Democrats to try for "Don't ask, don't tell" repeal this year

Senate Democrats will try to overcome a filibuster and vote to pass a repeal plan for "Don't ask, don't tell" after Thanksgiving, according to an announcement from the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

The move comes after President Barack Obama personally lobbied Senate leaders to keep the repeal language in an overarching defense spending bill.

Meanwhile a spokesman said the Pentagon backs the current legislative effort to repeal the law that mandates the military policy. "We certainly see the merit in using that as the legislative vehicle to ultimately get to repeal," said Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell.