'Don't Ask' advocates worry about timeline

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Politico

The chief of the group pushing for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" says he thinks the window may be closing for reversing the measure.

Gay rights groups -- like many members of the liberal coalition -- worry that the administration's desire to delay difficult issues until after the midterm elections may leave them with a difficult sell to a Republican Congress next year.

"I think that the President gets it, that if we don't get this done under his leaderhsp the first two years of his admin, year three or year four is not only more difficult -- it may be unlikely," Aubrey Sarvis, the executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, told me today. "A change of House or Senate majorities does not bode well for Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"The President's political and moral dilemma is how to reconcile the process he worked out with Gates and Mullen...and the commitment he made in the State of the Union message to work with Congress and the Pentagon to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell this year," he said.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0410/Dont_Ask_advocates_worry_about_timeline.html?showall

[xchrom]

1. I don't think Obama feels any real pressure

Over DADT - moral or other wise - but point taken re: time line.

[msongs]

2. the whole pt of the "timeline" is to kill it and avoid profiles in courage IMO nt

[LeftyMom]

5. Exactly. Obama is personally uncomfortable with gay people.

There's no other explanation for his behavior- there's essentially no political risk on reversing DADT because it's not even popular on the right.

[riderinthestorm]

6. Agreed. I wonder how long the next line of chained service people will be at the WH fence.

Those are the true "profiles in courage".

[bluestateguy]

3. Defense Authorization bill: that's the ticket

Stick it in there. It has to pass.

Let the Pentagon do their silly study if it will secure some more votes in Congress, but the bill will be passed and the policy changed, regardless.

[LonePirate]

4. This is becoming political cowardice of epic proportions.

He needs to be hounded at every public speech and appearance until he finally commits to repealing it before the elections because otherwise it won't happen until at least 2013.