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Loading ...Obama won’t repeal ‘DADT’ on his own
09.18.2008 8:32am EDT
(Washington) Democrat Barack Obama said if elected president he would not try to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on his own.
Obama said in an interview to run in gay publications Thursday that he wants to work with military leaders to build a consensus on removing the ban on openly gay service members in the armed forces. He said that wouldn’t be accomplished by attaching a signing statement to a military spending bill, a process that President Bush has used to set other military policies.“I want to make sure that when we revert ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ it’s gone through a process and we’ve built a consensus or at least a clarity of what my expectations are so that it works. My first obligation as the president is to make sure that I keep the American people safe and that our military is functioning effectively,” Obama said. “Although I have consistently said I would repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ I believe that the way to do it is make sure that we are working through a process, getting the Joint Chiefs of Staff clear in terms of what our priorities are going to be.”
“Don’t ask, don’t tell” is intended to keep the military from asking recruits their sexual orientation. In 1993, President Clinton implemented the policy, a compromise after he was unable to make good on his campaign pledge to open the military to gays.
Obama’s interview was with Mark Segal, publisher of the Philadelphia Gay News, on behalf of the Gay History Project, a coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender publications. Republican presidential nominee John McCain did not respond to an interview request, Segal said.
Obama also declined to commit to have his attorney general support a lawsuit against the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages and gives states the right to refuse to recognize such marriages. Obama said he’s not sure the 1996 law would be overturned by the courts and he prefers a legislative solution.
BAM! Under the bus! F-you, GLBT people!
This is exactly why there is still a Hillary sign in my yard. Obama is NOT liberal, he is just another bleeping evangelista. F-you right back, Barry.
What? “My first obligation as the president is to make sure that I keep the American people safe.” So just how does letting gays serve openly make the American people unsafe? Ooooooh, lookout, the scary GAY people!
Nice last paragraph, too. “Oh, by the way, I really like DOMA, too.”
Obama is a fake.
Anyone who has ever worked with lawyers knows that Obama is taking the most prudent route to overturning both. There will be lots of outrage in the general gay community from people who don’t have daily face-to-face experience with the legal mind and the legal process, but it’s clear that Obama is saying he wants to make sure that when DADT and/or DOMA get overturned it happens in a way that sticks and won’t be liable to “judges legislating from the bench” accusations. Which is why there’s an OBAMA sign in my front yard. PUMAs please note that McCain refused to be interviewed at all.
I am voting for Bob Barr for President on the Libertarian Party ticket!
Calpete – I don’t want a lawyer, I want a LEADER. Leaders LEAD.
If you are afraid to make anyone angry, then you are not going to be a very good President.
People please, enough of all the hate. YOU DON’T NEED TO BE SO UNKIND TO EVERYONE. hOW ON EARTH ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GROW AS HUMANS IF ALL WE DO IS ARGUE AND FIGHGT? Iguess you are sick by now of my constant message of peace and love for your fellow man. If that’s the case, we’re finished before we really get started. I am beginning to think most of the articles in 365 are negative in their opinions. I may myself stop reading them and go to another website for a different and more equal treatment of our issues as gay people. I have learned that negativity breeds like an infection and you need a strong antibiotic to fight such. Once more and I’ll shut up and move on. Please try to understand that we all have our opinions and right to state them, name xcalling and slander will not rule the day. May you all have a good life and be blessed in your life. Take care and lol…PEACE, and love, Doug…
Just once it would be nice to have a presidential nominee with the balls to make an ethical and moral stand instead of playing the middle trying to appease everyone. Obama might be a better choice than McLame, but he will do nothing for us once he has our votes. Once again, a leader with no leadershop abilities. Syd you hit the nail on the head.
I find it amusing (and naive) that anyone believes HC wouldn’t be doing the same thing right now.
The primary election was about winning over Democrats. The general election, for a Democrat, is about winning over the people who don’t CARE about GLBTs and the people who are AGAINST GLBTs.
I’m not defending BO (for whom I’m voting by default, not choice), I’m pointing out the realities of politics.
