Posted on 02/19/2007 9:33:33 AM PST by pissant
Hillary Rodham Clinton this week told a group of gay contributors to her campaign that the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, intended to make it easier for homosexuals to serve in the military, had been a failure, her aides said Wednesday.
The first lady, a candidate for the U.S. Senate from New York, said that if elected she would work to revise what was one of the first programs put in place under President Clinton.
Hillary Clinton, speaking Tuesday night at a fund-raiser in Manhattan, said gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military, according to participants.
Acknowledging that it was politically unrealistic to expect Congress to approve such legislation now, she said the Pentagon should take steps to reduce the instances of gays being discharged from the military.
Hillary Clinton's remarks, made at a private appearance organized by gay supporters that raised about $100,000 for her campaign, were related by people who attended and confirmed by her office in a written statement Wednesday evening.
"Gays and lesbians already serve with distinction in our nation's armed forces and should not face discrimination," Hillary Clinton said in the statement. "Fitness to serve should be based on an individual's conduct, not their sexual orientation."
The statement puts Hillary Clinton, once again, at odds with a policy implemented by her husband's administration that her aides believe could cause her problems for her as a candidate in New York. But it puts her in line with the views of MAYOR RUDOLF GIULIANI, her likely Republican opponent, who aides say also supports allowing gays to serve in the military and has been critical of the "don't ask, don't tell" initiative.
Hillary Clinton's comments marked the first time she had publicly discussed her views about one of the more difficult episodes of Clinton's first term in office, according to Jeff Soref, the co- chairman of the Empire State Pride Agenda, a gay rights group, and an organizer of the fund-raiser.
The fight over President Clinton's attempt to lift the ban on homosexuals in the military -- an attempt to fulfill a pledge he made as a presidential candidate in 1992 -- dominated his first months in office, raising questions about the new president's competence and ideology, among both supporters and opponents of the ban.
President Clinton eventually abandoned an executive order, instead agreeing to legislation that permitted gays and lesbians to serve in the military providing they did not disclose or act upon their sexuality, and prohibiting the military from initiating unfounded inquiries about homosexuality. That approach ended up angering many of the people whom the president had set out to please in the first place.
Hillary Clinton, responding to a question posed at the fund- raiser held at the studio of the artist Ross Bleckne, voiced her displeasure with the policy in unequivocal terms, according to participants.
There were murmurs of approval and soft applause as she described "don't ask, don't tell" as a failure, taking note of the fact that there had been an increase in the number of gays expelled from the military since the policy was put in force.
Gay groups say that since the policy was put into effect, the number of such discharges has doubled, to 312, last year.
"I think, quite frankly, she expressed a view that is an emerging consensus among people who are following this closely," said Richard Socarides, the former White House liaison to gay groups, who attended the fund-raiser.
Socarides said Hillary Clinton stated her views "directly and forcefully," adding: "I suspect that if you asked the president directly, he would say that this is an area that requires a lot of work also."
The fact that both Giuliani and Hillary Clinton have embraced the same position on an issue that so deeply split Congress in 1993 -- and caused political problems for the Democratic White House -- reflects the extent to which both of the Senate hopefuls view gay men and lesbians as a source of votes and contributions.
Both Hillary Clinton and Giuliani already have gone to some lengths to court support from gay voters, and Hillary Clinton's advisers said they were concerned that the mayor might do well among a group of voters that has historically been viewed as a reliable part of the Democratic base.
At the fund-raiser, Hillary Clinton also voiced support for domestic partnership measures that would allow gay partners to receive the same benefits as married couples.
On this, her position is similar to the one taken by Giuliani, who supported a domestic partnership law in 1997. The mayor frequently remarks that he signed the city's first domestic partnership legislation.
And what do Hitlery OR Guliani know about the military?? Have these two libs ever served a day in their life?? And they think they are qualified to be C-in-C ???
(barf bucket please)
I would like to know where Rudy is quoted as saying this. There are no quotes from Rudy only what this guy is assuming.
Today you have Mitt and Hillary taking opposite stands on it.
Shrillery and Julie-annie
a turd-burglers dream race.
If you can't tell, don't ask?
Make you wonder what his administration would look like.
All I can say on this subject is that we in Israel have had gays serving for years, and have never, as far as I know, had any problems with it. We don't have the luxury of turning away potential soldiers (unless they're haredim, but that's a grumble for another thread).
Rudy being taken out of context??? PING
And we need to make sure that every military voter knows that he wants an openly gay military.
Yes, and a SCOTUS comprising nine Scalias would be honor and duty bound not to interfere with Giuliani's radical pro-gay agenda as he implements it throughout the Department of Defense and every other federal agency under his control.
Well, is it true? It's the same MSM that tells me that only he could win, so I'll take it with a grain of salt while someone rebuts it.
One more reason I'll vote for neither, under any circumstances.
That may be true. Not sure how well it would work in the USA.
LOL...You've never been constrained by the truth before....why not go all the way and say he wants to change the military uniform to a powdered wig, dress, and fur stole.
Romney supports the the same policy by his very own words, I don't see a quote here from Rudy, just an ssumption.
Yeah it could be an assumption, but they are quoting his aids, according to the story.
Where military service is mandatory, you will find fewer problems between groups. When service is totally voluntary, those who would have major problems with another group will just forego entering the service. Right now, our prospective military know that they will not be serving with openly homosexual individuals. In any event, what percentage of the Israeli army that is homosexual? I doubt that a minuscule number would create a problem.
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