White House Talks DADT Repeal With Lieberman

[ProSense]

White House Talks DADT Repeal With Lieberman

By Kerry Eleveld

Shortly after President Barack Obama pledged Saturday to end “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the Administration’s highest-ranking LGBT official said the White House is speaking with certain senators about strategies for repealing the policy -- specifically Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“On ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ this administration is talking directly to the Hill -- we are in direct discussions with Senator Lieberman,” John Berry, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, told The Advocate.

A spokesman for Senator Lieberman confirmed that the senator had been speaking to the White House about the bill. “Senator Lieberman has had discussions with representatives of the Administration and others on the best way to reverse this policy, which he has opposed since it was first proposed in 1993,” said Marshall Wittmann, Lieberman’s press secretary. Wittmann gave no further information on the senator’s plans regarding the legislation.

A House repeal bill that was introduced in March is being carried by Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, and currently has 177 sponsors.

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[Cha]

1. Lieberman better not try

to screw with this.

[phleshdef]

2. I don't think he would. This is one issue he has always been right on.

[vaberella]

4. Really? I'm impressed. n/t

[Cha]

5. That's good..he's got me

shell shocked.

[IndianaGreen]

6. Lieberman cannot be trusted about anything

The man is a POS.

I rather talk to Senator Levin who is planning to hold hearings on DADT, as Kirsten Gillibrand has said, than a man that is on a par with Zell Miller.

[BlueMTexpat]

36. +1 ... many times over! n/t

[IndianaGreen]

3. My rights will now depend on the puke Holy Joe?

We might get better results with a direct line to Lucifer.

[ProSense]

12. Wow, so only a certain person is allowed to address the issue? n/t

[IndianaGreen]

18. Holy Joe is a traitor like Zell Miller. He is no progressive since he went to the Dark Side

What's next for the WH can do no wrong cohort?

[mkultra]

35. finally, some sense from you.

Joe should be drawn and quartered.

[ruggerson]

7. Yay. Finally. Someone is talking to someone about DOING it.

n/t

[IndianaGreen]

8. Lieberman is Homeland Security, while Levin leads the committee will hold DADT hearings

as he promised Kirsten Gillibrand.

Lieberman is nothing more than a suicide bomber when it comes to our issues.

[ruggerson]

9. I don't like him any more than you do

but he's always been rock solid on LGBT issues. Even before he was a Senator.

[jonnyblitz]

13. this must be one of the reasons the far right would have none of it

when McCain was supposedly pondering asking Lieberman to be his vice presidential running mate according to several behind-the- scenes, campaign 2008 books i have recently read. isn't he reliably pro-choice as well? I should know this because i get to vote for him or not here in CT.

[ruggerson]

yes, he's also pro choice

I imagine Obama is deliberately publicizing this because Lieberman carries some cred with the right on military matters. If Lieberman can bring a handful of Repubs with him then we are more than over the top, filibuster-wise.

[IndianaGreen]

14. Levin's committee has jurisdiction over Armed Services not Lieberman's Gestapo committee

There is nothing rock solid about this POS other than what's in it for him.

[ProSense]

15. Armed Services Committee

DEMOCRATS

Carl Levin (Michigan)
Chairman

Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia)
Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut)
Jack Reed (Rhode Island)
Daniel K. Akaka (Hawaii)
Bill Nelson (Florida)
Ben Nelson (Nebraska)
Evan Bayh (Indiana)
Jim Webb (Virginia)
Claire McCaskill (Missouri)
Mark Udall (Colorado)
Kay R. Hagan (North Carolina)
Mark Begich (Alaska)
Roland W. Burris (Illinois)
Paul G. Kirk, Jr. (Massachusetts)

[vaberella]

16. +Infinity. Simple, straightforward, and to the damned point. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

17. So talk to Levin and FUCK LIEBERMAN!

[vaberella]

20. I'm glad your not in Congress. Secondly, you don't know if they haven't.

The article just states Lieberman, but that doesn't mean Obama didn't outreach all the people on the committee...the writer probably picked Lieberman due to the surprise it would cause. Secondly, Levin doesn't have a stellar track record here: http://www.zimbio.com/Senator+Carl+Levin+of+Michigan/articles/24/Democrat+Cold+Feet+on+DADT

[FrenchieCat]

21. They are lining up the votes.....doh!

They already have Levin's vote.

I don't even think this is chess.....more like poker.
No need to call for a vote until the ones you can sway
but aren't sure about have been talked to.

Now it appears that the White House can only talk to those
who are willing to vote as they would vote anyways?

Geeze......

Determined as you might be, Politically astute, you aren't.

[IndianaGreen]

24. Lining up the votes like they did on the Public Option. Gee, that's a relief!

[FrenchieCat]

25. I believe that the Public Option has passed 4 out of 5 committees,,,,,,

and tomorrow the bill before the Senate Finance Committee will pass in the only way that it could have passed...... and that's further than we have ever gotten before.....so yeah.....they are talking to members who they are not sure are on board, and trying to get them on board. It would be stupid not to. Real stupid.

[ruggerson]

28. This is a relatively simple bill compared to HCR

[IndianaGreen]

30. There is nothing simple when it comes to LGBT rights

and I fully expect Lieberman to drive that dagger of his deep into our collective backs.

:yoiks:

[ruggerson]

31. it's fairly cut and dried

the statute gets repealed or it doesn't. Read Murphy's HR 1283.

What's good about this is this is the first time the WH has let slip to the press that there are concrete discussions and headcounting under way. It starts the ball rolling.

[IndianaGreen]

32. Levin is supposed to hold hearings--let's see how Lieberman behaves

and if you are right, we all win. If you are wrong, don't say I didn't tell you to not trust that double talking POS.

[ruggerson]

33. I think the important thing is that Obama is now willing to demonstrate to the press

that he is actively engaged in DOING something on the issue. If this report is accurate (and it's from a NAMED source, which is a good thing) and if it is followed by further progress, it means the WH has moved the issue from the backburner to the front. This is exactly what we all have been asking Obama to do. So I take this as an encouraging sign.

[IndianaGreen]

34. Some people believe that Jesus coming back soon, ruggerson

I think he is buried in his hometown.

I only trust deeds, not words.

[soccermomforobama]

10. Wonderful news!!!

[IndianaGreen]

11. Lieberman's committee has no jurisdiction over Armed Services

This is a disaster if the White House wants to involve this traitor.

[SIMPLYB1980]

22. Calm down.

This is good news. Wait is that why you're upset?

[FrenchieCat]

23. Lieberman is on the committee.......

plueaze.....learn the facts PRIOR to making your points.
You'll look more prepared, instead of simply looking for the negative
as though politics is like elementary school. It may be similar in some ways,
but not when it comes to the rules on the playground.

[jenmito]

19. K&R. Lieberman better earn his position. n/t

[ruggerson]

26. I think, strategically, it's a smart move

we all may hate Lieberman, but pukes like McCain and Graham are close to him. Having Lieberman partially spearhead this gives some cover to Repubs who may be wavering.

[jenmito]

29. I agree...

he WILL be on our side on this and since he IS so RW on other issues, it WILL give some cover to those who are wavering.

[IndianaGreen]

27. I trust him as far as I trust Hamas

[SpartanDem]

37. Lieberman is a jerk, but he'd be a good choice for lead sponsor

he's has good record on gay issues and in this case hawkish foreign policy stances are asset from attacks from the right.