Lieberman on DADT: We Have 60

[davidinalameda]

I'll believe it when I see it

Sen. Joe Lieberman said Thursday that repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” as part of the National Defense Authorization Act is no longer a question of votes, it’s a question of process.

“I am confident that we have more than 60 votes prepared to take up the Defense authorization with the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ if only there will be a guarantee of a fair and open amendment process, in other words, whether we’ll take enough time to do it,” Lieberman told reporters at a press conference, naming GOP Sens. Susan Collins and Richard Lugar as "Yes" votes. “Time is an inexcusable reason not to get this done.”

Lieberman, an Independent, was flanked by 12 of his Democratic colleagues – a core group that seemed intent on urging their Democratic leadership to allow enough room in the Senate schedule for a debate that would be amenable to Republicans. The senators talked about working over the weekends and Sen. Mark Udall offered to go straight through until Christmas Eve.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/11/18/Lieberman_on_DADT_We_Have_60_Votes/

[Hawkeye-X]

1. That's my Senator! (Udall, that is)

I'd rather see get real bills passed through the lameduck process while we still can.... eff the R's - they're going to wind up shooting themselves in the foot and lose massively in '12.

[frazzled]

2. Let's start tomorrow

But hold on to your pants, kids ... that amendment process is going to produce some doozies, I'm sure.

[progressoid]

3. No no no. I think we should keep our powder dry.

:sarcasm: in case it wasn't obvious

[pinto]

4. The Advocate did a good job in this piece. Solid background material, direct quotes, etc.

Interesting stuff. And, as always, the proof is in the pudding (that means amendments). Yet this is the most high profile support repeal has had from the Senate.

The 12 flanking Lieberman at the press conference -

Sens. Barbara Boxer, Roland Burris, Ben Cardin, Chris Coons, Diane Feinstein, Al Franken, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Patrick Leahy, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Udall, and Ron Wyden.

[davidinalameda]

5. it's surprising for an Advocate article

they have no editors on that site

[Reg825]

6. I really hope this is true; but I hope the DREAM Act doesn't get left behind

I hope both the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell AND the DREAM Act pass!

http://www.economicrefugee.net/coming-out-in-dont-ask-dont-tell-the-dream-act/