John McCain in a still from Thursday’s DADT discussion in Congress. The Arizona senator engaged in a vigorous exchange with Adm. Mike Mullen at a hearing on the repeal question.
How is it that Sen. John McCain can look at the same Pentagon study about repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and uniformed military leaders did and reach such a strikingly different conclusion about how to proceed?
Well, for starters, it would appear that McCain gave high priority to certain aspects of the report, according to The New York Times, while supporters of lifting the ban on GLBT troops serving openly looked at the bigger picture. MSNBC’s coverage of the discussion between McCain and military leaders is posted below the NYT excerpt here. —KA
The New York Times:
Citing the results of a Pentagon survey of 115,000 active duty and reserve service members, Mr. McCain, Republican of Arizona, said that 58 percent of Marines in combat units and 48 percent of Army combat troops thought repealing the 17-year-old law would have either a negative or a very negative impact on the ability of their units to work together.
“I remain concerned, as I have in the past, and as demonstrated in this study, that the closer we get to service members in combat, the more we encounter concerns about whether ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ should be repealed,” Mr. McCain said at a Senate hearing. “These views should not be considered lightly, especially considering how much combat our forces face.”
Mr. McCain’s views were in striking contrast to those expressed by an array of the nation’s top defense and military officials, who appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee to urge repeal of the law, which requires gay men and women in the military to keep their sexual orientation secret or face discharge. The officials also pressed on the committee the larger conclusions of the survey, which found that 70 percent of all service members responded that allowing gay men and women to serve openly in the military “would be positive, mixed or of no consequence at all.”
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This opportunistic man is simply senile and no longer fit to serve public office (if he ever really was). His remaining sanity rests on his dubious military identity, and he can no longer hide his preoccupation with irrelevant nonsense.
I concur with EJH. McCain ‘doth protest too much’. His gaydar is spinning like the altimeters in all those planes he piloted into the drink in Viet Nam. Maybe his testicles got shockalized and he’s afraid it was a gay torture. Some shame haunts this old man and he should recluse himself from the discussion. He couldn’t save himself and now he can’t “save” anybody. He should be against wars and tortures but instead he’s against letting anybody know about being gay. Is that a skeleton I hear clinking in John’s closet? What does he think? Does he think the showers and formations are all going to be full of giggles and upside down saluting? One of these generals should have the brass to moon ol’John at the hearings…now that wouldn’t be gay …would it?
Another B***S*** non-issue to throw at the masses as the Empire quickly folds and falls.Deflection and Hollywood gossip- that’s all our ” First Estate” is good for.
By jan, December 3, 2010 at 2:05 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
As I listen to Senator McCain, the only explanation for his position is that he has doubts about his own sexuality, or he has had a traumatic sexual experience that justifies his opposition to the repeal of DADT. It is clearly pathological. The man needs to be removed from the Senate and undergo psychological counseling. His arguments fly in the face of logic.
What’s the matter John, didn’t get the memo? No one let you know that the reports were proof that you asked for? Don’t they realize that you are the POTUS? Oh wait, you aren’t the POTUS. Doggone country just won’t listen. These people just can’t realize that Gays and Hispanics have a conspiracy to overthrow this country by using the military, like the blacks did right John? Get over it Caveman. If the Gays alone left the military, there would be no military. Not because they are all Gay, but because the precedent would be set for non-loyalty to country. Now add the Hispanics and African Americans to the soup and how much military is left. THE answer John is that our military is comprised of all types of Americans and for you to preach segregation defies our rights as Americans and always has. Better retire John. You have become the pure definition of taking up space. Leave while you still have some respect for your service to our country, that you live in, because they do serve.
He’s milking his military experience as a justification, a military history that had equally serious problems integrating woman and minorities.
He claims to defer to the military authorities, and soldiers themselves in the face of overwhelming polling evidence to the contrary.
Another culturally out of touch old man, scared of homosexuals. His own views expressed in the past were when the top military leadership said it was a good idea to repeal the policy, he would support repealing the policy. Now the top leadership is explicitly calling for repeal of the policy and he is fighting them. Still a maverick.
