HuffPo: Senator McCain Out of Step on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
"Senator McCain Out of Step on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'"
Huffington Post
April 13, 2010
While sitting down with the Arizona Daily Star editorial board, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) - who has consistently argued that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is working - was pressed on whether he had considered asking gay service members for their opinion: "I don't seek out someone who is gay. ...The policy is one that has worked by the opinion of their commanders."
As a veteran, and having spoken with many of the men and women who have served and want to serve their country openly, I can tell you McCain's words and actions on this topic are out of step and from a bygone era. His view does not represent the American people or our country's military leadership. As shown in the interview transcript, McCain continues to ignore the fact that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen, General Collin Powell and Vice President Richard Cheney all strongly favor repeal.
The senator's continued opposition underscores a clear record of hypocrisy on repeal. In October 2006, McCain said to an audience of Iowa State University students that he would at least consider repeal if the top brass came out in favor of doing so: "The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it." And on February 2, 2010, Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen did exactly that when they testified before McCain and the full Senate Armed Services Committee in support of repeal.
The senator's response? Not interested.
When the Star editors pressed McCain, asking if there had been a "generational shift" in favor of repeal, McCain quipped "...how many times do I have to give you my opinion?" After a pause on both sides, the senator said: "Go ahead. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready to continue our conversation on it. Okay. Seriously. Go ahead."
Repealing DADT is no longer a question of "if," but "when."
We are at a critical hour in the repeal of DADT. Much has changed since Sen. McCain voted in favor of the law in 1993. Those who have previously supported "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," including both former Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Shalikashvili and General Colin Powell - who also helped write the law - are now in favor of repeal. More and more Americans, regardless of party identity or ideological persuasion, understand that DADT should go.
Sen. McCain would be better served reviewing the transcript from the first hearing on repeal held by the Senate Armed Services Committee in February. In his testimony, Admiral Mullen made it clear that DADT does not serve in the best interest of our men and women in uniform: "I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me, personally, it comes down to integrity - theirs as individuals and ours as a nation."
As Congress begins to take action on the Defense Department budget, we must continue the work to muster the 15 critical votes needed on the Senate Armed Services Committee to include repeal. With strong support in favor of ending the ban on open service, we can show John McCain that his outdated position is simply a sign of the past.
04-13-10 By Aubrey Sarvis, SLDN Executive Director |
4 Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.Dino in Washington, DC on April 19, 2010 at 01.21 pm
@Bill, yes Senator John McCain is a terrible disappointment. He is also facing a Republican Primary Opponent in August named JD Hayworth. He has been pushed to the right on other issues, notably immigration. In addition to his statement at the University of Iowa in 2006, Senator McCain also made remarks the first time he ran for president in 2000 which indicated that he was moderate on the issue. That same election he called Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson “agents of intolerance”. Then in 2007, he spoke at Liberty University flanked by Jerry Falwell and his ilk. We will see if he changes his tune any if he gets through the primary this year.
Michael @ LeonardMatlovich.com on April 15, 2010 at 05.07 pm
Sen. McCain was once one of the few Republicans I could find any reason to admire, but he has long since become a lost cause.
As for others, not crippled by bitterness and primordial homophobia, what SASC Chair Carl Levin said last June is still true:
“[Any chance of repeal] requires Presidential leadership. This cannot be addressed successfully without that kind of leadership.”
So this “critical hour” requires more than just urging the “moveable middle” to support repeal. Most of them will NOT be moved except by pressure from the very top, from the Commander-in-Chief. As Cong. Barney Frank recently stated, the CIC’s silence gives them an excuse not to vote for repeal.
Alas, it can no longer be denied that he will have to be pressured himself to finally listen to his better angels and keep his repeated promises to PERSONALLY FIGHT for repeal.
Therefore, I respectfully share the following in the same spirit as the demonstration by SLDN last summer outside the DNC LGBT fundraiser and march to the White House. We would now need twice the 265 buttons distributed then representing the number of servicemembers discharged under DADT since President Obama was sworn in:
“PRESIDENT OBAMA IS COMING TO LOS ANGELES, CA TO SUPPORT BARBARA BOXER IN HER BID FOR RE-ELECTION!
Join us as we stand in support for the thousands of LGBT personnel still serving in the military and help us to hold President Obama accountable to the promises that he made to get him elected.
Call on the President to immediately place repeal language in his Defense Authorization bill and publicly state that DADT will be repealed this year.
BOXER/OBAMA FUNDRAISER PROTEST
California Science Center Wallis Annenberg Bldg
Exposition Park, 39th St. & Figueroa St, Los Angeles
DATE: MONDAY, APRIL 19
TIME: 3:30 PM
BRING SIGNS, BANNERS AND LARGE PRIDE FLAGS!”
——
“As president, I will work with Congress and place the weight of my administration behind enactment of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which will make nondiscrimination the official policy of the U.S. military. That work should have started long ago. It will start when I take office. America is ready to get rid of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. All that is required is leadership.” - Barack Obama Job Application, November 29, 2007.
Bill on April 14, 2010 at 10.51 pm
Senator McCain has become a terrible disappointment in his old age. He seems tired, and maybe just a bit senile. His judgment was proven faulty by his pick for Vice President. Now we find out he has never been a maverick. Sadly, he more and more appears to be a true old fashioned homophobe. And he is bitter and sour. Age has not treated him well. He does, however, have real power. I suspect to lobby him for ending DADT would be a waste of time because he is immune from rational thought and progress.
Senator Webb, who I know from private sources is not a homophobe, is equally a disappointment. He it extremely intelligent, but I suspect his ambition has made him cautious in Senate hearings. Virginia is a state that is not only homophobic, but is flirting with renewed racism, and their newest senator is not showing the courage and wisdom worthy of a military officer.
As Aubrey Sarvis writes, we are indeed at a critical hour for the repeal of DADT. Those who are ignorant, bigots, and/or political cowards may yet derail reform. Maybe even worse, the Commander-in-Chief remains as aloof and detached as he was in 2009 with health care reform.
To get an end to DADT out of the Senate Armed Services Committee, a couple of reasonable Republicans would help. I think best would Senators Brown and Graham because they both carry current military rank. I suspect, however, while neither is a homophobe, both are political cowards.
Dino in Washington, DC on April 14, 2010 at 03.16 pm
Thank you Aubrey. As he mentioned, there are FIFTEEN votes needed for passage in the Senate Armed Services Committee. There are six Senators who need to be lobbied hard. They are Senators Jim Webb (D) VA, Evan Bayh (D) IN, Bill Nelson (D) FL, Ben Nelson (D) NE, Robert Byrd (D) WVA and Scott Brown (R) MA.