Comments on: Gates urged to certify ‘Don’t Ask’ repeal before retirement

By: Erik

Erik — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:26:43 +0000

While the Senate has filibustered a record number of President Obama’s judicial nominees, filibustering Leon Panetta would be a heavy lift, even for the Republicans. Panetta’s credentials are unimpeachable, only burnished by the fact that during his current tenure as director of the CIA, Osama bin Laden was killed.

Assuming they would get no Democratic votes, and no Republicans who voted for the repeal in December (Snowe, Collins, Kirk, Brown, Murkowski, Burr), they would have to get every single other Republican Senator to support a prospective filibuster. It won’t happen.

Mr. Panetta does support DADT repeal, but no Republican will even attempt a filibuster. Panetta is likely to be confirmed by unanimous consent, as he was in 2009 when he became Director of the CIA.

By: Dakotahgeo

Dakotahgeo — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 02:07:32 +0000

Silly clayusmcret… just say, “Darn!!! They passed it!!” LOLOL

By: Mark Conlan

Mark Conlan — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:19:51 +0000

My fear is that if Robert Gates steps down before certifying the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the policy will not be repealed at all. It’s clear the Republican obstructionists in the U.S. Senate will NOT confirm a new Secretary of Defense unless that person pledges to keep “don’t ask, don’t tell” in place. Having successfully filibustered Obama’s appointments to the federal judiciary and the Federal Reserve board, they won’t flinch at sabotaging the process of confirming a defense secretary without blocking anyone who says, or even hints, that he or she will go through with the repeal.

By: clayusmcret

clayusmcret — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:59:57 +0000

Secretary Gates,

You’ve been out there listening to the troops. They are very clearly telling you to just….say…..no.