I am on the quest "For the Republic Part 2" and I have persuaded McNamara to lift the lockdown. I know that I can complete the quest without destroying them but I keep getting the same thing each time I talk to him, "I apologize outsider, but I'm going to be busy for a little while making preparations for lifting the lockdown". I have waited about four days in game and done about three different quests but he still won't stop saying this. I tried other things like talking to Hardin or the lady at the dam but I can't get past this part. Is there something i'm doing wrong?

The issue becomes how you handled the BoS the first time through. You must have agreed to help Hardin? If not then this is an even stranger glitch, but basically this glitch presents itself when someone attempts to play both sides of the fence to make a decision later as to what they'll do. You have to either, right off the bat side with McNamara and only work on stuff for him, or help Hardin and install him as the new Elder without helping McNamara anymore. That seems to generally be what breaks this quest. I BELIEVE the quest was fixed by the latest patch, but only for people who've started over completely.

hmm well thats certainly svcks.... i told hardin i didn't want to help from the beginning. well it seems the brotherhood is gonna blow up now... :dry:

Just found a similar problem from someone else on the internet. Supposedly they put on a stealth boy, shot the person with a silenced weapon, and waited for them to be not hostile. I think I may try that.