Lieberman Calls For Senate Term Limits

Now that he's in the final days of his 24-year run, Sen. Joe Lieberman says it's time to considering term limits for his soon-to-be old job.

“My position on this has changed,” Lieberman said of term limits in an interview with a local television station that aired Sunday. “I’ve always felt that there are term limits for senators — it’s six years and it’s up to voters to decide whether they want somebody to go on, and you need some people around here with some experience.” But now, he said, “I’m beginning to feel now that the place needs to change more often.” It’s actually the House of Representatives, “where people really tend to serve longer,” where Lieberman argued that a change could do the most good. “I think the place might be healthier and less partisan and more rigid if it turned over more often,” he said.

Might convenient.

Sen. Joe Lieberman To Retire In 2012

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), the frequent bane of both Democrats and Republicans and an unlikely hero in the repeal of DADT, will announce his retirement tomorrow.

Lieberman's long awaited decision means an end to a political career that took from the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate to a speaking role at the 2008 Republican National Convention in support of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Lieberman's increased alienation from the Democratic party -- primarily over his ardent support for the war in Iraq -- led to his defeat at the hands of cable television executive Ned Lamont in 2006. But, Lieberman formed his own independent party and beat Lamont in a general election to win a fourth term. His numbers among Democrats only declined since that time, however, making it next-to-impossible for Lieberman to run and win as a Democrat in 2012.

In less high-profile Senate news, North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad (D) also announced his 2012 retirement today.

Sen. Joe Lieberman: We're On the Verge Of A Historic Breakthrough

Also: "John McCain is unpersuadable."

SLDN Announces Senate Gallery Sit-In

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network will be staging a sit-in of the Senate gallery until the chamber votes on the repeal of DADT. Sen. Joe Liebermann will join SLDN at a press conference today announcing the sit-in.

Lieberman: DADT Should Come First

Lieberman And Collins Introduce Stand-Alone DADT Repeal Bill

With co-sponsors Sen. Mark Udall, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and GOP Sen. Susan Collins, independent Sen. Joe Lieberman has introduced the stand-alone DADT repeal bill he promised yesterday. The above-linked bill-tracking site indicates that Lieberman's measure has been referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee, although Lieberman has promised that his bill will go directly to a floor vote without Committee approval.

Tweet Of The Day - Sen. Joe Lieberman

Lieberman follows that up with this: "Senator Reid told me he will bring our free-standing #DADT repeal up for a vote before end of session."

So NOW what? Oy, I've been blogging since 6AM and I'd really like to be able to lie down for a few minutes. That ain't gonna happen.

Sen. Joe Lieberman On DADT Timetable

Lieberman Rips McCain On DADT

Sen. Joe Lieberman: We Have The DADT Votes, But May Not Have The Time

DADT Survey Reactions

Senators Gillibrand, Udall, and Liebermann

"The Pentagon report makes it unambiguously clear that the risk of repeal on military effectiveness is minimal, that any risks can be addressed by implementing the report’s recommendations, and that a clear majority of active duty servicemen and women have no problem with repeal. The military has spoken and now is the time to repeal this policy that is damaging to our national security. The report is the product of one of the most, if not the most, extensive studies on a military personnel issue that has ever been conducted and its findings demonstrate that we can proceed with repeal of this discriminatory policy in a way that ensures that the U.S. military continues to be the best fighting force in the world. Men and women, regardless of their race, religion, or sexual orientation, who are willing to fight and defend our country should be allowed to do so without fear of discrimination."

Servicemembers United

"This thorough and comprehensive report makes clear to lawmakers and the American people once and for all that the U.S. military is capable of handling the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' The questions are now answered and the debate is now settled," said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United and a former U.S. Army Human Intelligence Collector who was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." "It's now up to the Senate to bring the defense authorization bill back to the floor, allow 10 to 20 amendments to be debated on each side, and get this bill passed. We have the votes now if the process is fair."

People For The American Way

“For years, the Right has fought to preserve the discriminatory, ineffective Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, claiming that allowing gay and lesbian Americans to serve their country would put American troops in harm’s way. The Defense Department’s comprehensive study exposes this ugly, dishonest fear-mongering for what it is. The vast majority of U.S. troops do not feel threatened by serving alongside gays and lesbians, and our military leaders say repealing the policy won’t put national security at risk—in fact, the opposite is true. Allowing gay and lesbian service members to serve openly makes all of us safer. The arguments for keeping Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell have come up empty. It’s time for the Senate to listen to our troops, to the courts, to the majority of Americans, and to their own common sense, and end this failed experiment in discrimination once and for all.”

Stonewall Democrats

"Recent statements by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and even Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) that more study needs to take place before repeal are just stall tactics, especially given the thorough, year-long process that the Defense Department undertook to study the issue of repeal. We also find it ironic that the Senators said that the upper chamber should be talking about jobs and not ‘political’ issues like DADT repeal. We remind the Senators that DADT is about jobs: the jobs of thousands of soldiers, some of them mission critical and irreplaceable, who were discharged from the military because of the discriminatory DADT. DADT repeal is not some fringe issue being pushed by a small minority; it is an issue supported by a large majority of Americans and now, we find with the official release of the study, by an equally large majority of the military."

