It wasn't even a squeaker!
Short of sixty votes, Democrats were forced to admit defeat today, when their bid for a repeal of the controversial Military policy - "Don't Ask, Don't tell" - was shot down by vigilant Republicans who gained the upperhand just moments ago once the votes were tallied in the Senate.
The outcome was a stinging blow to Senate Democrats and rights advocates who fought tooth-and-nail over the past year to have the military's stance on the issue of gays serving in the military overturned on Constitutional grounds.
The Bill's failure to pass means that an allotment of $726 billion for defense programs - including a pay rise for the troops - slips through the cracks as well.
Politicians plotted to include the provisions for repeal in the defense bill - with the hope that the Senate might vote "yeah" - if only to save essential military programs that legislators were not opposed to.
"The whole thing is a political train wreck," whined Richard Socarides, a former White House adviser on gay rights (who served with the Clinton administration).
Slick Willy was in the oval office when the policy originally went into effect, if you recall.
Socarides also accused the President of outright "miscalculations" when the issue of the Pentagon's alleged bid for repeal was first raised.
The disgruntled activist took a swipe at the Democrats, too.
"If it was a priority for the Democratic leadership, they would get a clean vote on this," he said.
Interestingly, according to insiders, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) voted against the measure as a procedural tactic.
Under Senate rules and regulations - casting a vote with the majority of the Senate bench-warmers - will enable the crafty politician to revive the bill at a later date if he so chooses.
He'll probably play the card for all its worth 'til then!.
In fact, Jim Manley - a Reid mouthpiece - has already conjectured that the Senator would be willing to allow more debate on the bill after the November elections.
"Today's vote isn't about arcane Senate procedures," Manley said.
"It's about a GOP's pattern of obstructing debate on policies important to the American people."
Indeed!
Since the policy was first made law in 1993, 13,000 soldiers have been discharged - for either openly admitting their homosexuality - or because they were outed by anti-gay troops in the ranks.
I did not have sex with that soldier!
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