Pentagon: Still No Real Talks With White House About DADT
Yesterday, Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell offered an update of sorts on the progress of a long-awaited repeal of the Pentagon's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, which forbids openly gay troops from serving in the military.
"I do not believe there are any plans under way in this building for some expected, but not articulated, anticipation that don't ask-don't tell will be repealed," Morrell said at a press briefing. Pentagon leaders, he said, are "aware of where the president wants to go on this issue, but I don't think that there is any sense of any immediate developments in the offing on efforts to repeal don't ask-don't tell."
That represents no real change from nearly two months ago, when the Pentagon told me that President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates had had "one brief conversation" about DADT.
The slow-walking of the repeal has angered civil rights activists, and has had real consequences for the military, too. Earlier this month Lt. Dan Choi--an Arabic linguist, still in high demand in the Armed Forces--was discharged for revealing his homosexuality.
Josh
Matt
Eric
The Obama Pentagon is so busy cleaning up the messes George W. Bush left, they haven't gotten to the mess that Bill Clinton left.
May 20, 2009 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Last night, Maddow had yet another tragic story of a true American Hero kicked out of the Military for being gay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NZDRjEKwtQ
It's really just so absurd and shameful. A heartfelt speech, highlighting some of these insane stories, would give Pres. Obama plenty of cover to face down the military establishment.
Do it, Mr. President, your claim to the moral high ground depends on it.
May 20, 2009 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, his claim to the moral high ground may have been struggling before this, but, as far as chances to reclaim it, pushing Congress to repeal DADT would be a great start.
May 20, 2009 11:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Repealing DADT is a necessary step, but hardly a priority. Hopefully when they repeal it the military will adopt a measure to bring those discharged back into service. It's tragic to those affected and an idiotic misuse of military resources to discharge need specialties, but when put on a list with Afpak, the economy, Iraq, Iran, etc. this is a distraction. Better to fix things and then tie up loose-ends, than to waste political capital on a tactical issue.
May 20, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a distraction and hardly a priority unless you're a serviceman like Lt. Choi or the pilot Rachel Maddow had on last night who have been told their military careers are over. Just like it's easy for most people to say marriage equality isn't a priority. But if your partner of 18 years is dying in a hospital and you can't visit him because his family won't accept you, then marriage equality moves up on your list of priorities and can hardly be described as a tactical issue.
I understand that President Obama might have bigger fish to fry, but don't tell us what should or shouldn't be OUR priorities. We'll be the judge of that...
May 20, 2009 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink