It really is fascinating to watch. They've gone from mindlessly deferring all judgment to the generals to mindlessly ignoring what they have to say.

I guess they supported the troops before they were against them.

Hatred of teh gay overrides all else.

What does it say about the Dems that they are getting ridiculed by 41 of these clowns?

Two questions: 1) Have Sessions and Wicker ever served in the military? Do they understand what leaders who actually lead men and women into battle do? and 2) Isn't our military supposed to take overall direction from the civilian commander-in-chief? Isn't being commander-in-chief part of the U.S. president's job description?

They're just upset the military refused to take the coup hints they were dropping last year. And after all the GOP has done for them, the ingrates. Here we are, getting them killed and wounded and wearing out their gear in two lovely wars, one of which the GOP had to manufacture out of thin air to get going, and the U.S. military won't even overturn an illegitimate election by force for them.

Maureen O'Dowd, who I sometimes find tiresome, had a great column about this today. her take on McCain was insightful:

" Three years ago, McCain told a group of college students that he would drop his objections on the issue “the day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, ‘Senator, we ought to change the policy.’ ”

But, on Tuesday, when that day came, McCain ignored the top brass and found his own military emeritus. He waved a letter at Gates and Mullen, saying it was “signed by over 1,000 former generals and flag officers who have weighed in” against changing the policy."

and

Before Admiral Mullen and Secretary of Defense Bob Gates even made their opening statements, John McCain went on the attack against overturning the policy. Noting that gays and lesbians had served “admirably” and even given their lives, he said: “I honor their sacrifice, and I honor them.” Just as long as they deny their identity and pretend to be something they’re not.

touche.

It's not so much that the repugs disagree with the military as it is that they blindly disagreement with anything ANYTHING that President Obama endorses and they will run over anyone that gets in their way.

As their obstructionism and abject failure and hypocrisy become more clear to the electorate (independents) in the coming months, the tide will turn and the midterms will be their Waterloo.

Oh, come on now, folks! This is the GOP SOP.

They claim to love and support and defend the military, no matter what ... well, at least until a Democrat is in the White House. Then it's open season.

They claim that questioning the Commander in Chief during wartime is treasonous ... unless the CiC is a Democrat. Then it's our duty to question EVERYTHING he does.

They claim to be fiscally responsible ... by only when a Democrat is in charge. When the GOP is in power, they run up record-setting deficits year after year (80% of our total debt was rang up under a Republican prez).

I.O.K.I.Y.A.R.

And that won't change a bit until we get a media that holds Democrats and Republicans to the same standard in terms of reporting.

Isn't the military supposed to obey "directives" from the President? Isn't that the foundation of civilian command over the military? The Republicans beat the Democrats and US civilians over the head repeatedly with the authority of military opinion. And now that it's changed, the armed forces are supposed to ignore them?

We should all understand that repubs (neocons) all hate gays, the thing is they are hypocrites and blame the military for their stance, now they have to show their true colors, we already know that the C street bunch are calling for death penalties for gays in (Uganda I think).
I saw one cartoon this am that said it all, three flagged draped caskets side by side with the caption - which one was gay?

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) accused the admiral of obeying "directives" from President Obama

What's the point of being Commander-in-Chief if your subordinates don't have to follow your directives?

Imagine if Don't Ask, Don't Tell had been the approach to dealing with other kinds of discrimination in the past:

"I served with him for 6 months overseas. I never realized he was black. Honestly, the subject never came up."

Sessions may "respect" the troops, but mainly because his base tells him to. But I think that what we have here is a true case of cognitive dissonance: the brass endorsing a position abhorred by the base. So Sessions does what he has to do: He squares the circle by alleging that the brass is knuckling under to its civilian overlords and undercutting the welfare of the troops at the behest of a bunch of people who white Alabamians didn't vote into office and who thus "lack legitimacy" [After all, in 1861 Lincoln was considered illegitimate by Alabamians because no white Alabamian voted for him]. In the end, his constituents will buy this, because their respect is more for the rank and file than for the brass, and if the brass go apostate they'll easily separate the two in their minds.

The hatred for Obama will not stop.

The GOP will not accept the fact that a black man is our POTUS and CIC.

The modus operandis of the GOP is slander, obfuscation, pathetic whining and borderline treasonous.

Times have changed folks. There are gays everywhere. They deserve our respect. Yes, you may be put off by their life-style, but they are humans too.

The exchange yesterday points out how a societal evolution is being aknowledged on one hand, while being denied on the other.

Mullen is an example of an evolutionary human, able to change with the times. McCain and the other ranters are stuck in the past.

With all due respects, Sessions, Wicker and McCain revealed disrespect towards not only Mullen but our Commander-in-Chief as well.

