DADT Repeal Might Have Hit a Roadblock

Democrats were hopeful that a vote on repealing the military's controversial ban on gays serving openly in the military would come today. But a just-released video of a key Republican ally that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was relying on shows that the bill might not break through a Republican filibuster because of procedural decisions by Reid.

A supporter of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) spoke out against Reid's decision not to bring a $726 billion defense spending bill to the floor and allow open debate on its amendments. Senate Democrats have attached a repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law to that defense bill.

Earlier today, Collins explained her frustration:

Collins echoed her frustrations on the Senate floor:

On Monday, pop star Lady Gaga held a rally in Collins's home state of Maine to try and pressure the Senator to vote for repeal.

UPDATE:

Fox News has released a little longer version of Collins's Senate floor speech: