Filibuster May Thwart ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal

Posted on Sep 21, 2010

White House / Pete Souza

President Obama delivers his State of the Union address flanked by Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Jan. 27, 2010.

President Obama should make a mental note that whatever he announces that he’s going to do by a certain point in time is also duly noted by his opponents. For example, his mention of finally reversing the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy during his State of the Union speech last January is causing some considerable resistance among Republican ranks—surprise!—partly because of the looming midterm elections. Quick, someone call Lady Gaga.  —KA

The New York Times:

By the end of the year, Mr. Obama said, he would seek a full repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

The president called it a “law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are,” and he said repealing it was “the right thing to do.”

The promise faces a critical test today as supporters of the current policy say they will try to filibuster military defense legislation that includes the repeal. With midterm elections just six weeks away, a unified Republicans filibuster would likely mean a delay in fulfilling the president’s pledge until next year.

Opponents of an unrelated immigration measure included in the annual defense authorization bill are also vowing to filibuster, increasing the odds that both issues will be put off.

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