Obama: Go slower on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Phildalphia Inquirer ^ | Sep. 18, 2008 | Larry Eichel

[Justaham]

In an interview with Mark Segal of the Philadelphia Gay News, Barack Obama indicated that he would not proceed unilaterally in fulfilling his promise to do away with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays in the military. Instead, the Democratic presidential candidate said that he would work through a step-by-step process with the military brass.

"The reason," Obama said, "is because 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 that, of what my expectations are, so that it works."

Under the current policy, adopted in 1993 under President Bill Clinton, military recruits are not supposed to be asked about their sexual orientation. Clinton had wanted to let gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender individuals serve openly, but he encountered resistance.

Obama also said he would be reluctant to instruct his attorney general to go to court to try to overturn the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages and gives states the right not to recognize such unions.

"I think we're going to have to take a different approach," he said, "but I am absolutely committed to the concept [that] it is not necessary." He said he would prefer to see Congress change the law.

Obama pledged to make the protection of gays from imprisonment and torture in other countries part of his human-rights policy, calling it "not acceptable" to exclude such concerns from "our broader human-rights advocacy."

The telephone interview was conducted Tuesday by Segal, publisher of the Philadelphia paper, on behalf of the Gay History Project, which includes a number of publications serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

[sunmars]

Gays meet Obama’s bus.

He’s certainly speaking out of both sides here again. Its another “present” vote.

[anniegetyourgun]

Yeah, sure. If he’s in the WhiteHouse and Congress is majority Dem....he’ll ram it through as fast as a...well, you know.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Can anyone understand WHAT this man says? His sentences are so convoluted and bizzare one just thinks, “ What the F did that guy just say?”

No wonder the french love him. ha.

[Inyo-Mono]

Can anyone understand WHAT this man says? His sentences are so convoluted and bizzare one just thinks, “ What the F did that guy just say?”

Yeah, just what the hell does this mean?:

"The reason," Obama said, "is because 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 that, of what my expectations are, so that it works."

[marron]

Translation:

He is softpedaling a bit so he can avoid facing it as a campaign issue. Once the elections are over, it will all go forward. “Don’t ask don’t tell” was Clinton’s great reform. In Obama’s world that has morphed into some kind of Republican repression and will be overturned.

He will push for an end to the marriage act. Preferably by act of congress, but by executive order if need be. This means that homosexual marriage will be federal law. With the end of “don’t ask don’t tell”, there will be more mischief in the military.

And being homosexual will be considered grounds for refugee status from almost everywhere.

[Daffynition]

"The reason," Obama said, "is because 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 that, of what my expectations are, so that it works."

Doublespeak ...blahblahblah.

[tioga]

is that a guy with a mancrush or what?

[FutureRocketMan]

It seems everyone is asking, “What the heck language is BHO talking in?” May I answer that? It is called liberal fake talk to get people to think that they are dumb and dont understand that the speaker is twisting his words to say something totally different. All one needs to know about Obama is that he is anti-war, anti-life, pro-gay rights, anti-traditional marriage, behind the curtains pro-Islamic jihad (therefore anti-Semetic) and ANTI-AMERICAN!!!!!!!!

[Inyo-Mono]

You forgot “anti-guns.”

[FutureRocketMan]

your right. He’d rather have illegal gun holders kill more people than the people defend themselves against these freaks trying to kill innocent life.

Also, it goes to show that Obama has no regard for the Constitution, just like most democrats.

[Inyo-Mono]

"The reason," Obama said, "is because 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 that, of what my expectations are, so that it works."

I have attended hundreds of meetings in my life and this is the typical answer one hears when a person in charge is asked what they are doing about a project that the person in charge have no real idea how to handle.

[ncfool]

Will he protect gay rights in Iran. If I remember right Iran has no gay population according to their President.

[Dilbert56]

1. His relationship with Rev. Wright
2. Public financing of his campaign
3. Filibustering FISA Telecom Immunity
4. Repealing NAFTA
5. Increasing Taxes
6. Retreating headlong from Iraq
7. Repealing "Don't ask, don't tell"

Any and all of these complete the mad-lib: 0bama was for _____________ before he was against it.

[nobamanada]

The majority of gays I have talked to are voting for McCain. Some are bots that are convinced Obambi will be their savior, but there’s actually a substantial amount that will be voting Republican the first time in their lives.