The Advocate and Senator Obama
This week the Advocate magazine published its recent interview with presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) during which he and Advocate news editor Kerry Eleveld discussed, among other issues, the need to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law.
When asked “if you were elected, what do you plan to do for the LGBT community -- what can you reasonably get done?” Senator Obama replied, “I reasonably can see ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ eliminated.”
I am extremely encouraged by Senator Obama's optimism to get "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repealed. He, like Senator Clinton, wants this terrible law repealed sooner rather than later. It is also my hope we can persuade Senator McCain this inequitable law must go. Our opportunity to repeal this law is in the next Congress -- with a new president in the White House demonstrating leadership in the repeal fight.
Later in the interview Eleveld returns to the issue of gays in the military asking, “you’ve said before you don’t think that’s [ repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”] a heavy lift. Of course, it would be if you had Joint Chiefs who were against repeal. Is that something you’ll look at?” Senator Obama responded saying he, “would never make this a litmus test for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Obviously, there are so many issues that a member of the Joint Chiefs has to deal with, and my paramount obligation is to get the best possible people to keep America safe. But I think there’s increasing recognition within the Armed Forces that this is a counterproductive strategy -- ya know, we’re spending large sums of money to kick highly qualified gays or lesbians out of our military, some of whom possess specialties like Arab-language capabilities that we desperately need. That doesn’t make us more safe, and what I want are members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who are making decisions based on what strengthens our military and what is going to make us safer, not ideology.”
SLDN applauds Senator Obama’s support for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and, likewise, we appreciate Senator Clinton’s commitment to get this done. I hope the next president will expect everyone on his or her leadership team to be on the same page on major public policy initiatives, including “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I believe we have all learned tough lessons from what happens when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is not aligned with what his Commander in Chief wants to do. Unfortunately, that kind of disconnect is one of the reasons we got “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” fifteen years ago instead of an executive order permitting open service.
-Aubrey Sarvis
Labels: 2008, barack obama, Hillary Clinton, McCain, presidential candidates
04-11-08
4 Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.SLDN on December 31, 1969 at 02.00 pm
Kipesquire and derrick lowery: <BR><BR>Just to make the case for full disclosure, MREA was introduced in the House of Representatives in February 2007. There is no companion bill in the U.S. Senate. As such, neither Sens. Clinton nor Obama has had the opportunity to become a sponsor.<BR><BR>Victor Maldonado—SLDN
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Derrick Lowery on December 31, 1969 at 02.00 pm
Before we all get excited about Obama (and Hillary) supporting an end to DADT - let us not forget that NEITHER of them would sign on and cosponsor 1246 (which would have ended the policy) while they were Senators.
Queers United on December 31, 1969 at 02.00 pm
i expect if Obama becomes president this will be overturned<BR><BR>http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com
KipEsquire on December 31, 1969 at 02.00 pm
SLDN applauds Senator Obama’s support for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and, likewise, we appreciate Senator Clinton’s commitment to get this done.”<BR><BR>Do you also support their ongoing unwillingness to sponsor the MREA in the Senate?