A critical step will be achieved today when Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and the Joint Chiefs certify DADT repeal. Stars and Stripes:
The Department of Defense will certify Friday that the military is ready for the repeal of the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" law, setting the stage for openly gay troops to begin serving in the military in late September, U.S. officials confirmed.The President has to certify the repeal, then send it Congress. From that point, there's another 60-day wait until DADT is officially over. Certification and the 60-day wait were compromises added to the DADT repeal legislation last May.
The certification comes after months of training for military personnel to prepare them for the presence of openly gay uniformed colleagues for the first time in history, and starts the 60-day waiting period before the law is completely removed.
Under rules outlined by Congress in December, the president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were required to certify that the services are ready for the dramatic personnel change before the law could be repealed.
Ending DADT is now viewed as one of the top achievements of the Obama administration. The President mentions it at almost every Democratic fundraising event. But, as we watch the President capitulate on Social Security and Medicare, it's important to remember that passing DADT repeal in 2010 was never the plan of the Obama administration. That was forced on them by members of Congress, SLDN, SU, GetEQUAL, LGBT bloggers and committed "direct action" activists. The usual suspects in DC (HRC and other insiders like CAP's Winnie Stachelberg) were willing to go along with whatever Jim Messina told them. It was a struggle and a lot of folks bear scars. (Check out John's post, Understanding LGBT disappointment with Obama.)
It's key to remember that back in February of 2010, Robert Gates announced that he was conducting a DADT study, due on December 1, 2010 -- and he wanted no legislation til the study was completed. He wasn't thinking lame duck. He meant 2011. Imagine where we'd be in this Congress with DADT repeal if the White House plan prevailed.
My point isn't to denigrate what's happening today. It's great. But, there's an important back story. Progressives should heed the lessons of DADT repeal.
The White House geniuses, led by Messina and Rahm, thought taking up gay issues was politically dangerous. They were wrong about that -- and wrong about so much more. That's continuing with the new crew in charge of the White House. They are damaging relations with the rest of the Democratic base.
