and "don't ask, don't tell" expert nathaniel frank. >>> and this jaw-dropping exchange between senator john mccain and a reporter. >> find out if someone -- i don't know if they are. they do not. they do not. they do not. you can say they are. >> that is the case, senator. >> major mike almy joins us live. >>> and the senator standing for reelection by write-in scores a sad own goal against her own campaign. "the rachel maddow show" starts right now. >>> today in the united states senate, language in the defense authorization bill that would let the military "don't ask, don't tell" fell to defeat. senate republicans, in fact, took the historic step of filibustering the entire defense authorization bill in order to maintain the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. they would not even allow debate on the defense bill because it included that language to let the military repeal its own policy on keeping gay people out of the military. and so we don't have a bill to fund the military this year. at least so far. and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy lives. what happens next? well, here is a clu