Jeff Sessions took to the Senate floor to bash the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and he goes so far as to read a quote by a three-star general that me admits before quoting him "that he denied how he was quoted", but then goes on to read from The Washington Times editorial anyway. Here is the statement from Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick about the editorial.
The Department of the Army released today a response by Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick concerning an editorial entitled, “New Gay Army,” that appeared in the Sept. 16 edition of the Washington Times:
“The statements attributed to me are inaccurate. I simply did not make those statements. Moreover, as a member of the Department of Defense Comprehensive Review Working Group, I have been extremely careful not to express any views that might influence the integrity of the comprehensive review. I therefore have not expressed any opinions that might suppress the opinions of anyone participating in our discussions. I find the statements falsely attributed to me to be personally reprehensible.”
Spencer Ackerman has more on that hearing that Sen. Sessions was referring to. Go read the whole article but here's how it starts.
Senators, Fixated on Gays, Ignore Marines’ Future:
General James Amos, the first-ever aviator nominated to be Commandant of the Marine Corps, appeared this morning before the Senate Armed Services Committee to discuss how he’ll lead the nation’s Marines. It’s a big subject, because so much is in flux for the Corps: the Marine future in Afghanistan; how the Marines return post-Afghanistan to its traditional sea-borne role; what gear they’ll need to pull it all off. And Amos was so proud to lay out his vision for the Corps that he didn’t just bring his family to the Dirksen building, he also showed up with some of his high-school buddies. But what did Senators want to talk about? Gays, gays, gays.
The New Civil Rights Movement has more on Sessions floor speech as well.
GOP Senator Jeff Sessions Bashes The U.S. Military Armed Forces
Alabama Senator Thinks 80% Of Americans Want DADT Repealed Because Of Their Senators
At today’s U.S Senate hearing leading up to the cloture vote on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the National Defense Authorization Act, Alabama GOP Senator Jeff Sessions spent his time bashing the U.S. military’s attempts to work through and understand the effects of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal. Of the military’s study to determine the effects of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” integration, Sessions said, “We’re not running an objective study.” [...]
“I believe it’s just not necessary to ram this through this fast before we complete a study.”
Sessions claims it’s “dangerous to say this (DADT repeal) is not going to have a corrosive impact on the men and women in the military, is a mistake.”
Sessions goes on to say that repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is being “raised up to damage the military by the fact it is being rammed through before a fair and objective review of the policy is conducted.”
And yet, he began by claiming that “We’re not running an objective study.”
So, which one is it Senator?
Session suggests the Democrats are playing politics, crying, “Maybe after the American people have sent some new Senators to this Senate, maybe it (DADT repeal) won’t be so popular.”
Well, someone should remind the Alabama senator that 80% of the American people want “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repealed.
You know if Republicans really don't want to be perceived as the party of old white male bigots, they might want to find someone besides Jeff Sessions to come to the floor of the Senate and try to make that case for them.
