Joe Lieberman was live on MSNBC just now-Senate has 61 votes to repeal DADT

[Politics_Guy25]

He was begging Leader Reid to place the DADT repeal on the floor now. He said he has at least 61 votes for passage. Honestly, DADT is a more important priority to pass now than START. For once, Lieberman has it right.

There is no excuse for Reid not to do this unless he doesn't want to pass DADT.

The interview was with Contessa Brewer. Wow, Contessa is my kind of anchor. She said it was long past time to see DADT repealed. I couldn't believe that. Contessa's one of the good "guys."

[Beetwasher]

1. They Need To Strike While The Iron Is Hot, Get It Done NOW!

Indeed.

[Clio the Leo]

To be fair, Brown, Snow and Murkowski have NOT said they'd vote to end cloture...

.... they said they'd support the bill before and then refused to allow it to come up for a vote. I think they want it repealed, I'm just not sure they're willing to buck King Mitch to do so. If Harry brings it up for a vote and we see a repeat of what we saw last week, then DADT really WILL be dead in Congress.

[jefferson_dem]

2. "DADT is a more important priority to pass now than START."

Debateable...but not now. It's time to kick DADT to the curb, where it belongs!

[Politics_Guy25]

7. I say that only because

Joe said that the votes are there in the 112th to pass START. The votes are not there in the 112th to pass DADT.

[dennis4868]

12. Don't know if that is true...

and even if it is, if we wait to do START in the new congress you have to start the process all ovcer again (i.e., go through committees) and that can take months if not a year....

[jefferson_dem]

13. Actually, there's a greater chance of the courts ending DADT before any new Congress ratifies START

in my opinion.

At any rate, it mustn't be an either/or proposition. Let's do both!

[AlinPA]

15. Enough vote for START next year? They don't have them now, otherwise it would have been ratified

by now. Next year is impossible with their gains.

[karynnj]

21. They have them now - they got 66 votes for cloture and Bayh did not vote

and he is a yes. Now, they are going through the completely normal process of debating - as their are 30 hours of debate.

I do agree that it would be a mess next year - we are losing 6 Democrats and Voinovich who is a yes. The incoming Republicans are pretty conservative and I doubt many - if any are possible gains. That means it fails.

It is actually MORE likely that DADT is settled by the court or executive action - neither as good as legislation. The fact is that Lieberman and Reid misplayed things on the defense bill. From the comments after, they could have passed it - they had 58 votes had they waited for Lincoln and Manchin was saying that if he were the last vote needed, he would go for it. Brown, if made to be the sole determining vote - esp if after the tax bill passed, could have been persuaded.

[karynnj]

20. Joe Lieberman may have no idea on the votes on START and has a vested interest in this

The fact is that it got just 66 for cloture - with just Bayh and Enzi not voting. Bayh is a yes - that gives them just 67. Six Democrats are leaving, and the most of the incoming Republicans are tea party people.

Senator Kerry has spoken of the need to hold new hearings if it goes to the new Congress. It also will impact our foreign policy - and Russia is key to some of our policies. So, given believing Lieberman or Kerry - on an issue KERRY is the chair on, it is obvious who I trust. I trust John Kerry far more.

Not to mention - Lieberman should be objecting to Republican obstructionism - not a major administration goal. The fact is that Reid and Lieberman really misplayed their hand on DADT in the Defense bill - they should have waited until after the tax bill - and actually did a head count and delayed until Lincoln was there. Lieberman doesn't want to be seen as the one who messed up on this.

[WI_DEM]

3. repealing DADT before the end of this congress would be another

landmark success for this congress. They should do it.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. If true, why the hell wouldn't they take care of it NOW!!!

[gateley]

5. I agree that he made sense. If we don't do it now, he's afraid it will never be

done after the Repubs take hold; that we can always work on START at that time.

Credit where credit is due. Thanks, Joe Lieberman! :hi:

[karynnj]

24. Joe is in this for himself

He and Reid screwed DADT up.

If START is not passed this Congress, the whole process repeats and it has to go to the SFRC, the Armed Services Committee, and the Intelligence Committee - and be voted out of SFRC again. It also means we need 6 more Republican votes - and in fact 7 of those not for it now or new Senators, because Voinovich is one of the yeses. So, no, it is not "we can always work on START" any more than me saying that DADT can easily be passed next year. The fact is it will be tough getting ANYTHING out next year.

Senator Kerry has said it is important to pass START now - and frankly, he is far more trust worthy than Lieberman.

Note that it is Lieberman arguing that START should be sacrificed - the fact is both can be done.

[gateley]

31. Okay - I'd agree with you on Kerry being more trustworthy than Lieberman. nt

[Nite Owl]

6. I can't believe this but

I have to give credit where credit is due and Lieberman has been great on this issue.
Bring it to the floor now before anyone gets their mind changed!!!

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Ha-ha!

This is about the only time I'll allow Joe Lieberman to prove me wrong. It's about time he comes through for some progressive cause.

[Cleita]

9. Finally, something to celebrate. n/t

[Scurrilous]

10. Good news.

:thumbsup:

[Oceansaway]

11. K&R...n/t

[AlinPA]

14. If they had the votes it would have been passed by now. The republicans have no reason to vote

for Repeal of DADT, just as they have no reason to vote for New START, the DREAM Act or the 9/11 Responders Health Bill. Why would they pass something the President wants?

[karynnj]

25. Maybe you should turn on CSPAN and hear Senator Lugar explaining why

The fact is that START got 66 votes for cloture - and Bayh was not there. This is not a partisan issue.

[AlinPA]

28. It should not be a partisan issue, but the republicans don't want any foreign policy successes for

the President, so there is no reason for them to vote for it. The cloture vote is part of their game; get it to the actual vote on the floor and then kill it, thereby making the President appear unsuccessful. Even though it is good for the country (and the world)those people have no honor and do not care.

[pansypoo53219]

16. did lieberfuckenputz just doom it?

STFU til it is done.

[jenmito]

17. She's been very strong on this issue ever since it came up. She interviewed a lesbian couple

months ago who wanted to get married and she was rooting for them.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. He Doesn't Have 61 IMHO Unhtil The Tax Cut Issue Is Resolved

That's what the Republican fencesitters are waiting for...

[jenmito]

23. Exactly. n/t

[karynnj]

19. START is extremely important to pass now too

Just because it doesn't interest you do not make it not important. It is important to the security of the country. If this is not confirmed this Senate, it will be necessary to repeat hours and hours of detailed hearings because there will be so many new Senators. In addition, a treaty needs 67 votes - a tougher threshold and they have the numbers now.

Both of these should be passed and there does not have to be a choice here.

[jenmito]

22. There's a VERY good reason Reid doesn't bring it up for a vote yet-

he wants it to PASS. Enough time hasn't passed yet for debate and for finishing OTHER bills. Those "yes" votes are conditional on these things happening.

[Politics_Guy25]

26. Yeah there is no excuse not to do both

Reid needs to keep them right up until the start of the 112th if needed.

[DrToast]

27. START could still pass in the next Congress

While DADT has no chance of repeal in the next Congress.

[AlinPA]

29. It will never pass as long as the republicans have so many seats. It is not

in their best interests to see the President have a success, further, they don't want to do any treaties with anyone, especially Russia.

[closeupready]

30. Yeah.. Uh-huh.

:eyes: