I’ve been a strong believer in the notion that if somebody is going to serve in the military, in uniform, putting their lives on the line for our security, they should not be prevented from doing so because of their sexual orientation. … The overwhelming majority of Americans feel the same way. It’s the right thing to do. As commander-in-chief, I’ve said that making this change needs to be done in an orderly fashion, and I’ve worked with the Pentagon, Sec. Gates, Adm. Mullen, to make sure that we are looking at this in a systematic way that maintains good order and discipline, but that we need to change this policy. … Keep in mind, we’ve got a bunch of court cases that are out there as well, and something that would be very disruptive to good order and disclipline and unit cohesion is if we’ve got this issue bouncing around in the courts as it already has over the last several weeks, where the Pentagon and the chain of command doesn’t know at any given time what rules they’re working under. We need to provide certainty. … This should not be a partisan issue.
—President Obama, speaking to reporters after today’s live press conference, isn’t changing his Don’t Ask Don’t Tell tune just because his party lost control of the House. But hey, the Log Cabin Republicans seem to be taking the president’s request to get “two to five Republican votes in the Senate” seriously: Executive director R. Clarke Cooper says they’ve got a short list of names, and Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are already on board.
The Truth
There is nothing disruptive about immediately repealing DADT.
UMB
*looks at watch*
Well, you had two whole years with a Democrat controlled House, a Democrat super-majority in the Senate, and you in the white house and nothing ever happened. We got sick of waiting. Epic fail.
Kev C
Institutionalized homophobia.
Joe
and the Democrats wonder why they’re so easily trounced in races. Speaking out of both sides of your mouth and being wishy washy won’t win any votes (and I say that as a Democrat)
Tollendyr
If the Pentagon doesn’t know what rules they’re working under, why don’t you step up to the plate and TELL THEM.
This man does not deserve a second term.
Brutus
@UMB: 59 Senators does not constitute a supermajority of the Senate as it’s commonly understood.
Brutus
Getting two to five Republican votes in the Senate is less helpful now that there are only 50-52 Democrats. We need 10-12 Republicans.
UMB
@Brutus:
Well, not for the whole two years I suppose. The Dems had 58, and with two independents that gave them 60. But gathering a super-majority to force cloture is a little like herding cats…
Daez
@UMB: Stop thinking a Democratic majority is a gay friendly majority. Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything good came out of this election, the self hating “blue dog democrats” that weren’t willing to stand up for the ideals of their party and ended up alienating their base for that reason are now all gone. It doesn’t matter if its blue or red in the areas that just lost because either one was going to vote to screw gays and real progress.
Lanjier
“All those lawsuits flying around.” YOU flew the appeal, asshole. How does the press let him get away with his lying talking points?
Merlyn
Well, Barry, if you hadn’t insisted on neither signing a stop-loss order nor providing some moral leadership maybe there wouldn’t be all these lawsuits. But you didn’t do either, so the suits are going to continue.
MiKem
Where’s Geoge Takei when you need him?
Obama is a total DB when it comes to DADT. Please sir stop being a junior diplomat and start being the Commander in Chief.
rainfish2000
What does it profit one to rule the world by upholding the special privileges of the status quo only to lose their soul?
In regards to Obama, most of us in the LGBT community thought that we were voting for Superman when, in reality, we just replaced Lex Luthor with his evil twin. I think I’d rather have the real thing than some viper who lures you in closer with lies just so it can strike with less effort.
Let’s just take a look at Obama’s record so far:
* Obama supports George W. Bush-style Military Tribunals for foreign war detainees (he was against them as candidate Obama).
* Obama expanded (not limited) Bush-style warrant-less wiretapping; adding special guarantees of government immunity and expanding his “special powers” (without Congressional Oversight) of the Executive Branch.
* Obama has stifled government investigations into Torture and the Human Rights Abuses of the former administration.
* Obama gives away hundreds of billions of tax-payer’s dollars to Wall Street, and then he just turns his back on the union workers who supported him in 2008.
* Obama allowed his minions in Congress to conduct hearings on Heath Care Reform where they invite profit-driven vultures and profiteering extortionists from the Insurance Industry to sit at the front of the table when formulating Health Care Reform — while they simultaneously arrest and expel single-payer National Health Care advocates from the hearings.
* On civil rights, Obama de-prioritized repeal of DADT which has destroyed the military careers of over fourteen thousand loyal, patriot Americans (even as Candidate Obama campaigned to push Congress to overturn that odious Jim Crow-style affront to human dignity).
* Obama (and Pelosi/Reid) expressed no interest whatsoever in overturning DOMA so that those of us who are legally married (or partnered under some other kind of quasi-marriage-like legal arrangement) can receive federal benefits — as Obama promised.
* Obama’s apologists say that he was too busy trying to save the nation and the economy and jobs — so, then why isn’t he pushing for job equality and protections (ENDA) for the tens of millions of GLBT citizens who do not have the same level of job protections as ninety percent of the population?
In the final analysis, the Democrats and, especially Obama, are NOT “The Change You Can Believe In“! As bigoted, odious and villainous as the Republican Party is, at least they are upfront about it. Whereas, the Democrats, along with their lying segregationist, bigoted demagogue, Barak Obama, are master deceivers who troll the GLBT community for money, political volunteers, and votes — only to slap us all in the face with either that tiresome mantra of “the time is not right” excuse or just an outright “get out of my face” avoidance of us after an election — that is, after they have exploited us repeatedly in order to grab political power.
The Democratic Party un-official line: “Hey, just because they took us to the prom, it doesn’t mean we have to dance with them — right?”
….Well, that is their attitude. And we are expected to gleefully accept that? But what do you expect when all we get from our fearless “leadership” in the GLBT community is to watch them smile and plead: “may-I-have-another-punch-the-gut-sir” and (while bending over to kiss the feet of their heterosexual overseers) “will-you-please-kick-us-in-the-ass-again-master“ ? The subservience from of our masochistic, fan-boy GLBT, Democratic fund-raising, political social clubs and toadies in Washington is sickening.
Fortunately, amongst the deluded millions of Obama sycophants who initially supported this dishonorable bigot, there are millions now who are finally starting to see the light.
It will be a third party ticket for me and my spouse next time — unless the Segregationists Democrats in Congress and the Bigot-in-Chief in the White House get the message. I am sure many millions in the GLBT community will also express a similar outrage at the ballot box. Maybe then “our friends” on Capital Hill, and in the White House, will finally get the message that when you barely win an election, with a desperately cobbled together coalition of minority voters, you don’t dare betray your constituents by ignoring their fundamental demands for equal rights after you are in office.
…If things don’t change, and quickly, I’m ready to:
!!! Ditch President Barack O’Bush in 2012 !!!!
~ Bud Evans
DR
We wouldn’t be filing lawsuits in this case if he would stop appealing the damned things!
This lawsuit started under the Bush administration back in 2004, so it’s not like it’s brand-spanking new. It’s been around for years.
He could have just not appealed it, end of story. Nope, he had his DOJ fight it, so here we are.
He wants to place blame, he needs to look in the mirror.
Cam
How Dare He? He fired the man in charge of the entire war in Afghanistan because he insulted the President. Don’t try to tell me that wasn’t disruptive.
Schools were desegregated because of a court case, is Obama saying that he wouldn’t have allowed that and would have continued to fight it because it would have been too disruptive?
Brian Miller
This president is just another religious conservative. His deluded starry-eyed followers (including the gay ones) screamed “SHUT UP, RACIST!” whenever this was pointed out.
Now they’re all “confused” and “hurt,” wondering why he’s treating them like a religious conservative would.
He has nothing to worry about, however. No matter how homophobic his administration is, his useful idiot LGBT base will rush back to support him in 2012. 20 years from now, they’ll still be insisting that DADT and DOMA repeal is “just around the corner.”
CJ
Obama isn’t a religious conservative. For starters, he supports late-term abortions. Secondly, he doesn’t even attend the “Day of Prayer” at the White House. Third, tell me which church he goes to in Washington. He lived in Washington for 2 years prior to becoming President and had to “shop” for a church once he became President? And, which one did they choose? He golfs on Sundays.
Obama is one of many Democrats that believes the LGBT community is still “fringe” and doesn’t deserve full-equality. He, as well as many pro-choice and progressive Democrats, deny that the LGBT community deserves full marital equality. Those are certainly not religious conservatives.
Paschal
@Brutus: Democrats will end up with 53 senate seats. The Senate could pass DADT repeal in the lameduck session before most senators-elect take their seats.
Paschal
@Brian Miller: In fairness. President Obama has done quite a bit for gay rights in his 18 months in office. The problem is Congressand Democratic voters who don’t vote. If all Democrats and all Republicans voted on Tuesday, the Democrats would be in a better position as Democrats outnumber Republicans by party registration.
fizzydrink
I’m so very tired of Obama. Next guy, please.
Paschal
@DR: This was a district court decision. While I agree with it, allowing district courts to stop the implementaion of Acts of Congress without the appeals court not even getting involved would be dangerous overall.
