Lady Gaga to rally against ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

Lady Gaga is expected to headline a rally in support of repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military this afternoon in Maine, where two senators could provide key votes when the Senate takes up the issue on Tuesday.

The musician upped the pop-cultural wattage on the political debate when she and Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) exchanged Twitter messages last week on the issue. She urged her fans to push Reid for a vote; Reid tweeted back that one was scheduled.

On Friday, Lady Gaga posted a YouTube video calling out Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and other Republican senators who have vowed to block the vote.

“I am here to be a voice for my generation -- not the generation of the senators who are voting, but the youth of this country,” she said. “We are not asking you to agree with or approve the moral implications of homosexuality. We are asking you to do your job: to protect the constitution.”

The Senate is expected to vote on Tuesday to open a debate on the Department of Defense’s annual authorization bill, which includes a provision that would repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. President Obama has vowed to end the policy.

The Senate needs 60 votes to advance the bill, and Democrats would need the report of some Republicans to reach the threshold. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) voted for the bill in committee, and fellow Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe is among those being watched for a possible crossover vote.

Republicans have countered that the Defense bill is being used as a vehicle for Democrats to attach measures to appeal to liberal voters in advance of the November mid-term election.

lmascaro@tribune.com