This is what happens when you have dinosaurs, with brains about the same size as the wingnut leaders of the GOP. Their ideolgical framework is based on strictly on prejudice, prejudging someone based on sexual orientation going back to their formative years, decades ago when they probably thought seriously about the subject, if ever.

Social justice, reason, even fighting terrorists with the dismissal of legions of Arabic linguists all take a back seat to the unanimity of GOP leadership hopefuls pandering to their reactionary base.

Small 'c' conservative military leaders are at least living in 2010, and have been compelled to amend their ideas when they see for example how effective Israel, Canada or the UK military forces are with more enlightened recruitment policies that reflect the world we live in.

I think what has to happen is that the military security details assigned to traveling congresspeople include at least one gay/lesbian soldier. Let these fuckers figure out which one it is and watch their backs(pun intended).

Where is the military courage to slam these congress people in open and repeatedly? Why is McCain given any space to spew his vitriol? An Admiral should call him out as a coward and discredit his service as a POW and fighter pilot. Expose his record of destroying planes and endangering the lives of his fellows by his insane macho cowboy behavior.
This DADT shit is beyond belief.

The entire dynamic seems unusual, and it is. But the political world should acknowledge what is plainly true -- the days when Republicans and military leaders marched to the same beat are over.

On top of that, just remember the fauxtrage when Democrats dared question Bush's failures in Iraq War II. GOPers then didn't hesitate to call criticism of Bush's strategy an attack on the troops.

Of course, the "liberal media" will point out the contrasts, right? Right?

When this DADT nonsense was codified, I knew it was just a matter of time before it would be repealed. That day has come and I can't imagine anybody is surprised. The collective stamping of GOP feet is just another demonstration on how they hate America. This repeal has a separate_but_equal aroma to it and is another example of how slow the gears turn before fair and equitable laws arrive.

Has anyone found Captain Qweegs ... eh, McCain's... strawberry's yet ?

Where is Barry Goldwater when we need him? ("You don't have to be straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight.")

Sen. McCain should be ashamed. I wonder if his wife knows what he is saying?

Anyone else recall a national hissy fit and widespread apoplexia over a certain General Petraeus/Betrayus? Anyone?

When (retired Rear Admiral) Joe Sestak takes his seat in the Senate, will (retired Captain) John McCain have to salute him?

Someone needs to put Mr. McCain into a corner and remind him that the United States did not elect him "C-in-C" in November of 2008---and that he should stop trying to usurp the Presidency by browbeating a flag-officer of the Unites States Navy. After all---there are untold myriads of nice, juicy Party-of-no-esque targets all over the Chessie-region that lie well within the range of the Navy's "region of extremely-prejudicial ordnance influence."

And all that that implies, given the GOP's overt efforts to effect a political coup against the duly elected government of these United States....

Is it possible the people are finally recognizing that Republicans have been using - and not really care about - the military as a cudgel against the weak Democrats?

Of course it could just be a blip.

the diminutive Alabamian

From now on, all of my letters to Sessions will be so addressed;>

Okay, I have seen the word "life-style" one too many times. Please remove it (or rethink it) from your limited understanding (albeit, positive?) of homosexuals, our professions and our personal relationships. Assumimg that we live our lives as a "life-style" is the most deplorable insult out of all of them together. There was never any choice to be gay, if there was you could choose it too.. If you have nothing more intelligent to offer then you're dumber than John McCain (which apparently, is a "life-style"!).

The most fun part about watching clips of those hearings was that some of the GOP senators looked absolutely gob-smacked when Mullen bitch-slapped them.

i'm surprised how i constantly misunderestimate the republican party's ability to up the ante on their hypocrisy..you'd think i would learn...

The only semi-intelligent remark in the sections quoted by Steve Benen were by Sen. McCain?!?
His remarks about Gates and Mullen "trying to repeal...by fiat" were within spitting distance of the truth. Had he remained on that topic he might actually have scored a point or two since, apparently, President Obama and SoD Gates ARE trying to find some way to stop the discharging of gays and lesbians until DADT is repealed.
That's McCain: loses the Presidency and his wits at the same time...

I have an inkling that the military has come to understand the virtues of thoughtful, intelligent, probing civilian leadership. My guess is that the lead-up to the Afghanistan escalation -- with the President pushing back and asking for better plans, better thinking, better strategy -- led to better work by the military, and they know it.

The guys who run the military are very, very smart. And they appreciate the value of brains.

Someday dendrochronologists will have access to McCain's skull. Measuring the rings, they'll finally be able to determine exactly during which century his brain fossilized. I'm guessing the 14th.

Pass the popcorn!

"I wonder if his wife knows what he is saying? "

That c..t? Who cares what she thinks.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) accused the admiral of obeying "directives" from President Obama.

If the admiral didn't obey the "directives" of Bush - would he still be an admiral?