Let’s suppose a Republican district court judge somewhere, in a place we’ve never even heard of, decides that the health care bill is unconstitutional and issues a universal injunction affecting the entir Unites States? Because judicial decisioons are subect to appeal, things like that are less likely to occur.
Jason
All I can say is I wish H. Clinton would have won the primary in 2008! Atleast she is straight forward, but now I am starting to feel really let down by the party as a whole. Not that a third party vote would be any better because then we would end up with another Bush… Politics suck and suck even more when they affect you personally.
Brian Miller
@Paschal:
President Obama has done quite a bit for gay rights in his 18 months in office
“Quite a bit?”
Well let’s see. A “little bit” would be two or three substantive things. “A bit” would be four or five substantive things.
“Quite a bit” would be six or more substantive things.
So what six or more substantive things have been achieved on the LGBT rights front under Obama in the past eighteen months? List, please.
Brian Miller
@Paschal:
allowing district courts to stop the implementaion of Acts of Congress without the appeals court not even getting involved would be dangerous overall.
Just so I understand you…
If the new Republican Congress passed a law banning black people from being federal employees, you’d believe that a district court injunction on that law without an appeal would be “dangerous,” and you’d support a DADT-style stay of that ruling with black Americans banned from federal employment for years until the Supreme Court finally heard the case?
The Artist
Continued doubts about the progress of our most esteemed President. Check this out…
http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/ And stop bitchin about DADT, that’s next. PEACELUVNBWILDYAALL
Brian Miller
Always funny how Obama propagandists try to change the subject on this issue.
“Hey, he may have totally lied on every LGBT issue, but he increased funding for school lunches by five cents AND made $1 billion more in SBA loans available to Romanian immigrants! You can’t say he hasn’t delivered!”
The Artist
@Brian Miller: Be careful what U wish 4, cuz u just might get it! Get it? PEACELUVNBWILD!
hephaestion
Mr. Obama needs to have a serious chat with Dan Choi.
He can end this bullshit NOW and he needs to DO SO.
the crustybastard
Solution: drop the lawsuits.
Danny
It’s quite possible that the Obama Administration is taking steps to end DADT legislatively. The lawsuits aren’t helping the situation, because there is too much back and forth. I’d prefer it being done within Congress so that we can make sure that DADT is repealed. Also, if it doesn’t pass, we can see just which senators and representatives are the ones who don’t support us, and we can make sure we take the appropriate steps to get them out of office.
Admittedly, it doesn’t seem like there is much progress being made on DADT, and it doesn’t seem to be a top priority for our government leaders. We just have to continue to make sure our voices are being heard, because we are in the midst of our civil rights movement.
That being said, it’s interesting to hear so many people against Obama, but as of now, his adminstratrion is the best chance we have to advance our status in this country. Don’t give power to our real enemies.
Dan
Nearly all the politicians of all parties are just stringing us along, all the while violating our human rights and the human rights of our friends and family. They are just trying to ascertain how long the millions of us will tolerate it.
Kev C
It’s pretty arrogant, and somewhat alarming that the President is criticizing the court system. The right of americans to seek redress through the justice system. People who say that DADT must be repealed through the legislature don’t understand that laws are challanged in the courts. A law repealing DADT is more formal, but not more permanent. It can be reversed through a high court ruling, a presidential order, or another law. But civil rights are typically based on court decisions, with the support of the other branches of government.
tavdy79
Tell me, Mr. President, if you believe all these DADT court cases are disruptive, why are you fighting them?
(from the department of the bleeding obvious)
JusticeontheRocks
“Obama has done quite a lot for gay rights in 18 months.”
Really?
On the three critical civil rights issues: repeal of DOMA, repeal of DADT and enactment of ENDA, he is 0-for-3. He didn’t even swing and miss at repealing DOMA.
Most of the fault for this goes to the Steppinfetchit “gay rights” organizations, who have zero idea how to create leverage or use it.
Never think that the enemy of your enemy is therefore your friend.
rainfish2000
Photo of Obama taken at Press Conference yesterday morning…
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jCT9n9hItmA/ScK-8kzTbQI/AAAAAAAAAP8/gqdBDmi61iA/s1600-h/pinocchio.bmp
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jCT9n9hItmA/ScK-8kzTbQI/AAAAAAAAAP8/gqdBDmi61iA/s1600-h/pinocchio.bmp[/img]
Ronbo
DADT is institutionalized bullying. They are legally bullying gays out of the military. Seeing this man make an anty-bullying video was ironic at best and pathetic at worst.
Obama needs to be replaced with a real Democrat – one with a spine!
Cam
@Danny: said…
”
I’d prefer it being done within Congress so that we can make sure that DADT is repealed.”
