Despite the endorsement of the military leadership and a Pentagon report showing repeal could be implemented with minimal risk to military readiness, Sen. John McCain emerged last year as the staunchest defender of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy preventing gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. Now he's saying he's willing to do everything possible to make sure repeal goes smoothly:
"I think I have to do everything I can to make sure that the [impact on the] morale, retention, recruitment and battle effectiveness of the military is minimized as much as possible," McCain said on Fox Business. "It is a law and I have to do whatever I can to help the men and women who are serving, particularly in combat, cope with this new situation. I will do everything I can to make it work."
I suppose that's welcome, but it's hard not to wonder how much of McCain's decision here has to do with a conscious decision to try to avoid being remembered as the Richard Russell Jr. of gay rights and not have his last, bitter words on the Senate floor prior to the repeal vote suggesting that DADT opponents would have blood on their hands be the defining moment of his legacy.
