Don't for a second think that pressure doesn't matter. The White House now has its people talking about potential Senate sponsors for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." And, one of the names on the short list is Joe Lieberman. As we've come to expect, The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld breaks the news:
Shortly after President Barack Obama pledged Saturday to end “don’t ask, don’t tell” during a speech to the Human Rights Campaign, the Administration’s highest-ranking LGBT official said the White House is speaking with certain senators about strategies for repealing the policy -- specifically Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.I'm no fan of Joe Lieberman. But, let's see if he actually delivers on something real.
“On ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ this administration is talking directly to the Hill -- we are in direct discussions with Senator Lieberman,” John Berry, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, told The Advocate.
A spokesperson for Senator Lieberman confirmed that the senator had been speaking to the White House about the bill.
“Senator Lieberman has had discussions with representatives of the Administration and others on the best way to reverse this policy which he has opposed since it was first proposed in 1993,” said Marshall Wittmann, Lieberman’s press secretary. Wittmann gave no further information on the senator’s plans regarding the legislation.
Just twelve days ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had to write to the White House to ask the President to get involved in the effort to repeal DADT.
