HRC released a statement reacting to McCain's remarks:
“Obviously the senator doesn’t like the preliminary findings of the Pentagon’s DADT survey, which found a clear majority of U.S. service members are okay serving with their gay and lesbian comrades. The senator has known all along the study developed by the Pentagon Working Group was looking at how to repeal DADT—not whether to do so.
“McCain has said he wanted to hear from the senior military leadership. He heard loud and clear from Secretary Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, last February when both were firmly in support of repeal.
“McCain has said he wanted to hear from rank-and-file troops. He has just heard loud and clear from them through the survey. But he doesn’t like their answer– and is stonewalling, trying to run out the clock on repeal by calling for congressional hearings.
“The truth is McCain is increasingly alone in his irrational opposition to open service. Sixty-four percent of Republicans disagree with McCain and favor lifting the ban. No matter the evidence, McCain will use whatever tactics at his disposal to not only stop repeal from moving forward, but will hold hostage the most critical military defense bill to do so.”
John McCain discussed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" on Meet the Press, and seems to be unhappy that the results of the Pentagon's DADT study were leaked, cause now he's saying he won't listen to those results:
"I will listen to our military leaders, and not a study that is leaked."
McCain also criticizes the study itself, and says it took the wrong approach:
"All four service chiefs are saying we need a thorough and complete study of the effects, not how to implement the repeal, but the effects on morale and battle effectiveness. That's what I want, and once we get this study, we need to have hearings and we need to examine it and look at whether it's the kind of study that we wanted. It isn't in my view."
I have to believe that McCain was apprised of the questions in the study before it went out, but now that it's not going his way all of a sudden the study is bad.
It appears McCain won't be happy until he has a study that categorically keeps gays out of the military.
David Gregory also asked what he thought of Cindy McCain's recent statements on DADT.
Said McCain: "I respect the first amendment rights of every member of my family."
(Would love to know what went on behind-the-scenes that caused Cindy's swift turnabout.)
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP…
