Senate fails in attempt to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell'

Senator John McCain lost the 2008 presidential election but prevailed on September 21 on the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Senate Republicans dealt a severe and potentially fatal blow Tuesday to efforts this year to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans gay men and women from serving openly in the armed forces. Democrats were unable to sway a single Republican to begin debate on a defense authorization bill that included the repeal. The failure to repeal the law, despite White House backing and majorities in Congress, marked a low point in the more than decade-long effort to rid a policy begun under President Bill Clinton. Democrats thought this was their best chance to undo the 17-year-old measure after President Obama had won the support of Defense Secretary Robert M.Gates and other military leaders to get rid of it. "The Democrats have been against 'don't ask, don't tell' for more than a decade and why we allowed this law to remain in effect for another two years is beyond me," said Richard Soccarides, who served as an adviser to Clinton on gay rights. "The Washington-based gay rights groups made a decision early on that they were better off going along with the president's timeline and that right now that looks like a serious miscalculation." Repeal advocates have pushed since the ban was put into effect in 1993, saying it unfairly discriminates against gays, who have to hide their sexual identity while serving in uniform, and keeps thousands of potential recruits from enlisting. This was one of the first times in a long time that many people felt like the dont't ask, don't tell policy would finally be repealed. Unfortunately, the Republicans won again and the the policy still stands.