A White House spokesperson was less forthcoming about the strategy for
repeal, saying only, “The Administration is working with Congress to
achieve a legislative repeal of ‘don’t ask, don't tell.’”

But
Frank’s remarks provide the first window into White House thinking on
timing and strategy. President Barack Obama pledged to repeal the
policy during a speech last month to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT
lobby group, but the White House has provided no specifics indicating
when and how that might happen.

Senate leadership also declined to get as detailed as Congressman Frank in terms of a path for overturning the policy.

“We
are continuing to discuss legislative strategy with the White House and
other members of the Senate,” said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat.

A spokesperson
for Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat who chairs the Senate Armed
Services Committee, said the senator had not made final decisions about
the best vehicle for repealing the gay ban.

The standalone
repeal bill in the House is being carried by Rep. Patrick Murphy, a
Pennsylvania Democrat, and has 183 cosponsors. A Democratic aide said
the bill has another dozen or so members who have made verbal
commitments to vote for it, leaving it less than 20 votes shy of the
218 required for passage.