Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE): I'll Vote Against Attaching DADT Repeal To Defense Bill

Saying the overturn of DADT "is not a question of whether, it's a question of how," Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) says he will vote against attaching the repeal attempt to a defense authorization bill. Nelson has been targeted by activists as one of six key Senators needed for the attempt. Chris Johnson at the Washington Blade:

Repeal efforts were complicated last month after Gates released a letter to Congress saying he would “strongly oppose” repeal before the Pentagon completes at year’s end its study on the issue. Since then, supporters of repeal — including Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) — have advocated for a compromise in which Congress would vote now to repeal the law but delay implementation of repeal until 2011. Asked whether he would be open to such a measure, Nelson appeared to be unaware that such an approach to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been under consideration, but was reluctant to support the idea. “I don’t know,” Nelson said. “I haven’t seen that legislation. I know there’s probably some support for that, but I think it’s been made pretty clear by Secretary Gates that we shouldn’t take any action until the study is completed, and that’s my position. That’s where I’m going to stay.”

Servicemembers United dismissed Nelson's position, saying that they only need two or three of the six targeted Senators to advance. The above-linked story notes that the White House has remained mum on the defense bill attachment attempt.