How is it that Senator John McCain can look at the same Pentagon study about
repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” that Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other
military colleagues did and reach such a strikingly different conclusion about how
to proceed?
Ewww ewww, I know I know. Pick me pick me…
McCain’s raging homophobia?
A Cooler Century? Wait and See
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By freelyb, December 3, 2010 at 2:13 pm Link to this comment
This opportunistic man is simply senile and no longer fit to serve public office (if he ever really was). His remaining sanity rests on his dubious military identity, and he can no longer hide his preoccupation with irrelevant nonsense.
Report thisBy johnnyfarout, December 3, 2010 at 1:00 pm Link to this comment
I concur with EJH. McCain ‘doth protest too much’. His gaydar is spinning like the altimeters in all those planes he piloted into the drink in Viet Nam. Maybe his testicles got shockalized and he’s afraid it was a gay torture. Some shame haunts this old man and he should recluse himself from the discussion. He couldn’t save himself and now he can’t “save” anybody. He should be against wars and tortures but instead he’s against letting anybody know about being gay. Is that a skeleton I hear clinking in John’s closet? What does he think? Does he think the showers and formations are all going to be full of giggles and upside down saluting? One of these generals should have the brass to moon ol’John at the hearings…now that wouldn’t be gay …would it?
Report thisBy surfnow, December 3, 2010 at 9:00 am Link to this comment
Another B***S*** non-issue to throw at the masses as the Empire quickly folds and falls.Deflection and Hollywood gossip- that’s all our ” First Estate” is good for.
Report thisBy jan, December 3, 2010 at 2:05 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
As I listen to Senator McCain, the only explanation for his position is that he has doubts about his own sexuality, or he has had a traumatic sexual experience that justifies his opposition to the repeal of DADT. It is clearly pathological. The man needs to be removed from the Senate and undergo psychological counseling. His arguments fly in the face of logic.
Report thisBy CaptRon, December 2, 2010 at 11:18 pm Link to this comment
What’s the matter John, didn’t get the memo? No one let you know that the reports were proof that you asked for? Don’t they realize that you are the POTUS? Oh wait, you aren’t the POTUS. Doggone country just won’t listen. These people just can’t realize that Gays and Hispanics have a conspiracy to overthrow this country by using the military, like the blacks did right John? Get over it Caveman. If the Gays alone left the military, there would be no military. Not because they are all Gay, but because the precedent would be set for non-loyalty to country. Now add the Hispanics and African Americans to the soup and how much military is left. THE answer John is that our military is comprised of all types of Americans and for you to preach segregation defies our rights as Americans and always has. Better retire John. You have become the pure definition of taking up space. Leave while you still have some respect for your service to our country, that you live in, because they do serve.
Report thisBy EJH, December 2, 2010 at 10:37 pm Link to this comment
Maybe Mr McCain is gay (and I do not mean “happy”).
http://theunpeople.blogspot.com/
Report thisBy RayLan, December 2, 2010 at 7:27 pm Link to this comment
He’s milking his military experience as a justification, a military history that had equally serious problems integrating woman and minorities.
Report thisHe claims to defer to the military authorities, and soldiers themselves in the face of overwhelming polling evidence to the contrary.
By Gmonst, December 2, 2010 at 7:01 pm Link to this comment
Another culturally out of touch old man, scared of homosexuals. His own views expressed in the past were when the top military leadership said it was a good idea to repeal the policy, he would support repealing the policy. Now the top leadership is explicitly calling for repeal of the policy and he is fighting them. Still a maverick.
Report thisBy skulz fontaine, December 2, 2010 at 6:02 pm Link to this comment
How is it that Senator John McCain can look at the same Pentagon study about
Report thisrepealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” that Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other
military colleagues did and reach such a strikingly different conclusion about how
to proceed?
Ewww ewww, I know I know. Pick me pick me…
McCain’s raging homophobia?