Top WH Aide: DADT Repeal This Year

White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina spoke with a political science class in Montana about "don't ask, don't tell" repeal and told the group, "We're going to get that done this year."

According to the Montana Kaimin, Messina, a 1993 graduate of the University of Montana, returned to his alma mater Wednesday to speak with a class taught by Missoula mayor John Engen, his personal friend and one-time employer. A GetEqual board member asked him about the previous day's failure to advance "don't ask, don't tell" repeal in the Senate.

"Political science major John Blake asked Messina about the failure to repeal 'don't ask don't tell,' the military policy that prevents gays from being open about their sexuality while serving in the military," reported the Kaimin. "The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday against repealing DADT 'for largely partisan reasons,' Messina said, but he's confident DADT will be struck down.

"'We're going to get that done this year,'" he said.