SPB News for Sunday

Palin Spokeswoman: Bob McDonnell Once Wanted Her Help, But Not Anymore

Sarah Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton told the Washington Post that Virginia GOP gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell personally asked for Palin's help campaigning this past Summer -- but that by August, Palin's staff was notified that her help was no longer wanted. "The Governor, SarahPAC, and I have all communicated to the candidate, the campaign and to the RGA the Governor's continued willingness to assist in any way possible - even as recently as two weeks ago," said Stapleton.

Obama Pledges Again to End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' but Offers No Timetable President Obama on Saturday renewed his vow to allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military, but failed to offer a timetable for doing so -- an omission likely to inflame critics who say he is not fighting aggressively enough for gay rights. "I will end ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,' " Mr. Obama told an audience of nearly 3,000 people at a fund-raising dinner for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay advocacy group.

Marines see sharp increase in suicides Recently released figures show Marines are taking their own lives at alarmingly high rates, and deployments appear to be taking a toll. Through September, the Marines have recorded 38 confirmed or suspected suicides in 2009. Should the pace continue through the end of the year, the Marines would be facing a 20 percent increase from 2008 figures. Suicides also rose 27 percent from 2007 to 2008.

More women than men dismissed from military for being gay Women were dismissed from the military for being gay at a greater rate than men last year, according to new statistics obtained by a California research group. All the services kicked out a disproportionate number of women under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, according to Department of Defense data obtained by the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara.