Rachael Dickson/<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:McCainPalin1.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>
[For a recap of today’s Capitol Hill DADT drama, also read editorial intern Siddhartha Mahanta’s take here.]
Honor. Courage. Commitment. These are the Navy core values. And today, discussing his support for a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Joint Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen exhibited them all, while dressing down one subordinate, Capt. John S. McCain (USN-Retired). Defense Secretary Bob Gates locked sights on the Arizona senator, too. The video:
In 2006, McCain—whose political career is based on his mythos as a war hero—said this:
I understand the opposition to it, and I’ve had these debates and discussions. But the day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, “Senator, we ought to change the policy,” then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it, because those leaders in the military are the ones we give the responsibility to.
Yet today, he refused to acknowledge Mullens’ and Gates’ leadership. And the military men were having none of it. As Armchair Generalist blogger Jason Sigger put it:
SHORTER ADM Mullen: “Listen, old man, don’t ever fucking tell me about how to command troops. I’ve been there, done that, and you never made flag rank in your Navy career.”
