Replies

(agree about Sargent..but I have read some reporter tweets on the same rumors..here is his previous post)

For days now there have been rumors circulating on the Hill that Republican Senators are privately threatening to derail the START treaty if Dems go through with plans to vote on the repeal of don’t ask don’t tell. I had chalked this up to the usual mix of paranoia, spin and misinformation that always intensifies when a major vote looms.

But on the Senate floor a few moments ago, Senator Bob Corker basically said this publicly: He said that moving forward with DADT “poisons the well” on START, adding that it would make it less likely that the START treaty’s future is going to be “successful.”

According to a transcript sent over by Corker’s office, the Senator first referenced Harry Reid’s announcement last night that he would be holding votes on DADT and DREAM. He then proceeded to deride those issues as “partisan” payoffs on campaign promises, and added that he had met with GOP colleagues this morning and left persuaded that proceeding with those votes were putting START at greater risk:

“I have to tell you what this has done. I’ve been in three meetings this morning. What’s happening is it poisons the well on this debate on something that’s very, very important. I don’t want to see that happen. I’m not someone who comes down here and says fiery things to terrorize and divide. But I’m hoping that saner minds will prevail...

These issues that have been brought forth are absolutely partisan political issues, brought forth to basically accommodate activist groups around this country. I’m hoping that those will be taken down or I don’t think the future of the START treaty over the next several days is going to be successful...I’m hoping that’s going to change.

This isn’t really a threat on Corker’s part. Rather, he’s saying — in a more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger way — that his GOP colleagues will be less likely to support START unless Reid drops his plan for DADT and DREAM votes right away.