Julia Gillard’s packed tour of Washington establishment this week included several speeches that won’t make a lot of sense to Australians. The prime minister’s address to the US Congress was an affair of high importance to the Americans, with a ceremonial escort consisting of no less than all four leaders of the chambers and nearly […]
Articles by Harley Dennett 
About Harley Dennett
Harley Dennett arrived at journalism through the public service and blogging — never a safe mix. After toiling at gay-community newspaper Sydney Star Observer for several years, he took off to Canberra and then Washington DC to get his politics fix. It turns out studying for a degree in Computer Science does have a use in journalism: setting up Twitter profiles for older press gallery types. When not freelance writing, he attends military wives club luncheons and tours small-town America.
Email: harleyd@gmail.com
Twitter: @harleyd
Obama’s surprise gay marriage pledge: let the courts decide
The Obama administration has reversed a long-held position that it must defend America’s federal ban on same-sex marriage from challenges in the courts.
Some of us knew Campbell was gay — and chose not to report
If you’re going to out an irrelevant but embarrassing secret of a public figure, you’d better make sure they react badly. That seems to be ACMA’s logic in clearing Channel Seven of breaching standards when it outed NSW MP David Campbell.
In Congress, Americans debate patriotism and enforcement
A showdown in the US House of Representatives over extending the controversial Patriot Act fell narrowly to civil libertarians today, foreshadowing a larger fight over a permanent extension. Perhaps for the first time since September 11, Americans are questioning the need for heightened security, says Harley Dennett.
Pentagon red faced over WikiLeaks suspect
The US Department of Defence suffered another damaging leak this week when NBC learnt the government’s chief suspect in the WikiLeaks case could not be tied to Julian Assange by its own investigation, writes Harley Dennett, in Washington DC.
Policy change, but cloud still hangs over gay US soldiers
US Senator John McCain, once a centrist “maverick” before his presidential run, went apoplectic in the minutes leading up to congress’s historic vote to overturn Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, writes Harley Dennett in Washington DC.
US midterm elections Tea Party has 40 year plan, but will they last that long?
The Tea Party movement was jubilant over its impact on the US mid-term elections, with some 40 candidates on their way to Washington. Harley Dennett joined the Tea Party Patriots in DC and found the movement has long-term thinking but splintered support.
The internet filter coming to the US — with barely any dissent
A deadlocked US Congress will do what the Australian Labor Party cannot — pass a mandatory ISP-based Internet filter by the end of the year. And the most remarkable thing is almost nobody dissents, writes Harley Dennett.
Howard attacks multi-culturalism, apologises for nothing
Former prime minister John Howard has dumped on “multi-cultural” continental Europe, “irrelevant” UN veto nations and the Islamic world while lauding the moral superiority of the English speakers in a speech in Washington. Harley Dennett reports from Washington.
The 777-day election countdown is on … coming to a state near you
Today, 777 days ahead of the poll that will decide the next US president, Republican Fred Karger launched the first television advertisement of the 2012 campaign. And NSW wants the same sort of process, asks Harley Dennett from Washington DC?
Let them serve: Defence drops ban on transgender soldiers
Chief of the Defence Force Angus Houston issued an instruction Monday revoking the policy that effectively banned transgender service members. The ADF is believed to be the last government agency that specifically fired employees for transitioning gender, writes Harley Dennett.
Judge tells it straight: gay marriage bans have ‘no rational basis’
US federal judge Vaughn Walker has struck down the gay marriage ban in California, effectively ruling that denying homosexuals the right to marry is unconstitutional. Meanwhile in Australia, support for same-sex marriage only grows, writes Harley Dennett.
Abortion makes way for guns in Supreme Court shootout
One of the most violent countries in the first world — with almost as many guns as people — has taken another step away from gun control. Harley Dennett reports from Washington DC on the Supreme Court decision.
They asked, they told — but military gays still too hot in the US
One of America’s culture war flashpoints, the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell military policy, is set for a vote tomorrow for the first time in 17 years, Harley Dennett reports from Washington.
US Army “video game” killings tape goes viral
Internet outrage is growing after website Wikileaks exposed a ‘decrypted’ video from a US Apache helicopter that appears to show US forces in Iraq killing at least 11 unarmed civilians in 2007, reports Harley Dennett.
Let them tweet! ADF families want soldiers to get connected
The US military has taken a bold step in telling its two million personnel they’re trusted to blog, poke, tweet and upload YouTube clips at work. The Australian military is finally catching up, writes Harley Dennett in Washington DC.
Palin on the nose, so who wants to be America’s next top Republican?
The base has spoken: Mitt Romney is the man most likely to win America’s Next Top Republican and challenge Barack Obama in 2013. Harley Dennett reports on the influential Conservative Political Action Conference.
