-As we round up some of the best stories and writing of this week around DADT, the favorite has to be Pam Spaulding's PamsHouseBlend.com where she urged us not to do a 'happy dance' around the testimony of Secretary Gates or Admiral Mullen. Please take a look at her insightful coverage of the hearings.

-Americablog.com proposes a compromise by repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" now and making it effective January 1st, 2011.  That will give the military time to prepare for dealing with all us gays and lesbians!

-Lt Dan Choi continues to do his duty to his country and to his community with a powerful piece on Bilerico.com. "When Honor Our Honor Code Becomes A Jilted Lover, It Wants Revenge" is well worth the read.

-My friend Gary Belis sent me this excerpt of questioning by community's friend Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) during the hearings on Tuesday. This exchange sums up the craziness of what is happening around DADT:

1:14 p.m. ET: Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) just struck at a very critical element of this year-long review.

She asked Adm. Mullen if gay men and lesbians currently serve in the military. “

Yes,” Mullen says.

Then she asks if their service is welcomed, and Mullen says yes. Asked if they’re causing morale issues, Mullen says they are not.

McCaskill then asks him how the military plans to solicit the input of gay men and lesbians currently serving in the military, if the current policy prohibits them from identifying themselves as gay.

“I think that we would have to look very carefully at how we would do that,” Mullen says, nervously clearing his throat.

“That’s the point I would like to leave you with today,” McCaskill says in response. “Unfortunately because of this policy, we welcome their service…. We don’t have any kind of issue with morale or cohesiveness…yet when it comes time to evaluate their service, they’re not allowed to talk about it, and so you have a real challenge in getting perhaps some of the most important input you may need.… I’ll be anxiously waiting how you figure that one out.”

“One approach, Senator, is to talk to those who’ve separated,” Gates says.

Yes, McCaskill says, but she’s concerned the military won’t be able to solicit input from gay men and lesbians who are currently serving.

Gotta love McCaskill. God bless her.

-JoeMyGod.com has this delicious quote from clueless Senator Chambliss (R-GA) and the appropriate comment on it:

"In my opinion, the presence in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would very likely create an unacceptable risk to those high standards. It will lead to alcohol use, adultery, fraternization, and body art. If we change this rule of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' what are we going to do with these other rules?" - Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), who is worried that if DADT is repealed, soldiers will get drink, visit whorehouses, and get tattoos. Unprecedented!

-Towleroad.com has been all over the shameful flip-flopping of Senator John McCain (R-AZ) on DADT. They printed a quote from McCain in 2006 saying we should listen to our military leaders. Here is the quote reprinted from Towleroad.com:

"And 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."

MSNBC, especially Rachel Maddow who attended the hearings, has also been relentless in exposing McCain's despicable behavior around this issue. How sad that such a formerly distinguished senator has, ever since he ran for president in 2008, consistently prostituted and demeaned himself in a desperate attempt to hold on to his job.

-Finally Karen Ocamb's LGBTPOV.com gives us a great historical perspective with "Obama's Clintonian Compromise on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". The story has an amazing tape taken in 1993 during those hearing with Senator Sam Nunn and gay Top Gun Tracy Thorne