Despite McConnell's bluff, Senator Collins could still vote for DADT repeal, spox says

[ProSense]

Despite McConnell's bluff, Senator Collins could still vote for DADT repeal, spox says

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Collins spokesman Kevin Kelley emails me:

Senator Collins has maintained that the Senate should be focused on taxes and the economy (especially since the tax provisions expire on January 1) and obviously we need to pass a bill funding the government before Friday.

These are top priorities and there is limited time.

However, she believes there is time to consider other issues as well, and she has made it clear that if the Majority Leader brings the Defense Authorization bill to the floor, for example, and allows sufficient debate and amendments, she would vote to proceed to the bill.

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UPDATE, 11:08 a.m.: Obviously, Senator Collins could very well hold the line with McConnell in the end and vote against DADT repeal, pulling away the football yet again. The point, though, is that this is anything but assured, and that may well be true of other moderate GOPers, too. And Dems can use Gates's presser yesterday to press the point.

Imagine that, there is still leverage while some Democrats and pundits spend the day hurling insults at the President.

[bigdarryl]

1. here we go again with these democrats relying on Collins again just like the

health care debate she is not going to vote with the democrats she is looking at 2012 and a possible primary challenge from the tea party

[ProSense]

2. Have you ever heard of math? n/t

[karynnj]

5. That was Snowe -

Please list 60 Senate Democrats to vote for this.

Note: I believe we now need TWO Republicans because Kirk was sworn in.

[AlinPA]

8. Kirk will change. He is lying republican and won't vote for repeal. They all lie. nt

[karynnj]

9. I didn't know he had ever been for it - my point was simply that there were

now 58, not 59 in the Dem caucus.

[AlinPA]

11. It was a campaign promise.

[CreekDog]

3. Collins will act according to her principles

although they change daily.

[Donnachaidh]

12. Is she going to request a meeting with Poppy for this one too?

Honestly, she should change her name to Lucy and just have at it.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. Whose endorsement does she need, though

in order to (maybe) vote for it? :shrug:

John McCain's (probably)?

[leftynyc]

6. Snowe and Collins

can both kiss my ass. How many times are the Dems going to court those two only to have them kick the Dems in the teeth? I wouldn't believe anything that came out of either of their mouth's until they've already voted.

[AlinPA]

7. "Lucy" Collins again?

[CreekDog]

10. Trying to make me feel better about DADT?

I'd feel a lot better if Obama was inviting Collins to the White House, you know, to *discuss* the issue.

I mean, LBJ would've done that.

And FDR, what did he know..."I welcome their hatred". :wtf:

Obama's gonna get them to like him and but they won't like him if he puts them on the spot. But once they like him and see how reasonable he is, they'll support his ideas, at least partially.

I see three approaches here and I'm comparing the results.

Do you see what I see? And no, after 2 more years of this...he isn't going to have what LBJ had to show, or what FDR had to show.