can gripe about that Voice Vote thing, after all!

Everyone knows a President has the right to offer appointments, and the Senate does their advise and consent role. If the person is qualified, the Senate isn't supposed to gripe. Of course, the Senate always gets ideological when it comes to gifts that keep on giving, like the Supreme Court, and they'll sometimes get shitty to make a point (see Bill Weld's failed ambassadorship, for example) but the GOP would be borrowing trouble at a high interest rate indeed if they railed against this qualified candidate for that position.

[Dan Ken]

13. Missed this until now. Thanks! n/t

[iandhr]

16. No I completely missed this

great news.

[ReRe]

17. Thank you for bringing this to our attention!

Congratulations to Eric Fanning, our new USAF Undersecretary!

[awoke_in_2003]

18. Yep, saw it yesterday....

I rec'ed that thread, and I rec this one.