Lieberman Launching Last-Ditch Effort To Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell

[t0dd]

Source: TPM

There's still a long shot, last ditch effort to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell that could succeed.

At a press conference today, after the Defense Authorization bill -- and with it the DADT repeal -- went down to defeat in a cloture vote, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) explained. "Senator Collins and I, Senator Udall and others will be, perhaps by the end of this day, introducing a free-standing bill -- a separate piece of legislation -- to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy," he said.

Senators introduce legislation all the time, so this wouldn't mean much -- except for the exchange Lieberman had on the floor with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"I informed Senator Reid during the vote... that we're going to do that, and he said, 'Same language as in Defense Authorization bill?' I said, 'yes.' He said, 'put me down as a co-sponsor.' I said, "Harry, we're going to ask you to bring this to a vote before the end of the lame duck session.' He said, 'I will bring it to the active calendar under Rule 14.'"

Rule 14 would allow the bill to skip the committee process and come straight to the floor.

Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/the-long-shot-last-ditch-effort-to-repeal-dont-ask-dont-tell.php?ref=fpa

[Deep13]

1. Lieberman helps McCain in '08 and kills the public option...

...and the R.s won't even repay him with cloture on a bill that after all is vital to nation security (same with START). Never trust a fascist, Joe. They'll stab you in the back every time.

[tpsbmam]

2. Great response -- nail. head! nt

[TroglodyteScholar]

3. +1000 n/t

[AlinPA]

4. IMO, if we were to look closely, Lieberman is working for the republicans on this, not on behalf

of the Democratic caucus. We cannot trust him for anything. I am tired of hearing "oh, he is good on civil rights". For God's sake, he stood in front of a convention of hateful, bigoted republicans and made a speech on behalf of the man who wants to kill the DADT Repeal and on behalf of the republican agenda. Reid is crazy for allowing Lieberman to act (and I mean Act) like he wants this to pass. He is sabotaging it with this cheap act with Collins.

[msongs]

5. but when obama sells out its a a wonderful thing. lesson = take what we can get right? nt

[AlinPA]

6. I'm talking about Lieberman. I did not say it's wonderful about Obama. Did you accuse me of that?

[BrklynLiberal]

8. I am with you..I would not trust LIEberman as far as I could throw him

[BlueIris]

7. He wants to be president.

And not from the Dem ticket. This is one of his ways of padding his resume, a 'feel good' victory for the New Right. How sad it had to come to this.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. If he truly has any aspirations of that ilk, he is totally out of touch with any reality.

[jeff47]

10. Apparently it sunk in

Apparently it sunk in to Sen. Lieberman that he can't possibly win re-election in 2012 as things are. So it's time to put the liberal face on to try and save his job.