______________________
No, if it is done in Congress it can always be brought back. Bigots are afriad of it being decided in the courts because if the courts strike it down it is gone and Congress can’t bring it back.
rainfish2000
As Pres. Truman once said (paraphrasing here): If you are a Democrat running as a Republican don’t be surprised if you lose to a Republican. After all, why would any conservative vote for you when they can get the real thing.
Obama is a coward (even more so than Clinton) because he wont even give the appearance that he is fighting for our equality. He is nothing but a fraud with good speech-writers. Other than that he is an empty suit with no soul.
Obama is for Obama. He is more interested in his legacy as the first sort-of-Black president than by actually sticking his neck out to do the right thing. His lack of bravery will only guarantee him a place in history based on the irrelevant fact of his race — but certainly not for any great act of political courage on his part.
Just remember, for all their faults (and even in spite of their other positive accomplishments) Truman will be forever remembered for desegregating the military when the vast, vast majority of people in the US were against it; Johnson will be forever honored for his steadfast advocacy of the 1964 Civil Rights Act — even though it cost him and his party their previous political dominance of the South.
And Obama’s historical contribution for “Minority Rights”?
….well, after all he was the first mixed-race President. Other than that — not so much.
That, of course, is contingent upon him either following his current trend of apathy regarding the institutionalized bigotry imposed upon the GLBT community or actually standing up for “Change You Can Believe In“. You remember that now hollow-sounding mantra of those increasingly false and hypocritical presidential campaign promises — don’t you?
If nothing changes, then Obama’s civil rights legacy — concerning the only American citizens (the GLBT community) who are still fighting against legal, government sanctioned, discrimination — will be a big unforgivable failure on his part. That is what future generations will remember regarding Obama’s callousness, his inaction, and his lack of leadership in the social justice arena. That will be far more relevant to history that the insignificant issue of Obama’s mixed race heritage.
Sadly, I’d be very surprised to see this political opportunist change his spots. His primary self-serving interests seem to be restricted to a “not rock the boat“ political philosophy. He doesn’t represent all the people — he is just for those who are most useful to him or for those who are most like him.
What a disappointment. What a shame. What a tragedy for all fair-minded Americans.
~ Bud Evans
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jCT9n9hItmA/TNKkUQGD74I/AAAAAAAAAeE/3l3gFEdOUXk/s1600/pinocchio-obama.JPG[/img]
DR
@Paschal:
I think you need to research the role of the US District Court, this Judge did EXACTLY what she was empowered to do. See below, a District Court Judge has jurisdiction over any action arising under the US Constitution. Stop with the “worst case scenario” hysterics to justify a position which doesn’t hold water under the law.
Jurisdiction of the US District Courts, courtesy of the United States Code:
TITLE 28 > PART IV > CHAPTER 85 > § 1331
§ 1331. Federal question
The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of all civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States.
robert in nyc
Olympia Snow and Susanne Collins actually voted against DADT in the recent vote as did the entire GOP. I don’t see much of that changing when the bill comes up for another vote. The’ve vowed to overturn every piece of legislation already passed and supporting the repeal of DADT will cause the tea partyers to rebel against their own party. Tea partyers are nothing more than ignorant, ill-informed republican shills, REPUBLICANS.
Chris
A DADT did come up for a vote. It was inserted into the military’s budget but a Republican filibustered it.
I’m frustrated with Obama’s and the Dems progress too. We were expecting fireworks and we got a flare gun. But anyone who thinks that not voting or worse, siding with the GOPTea party, is fooling themselves.
robert in nyc
Chris, 100% of the GOP voted no on that, including Olympia Snow and Susanne Collins who had been supportive of repeal. They did that so they wouldn’t spoil the GOPS’s election results. None of them have an integrity, they’ll sell their souls for a vote. I’d be very surprised if it passes when it comes back for a vote, but I doubt it. It will be used as a bargaining piece to get Obama to agree to certain things the republicans want done. Obama will probably concede a continuation of tax breaks for the wealthy (corporations) to get it through, people who don’t deserve or need it and who are part of the problem why we’re in this economic mess. They didn’t give a damn about the American worker while shipping much needed jobs overseaas. Expect more of that with the rabble now in control of the house. The oligarchy of domestic and foreign corporations who poured millions in to the GOP coffers since the Citizens’ United action was legalized are jubilant knowing they can buy our elections without revealing their source. They are the ones calling the shots now. We’re headed down the slippery slope to becoming a banana republic with that unscrupulous bunch in control. Any gay man or woman who voted for that should be ashamed of themselves. They’ve dealt us a major setback indefinitely.