Arizona Sen. John McCain said today he supports the right of his wife, Cindy, to take a stand against the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.  Asked on NBC's Meet the Press about Cindy McCain's new ad for the NOH8 campaign, McCain said he respects "the First Amendment rights of every member of my family."  McCain led the GOP filibuster this summer blocking a repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" that's included in the Senate's defense authorization bill. Congress probably won't get to repealing the policy during the lame-duck session, he said.  Cindy McCain and the couple's daughter, Meghan, are both active supports of NOH8, which was formed in protest to California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage.  In the new TV ad, Cindy McCain criticizes unnamed "political" leaders for not allowing gays to serve openly.  Host David Gregory read a tweet Cindy McCain posted on her Twitter account late Friday in which she said she was "proud" to support NOH8 but that "I stand by my husband's stance on DADT."  On NBC, the senator says he wants a "complete and thorough study and review" of what repealing the policy would do to "battle readiness and morale."  The Washington Post reported that a Pentagon study group has concluded there is minimal risk in lifting the ban on gays in the military. The report is due to President Obama by Dec. 1.  To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor  . For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to  . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to
John McCain: Wife has right to speak out on gays in military - On Politics: Covering the US Congress, Governors, and the 2010 Election - USATODAY.com