OutServe

"This report definitely answers the question of the impact of DADT repeal on the military. Specifically, knowing a soldier is gay has no negative impact on readiness," said Jonathan Hopkins, former Army Captain and veteran of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. "We've known this for a long time. Among military members who know they've served with someone gay, 92% said that repeal would have little or no negative effect on military readiness. 69% of servicemembers who responded to the survey said they served with someone they knew or suspected was gay. "This study gets to the facts, and exposes the invented argument of 'unit cohesion' as a myth," said Hopkins. "Those who've served with gay or lesbian soldiers, Marines, or servicemembers of any stripe recognize that gay troops have – as the Pentagon report says – a 'patriotic desire to serve' as well as a 'desire to fit in, coexist, and succeed in the military environment.'""I don't want any special treatment. I just want them to take the knife out of my back so I can serve," said an anonymous gay Marine on the OutServe network.

Human Rights Campaign

“This issue has been studied for fifty years, including by the military itself, and the results from over twenty-two studies are uniform: open service does not harm effectiveness,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “The small handful of Senators blocking repeal no longer have any fig leaves behind which to hide. The time for repeal is now.” “America’s men and women in uniform are professionals who already serve with gays and lesbians and repeal will do nothing to change their dedication to protecting our nation,” said Solmonese. “Senators who said they want to hear from military leaders and troops now have their answers. Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ will allow every qualified man and woman to serve without sacrificing the high standards that have made our military great.”

Democratic Senators Hold Press DADT Conference: We Will Get This Done

Lieberman : We Have The DADT Votes

This afternoon Sen. Joe Lieberman said that there are more than enough votes to repeal DADT in the Senate. Via Wonk Room:

“I am confident that we have more than 60 votes prepared to take up the Defense authorization with the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ if only there will be a guarantee of a fair and open amendment process, in other words, whether we’ll take enough time to do it,’ Lieberman said, naming GOP Sens. Susan Collins and Richard Lugar as ‘Yes’ votes. “Time is an inexcusable reason not to get this done.”

Also from Wonk Room comes word that Sen. Lisa Murkowski told a local Alaska news station that she would support the repeal. Reporters are awaiting confirmation of that from Murkowski's office.

Maddow On Today's DADT Actions

Sen. Joe Lieberman Calls On Pentagon To Immediately Release DADT Survey

Sens. Gillibrand, Lieberman, & Udall Call For Repeal Of DADT Via Defense Act

Embiggen the above image to read the just-issued press release from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in which she joins Lieberman and Udall in urging the repeal of DADT via its attachment to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Sen. Joe Lieberman Wants To Strip Citizenship From Unconvicted Suspects

Backlash Against Pakistani-Americans

Fox News is wondering if it isn't time to start picking up recent Pakistani immigrants. Just, you know, in case. You knew this was coming, right? Lieberman shoots that right down.

Former Air Force Major Mike Almy Testifies About Being Fired For Being Gay

DADT victim Major Mike Almy appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show last night following his Senate testimony about the repeal effort. Read Major Almy's full testimony here. A snippet:

"At a time when our military is stretched thin from two wars, we need the valuable service of every capable American willing to risk their life and to not be discharging people solely because of who they are. I'm outraged that I am now considered unfit for military service, and yet our nation has actively recruited convicted felons and brought them into the service of the military under moral waivers. It is time to strenghten our national defense by no longer wasting the valuable contributions of thousands of patriotic Americans. Repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell will end this discrimination, and America will be stronger and safer as a result. "I'd like to give a heartfelt thanks to Senators Lieberman and Levin and the rest of the distinguished senators here today for their leadership in repealing this, this discriminatory law. It is long overdue. Thank you."

BREAKING: Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) To Sponsor DADT Repeal Bill

Conservative gay writer Jamie Kerchick reveals in today's NY Daily News that Sen. Joe Lieberman will be the chief Senate sponsor of a DADT repeal bill. It appears that Lieberman will submit the bill sometime next week.

The reasons why Lieberman, who was asked by the White House and gay rights groups to sponsor the legislation, would choose this battle are not hard to divine. Indeed, they strike at the heart of the political tradition of which he is the lonely standard-bearer: Social progressivism married with foreign policy hawkishness. In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, Lieberman told me that his commitment to repealing DADT is twofold. First, allowing gays to serve openly fulfills the bedrock American promise of providing citizens with "an equal opportunity to do whatever job their talents and sense of purpose and motivations lead them to want to do - including military service." Second, and no less important for a lawmaker whose commitment to national security the Pentagon can't doubt, is that "When you artificially limit the pool of people who can enlist then you are diminishing military effectiveness." Lieberman disputes the claim that allowing gay people to serve openly would cause havoc within the ranks. Indeed, to argue that belittles the maturity of our soldiers.

Servicemembers United reacts via press release:

"This is yet another historic step for the movement to repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law and a welcomed moment for the tens of thousands of men and women who continue to be impacted by this unnecessary and outdated law," said Alexander Nicholson, a former U.S. Army Human Intelligence Collector who was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the current Executive Director of Servicemembers United. "We are exceedingly proud of the courage and leadership that Senator Lieberman is showing, and we strongly urge the White House and the Democratic leadership in Congress to proactively support Senator Lieberman's forthcoming bill."