Senate staffers: DADT repeal can pass in lame duck; Obama calls on Levin to keep language in NDAA

That's what the WaPo has been told. Greg Sargent:

It's widely assumed that the reason the White House and Dems will punt on holding a vote on Don't Ask Don't Tell during the lame duck session is that there aren't 60 votes for it in the Senate to get it past a GOP filibuster.

Senator Carl Levin, who heads the relevant committee, is talking about separating out DADT repeal from the Defense Authorization Bill for precisely this reason.

But very plugged in staffers who are actively involved in counting votes for Senators who favor repeal tell me it's premature to conclude this -- and that it could still get 60 votes in the Senate. These staffers tell me they've received private indications from a handful of moderate GOP Senators that they could vote for cloture on a Defense Authorization Bill with DADT repeal in it -- if Dem leaders agree to hold a sustained debate on the bill on the Senate floor.

Here's why this is important: It throws the ball back into the court of Senator Harry Reid and the White House. It means the onus is on them, mainly on Reid, to agree to a two-week Senate debate on DADT, including allowing amendments. Reid had previously tried to limit amendments, leading GOP moderates to balk. And Dem leaders may not want to allow this two week debate now, because time is short and it could prolong the session. But they should do it, because it's the only real chance to get repeal done. And it could get done.

And on that note, the President calls for Levin's commitment to keep DADT repeal included in the NDAA; this just in from Shin Inouye of the White House Office of Media Affairs:

Today, President Obama called Chairman Levin to reiterate his commitment on keeping the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in the National Defense Authorization Act, and the need for the Senate to pass this legislation during the lame duck.

The President's call follows the outreach over the past week by the White House to dozens of Senators from both sides of the aisle on this issue.

The Blend contacted Alexander Nicholson of Servicemembers United for his reaction:

This confirms what we have been saying all along - bring the bill up in a normal manner, and the votes are there. It's simple. All it takes is the courage to fight a little and the desire to see it pass. We're ready. Let's get this done.