'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal Passes Senate

It's taken seventeen years, but the U.S. Senate voted on Saturday by a count of 63 to 33 to end debate on the stand alone bill repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' There will be one final vote in the Senate (which could happen at any point) and the House, and then the bill will be sent to President Obama for his signature.

Said Senator John McCain just before the vote, "There will be high-fives all over the liberal bastions of America. I hope that when we pass this legislation that we will understand that we are doing great damage.”

Six Republican senators including Scott Brown (MA), Susan Collins (ME), Mark Kirk (IL), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Olympia Snowe (ME), and George Voinovich (OH) voted for repeal.

UPDATE: Saturday afternoon, in a final vote of 65 to 31, the Senate voted to repeal DADT. The bill, already passed by the House, will go to the President for signing next week. Eight Republican Senators crossed the aisle to vote for repeal. West Virginia freshman Senator Joe Manchin (D) missed the historic vote "because he had to go to a Christmas party."