It’s a smart move. Clinton tried ordering the military to do something they weren’t prepared to do and look what happened. I believe if President Obama enlists their cooperation, we’ll see DADT gone by the end of his first term.
as lgbt people (or smart/reasonable straight people) you need to vote for Obama. – Don’t let idiots steer this country any longer. You may never be completely happy by any president – but Obama has respect for people (all people) and will do what is right. Stop the non-sense about voting for any other candidate or not voting at all – your best interest is w/ Obama.
So Sorry Doug that your peace and love campaign on 365 has failed.
Those of us who have been in this fight against bigots for over 50 years have realized that all the peace and love in the world has never once changed the mind of a homophobe. Not on the street and not in congress.
Therefor all that is left is a fight. With words, with laws, with actions. It is not pretty. It is not ‘god-like’ but it is the only thing the homophobes understand. Fight Hard and Write Laws.
Its our turn now.
That said, Obama is losing my vote every time he opens his mouth. What the hell happened to ‘Yes We Can’?????? What the hell happened to this guy???
Don’t tell me the ’system’ got to him that day when his Jet Plane conveniently lost all controls then miraculously fixed itself?
Doug,
I am sure you are a kind and loving person. Unfortunately, most people in the world want negativity, hate and a fight. Even Palin will go to war at the drop of a hat, and she is “supposed to be loving Christian”. You will find that she labels people who disagree with her as “haters” and seeks revenge for their non-confrontational opposition. You see, these “so-called” good people are really at heart, just evil, power-hungry and selfish.
I spent a life time trying to be kind, generous and truthful. All I ever received in return was nothing but backstabbing and underhanded manipulation, and I suffered great losses, both emotional and physical. One becomes cynical and untrusting when you have that for 60 years. I am heartbroken over the way I have been treated.
So I say also, “NO MORE WILL I STAND FOR THEIR NEGATIVE MANIPULATIONS AND EVIL LIES!” I will take every opportunity I have for the rest of my life to point out their evil ways, their hateful actions and their unadulterated bigoted lies.
I do not wish anyone ill, but I think if there is a deity of any kind, it better start striking those bad people dead and begin working on making this world, and universe, a better place where we can live in harmony and goodness and fun. However, I am not holding my breath for this to happen, cause I would be the first to die and things shall not have changed one bit.
Nonetheless, I hope your campaign of love succeeds before you too become cynical and have given up all hope.
And Roger, the McCain/FoF crowd thanks you for that post.
This is a close election. We need every vote we can get. GLBT people who pitch a hissy fit because Obama isn’t perfect and don’t vote are simply guaranteeing a Republican win and a Supreme Court rebuilt in the image of Antonin Scalia.
Don’t come crying to the rest of us when it happens.
I laugh at the ignorance of people in the comments of this article.
You would rather have Obama FORCE the repeal of DADT by hiding it under another bill, causing those opposed to it to mostly likely fight it, not implement it and what not than to have Obama explain the expectations and CORRECTLY pass the bill?
Let me guess, you idiots also believe that said ’secret earmarks’ should be banned as well? Can’t have it both ways. Hypocrites.
While it would be satisfying to hear Obama say that he was going to jump in and just do away with DADT, would it be just as satisfying to have him do it with the very same illegal “signing statements” that we blast Dubya for using over the past 8 years?
Obama has clearly stated that he supports us, and his actions have shown that to be true. Sadly, Clinton signed DADT into law after it was passed by Congress, so reversing it is going to take another Act of Congress. To do that, you need the support of the leaders in the military to convince Congress to do the right thing.
After 8 years of Bush and his cronies walking all over the Constitution, I find it refreshing that Obama not only wants to support our community, but do it in a way that respects the fundamentals on which our country was founded.
As for the DOMA lawsuit, considering the current shape of the Supreme Court and the furor over “activist judges”, I can’t really blame him for being hesitant to support anything other than a legislative solution at this point. He does have an election to win, after all, and again he still is supporting us and wants it repealed – just not necessarily in a knee-jerk reactionary way that some would like.