Comments on: Obama Not Repeating Clinton’s Mistakes on Gays in Military

By: Terry Hamilton

Terry Hamilton — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:35:39 +0000

I hope the President means what he says and really works to end DADT. Log Cabin Republicans will continue to keep the fire burning on the legal challenge side. Our five year effort to overturn the failed policy on the basis of free speech goes to trial in June 2010. Some have wondered (NYT article) if this call is motivated by our action. Others are saying that it could take a year for the military to come up with the plan. That gives the dems a lot of cover in an election year.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:46:44 +0000

Poofterjoe,
“Flamers” can already join the military–and occasionally they do. Nothing in the current code of conduct prevents flamboyant or effeminate men from enlisting.

By: ILoveCapitalism

ILoveCapitalism — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:31:02 +0000

After experiencing an epiphany prior to him endorsing Obama, did you think Powell wouldn’t have another one before voicing an opinion of this issue now?

Considering that Powell was a major force behind DADT at the time, his turning against it is significant.

As for what I expected of Powell: I don’t think about him often enough to have expectations of him. In either direction.

By: John

John — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:16:14 +0000

12: Powell’s comments are interesting but I’m still not buying it. I’ll be happy to be proven wrong once the president signs MREA into law and not before then.

By: Spartann

Spartann — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:32:44 +0000

to ILoveCapitalism….

After experiencing an epiphany prior to him endorsing Obama, did you think Powell wouldn’t have another one before voicing an opinion of this issue now?

By: ILoveCapitalism

ILoveCapitalism — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:27:23 +0000

I repeat my point from the other recent thread on this:

Obama isn’t repealing DADT. America’s “defense establishment” is repealing DADT. The Pentagon is moving at its own pace – but moving, nonetheless – and Obama is merely along for the ride.

The latest intriguing tidbit is Colin Powell coming out in favor of DADT repeal:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/powell-favors-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell/?hp

“I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.”

By: Man

Man — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:36:48 +0000

No, Ted. John McCain will face JD Hayworth in the Republican primary this year. Hayworth is a super social conservative who as a radio talk show host has been painting McCain as a “liberal” for two years. I believe McCain has taken his position to survive the primary. He has previously supported gays in the military.

By: Ted B. (Charging Rhino)

Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:39:02 +0000

Considering Sen. McCain’s own wife and daughter disagree with him on gay issues, and he has two sons serving in the military who probably with their mother and sister, I’m starting to wonder if there’s something in Sen. McCain’s own past experience that blinds him to society’s changing views. Something that happened to him, to a friend, or to a comrade that’s burned-deep in his psyche that’s fixed his perspective on this.

By: Gay Republicans Call for “Full Repeal” of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” - Hip Hop Republican

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:30:19 +0000

[...] From the folks at GayPatriot.com [...]

By: anon2273892

anon2273892 — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:03:04 +0000

Senator McCain is opposed to the repeal. There’s no indication from Obama that he is working with McCain on this issue. Any resolution requires bipartisan support. Not sure Obama has changed his tune.

By: Roberto

Roberto — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:19:08 +0000

I hope the President´s commission would give weight to the observation made by the late Senator Barry Goldwater, who was also a Major General in the Air Force Reserve, that, ¨you don´t have to be straight to shoot straight.¨

By: heliotrope

heliotrope — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:04:27 +0000

You know if it is hyperbole if you hyperventilate while writing or saying it.

By: ILoveCapitalism

ILoveCapitalism — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:12:52 +0000

he may well be handling this issue better than he’s handled any other policy issue since taking office. And that’s not hyperbole.

No. It’s damning with faint praise.

By: The_Livewire

The_Livewire — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:03:39 +0000

I’ll beleive it when I see it.

Just curious, is this a two step process? One step to repeal DADT (executive order) and then another step to have the UCMJ changed? That’s my understanding.

Along those lines, can’t the CNC just say “Stop procecuting the cases”?

By: Sean A

Sean A — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:49:32 +0000

I’m with you Spartann. This Administration hasn’t given Americans any reason to anticipate that this issue will be handled competently, expeditiously, or professionally because every other issue or task that Obama has undertaken has led inevitably to betrayal and/or unmitigated disaster.

I have a theory about what’s behind Obama’s purported renewed vigor and the pedestrian rhetoric about how he’s going to “keep fighting.” I think he’s just super-jazzed that one year into the job as President, he’s finally figured out the executive equivalent to voting “present”–CREATING COMMISSIONS. Now that he’s got the military brass spinning their wheels on some busywork committee for a year or more, he can move on to creating a bipartisan commission to study the deficit and make recommendations for cuts. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/us/politics/20commission.html
Funny, I thought being fiscally prudent with the taxpayers’ money was ALREADY the job of Congress (and the President’s as well). But clearly they delegated that responsibility a long time ago and have no intention to revisit it.

No wonder Obama seems so bizarrely disconnected from the reality of what’s happening–he’s reciting over and over in his head, “Legislators vote ‘present.’ Executives form commissions. Legislators vote ‘present.’ Executives form commissions.” Now that he’s got this job wired, it would be perfectly consistent with his employment history for him to start considering other, better jobs than this tedious presidency.

So, I think that’s the new plan. Obama’s answer to every question and troublesome issue will be create a commission to study it, weigh the options, and report back…eh…whenever. Within a couple of years we’re going to have commissions that are set up solely to monitor and report on the performance of other commissions. And the Left and the MSM will lap it up and call it things like “prudent,” “cautious,” “responsible,” and “pragmatic.”

Obama is a fu*king joke.

By: Spartann

Spartann — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:40:04 +0000

Daniel, ole buddy, ole pal, ole friend of mine……. you give the president too much credit. Let’s think about this for a minute. Mr Obama hasn’t changed the way he’s operating, especially now that he’s got us all looking at the Generals & DADT rather than the Commander and Chief. If anything, I think the president is being even more Obama-like, but at a slower pace….. you know, spinning at 33RPM instead of his usual 78RPM. What better way to get the problem off his desk and toss a bone to the 10% of the country the other 90% doesn’t really care about. It’s gonna take at least a year for a study to kick in… God knows how many years to “observe” our boys in foxholes and barracks around the world… followed up by panel discussions ad infinitum. By the time the Generals are ready to submit a report, it will 2013 and Obama will be out of office; now that’s something to look forward to.

By: poofterjoe

poofterjoe — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:31:59 +0000

Can you imagine if a REALLY gay guy (flamer) decides to join the military. Let the hilarity ensue! I can type “flamer” without insult because I am gay and right (o)