“Yes.”
The follow-up, of course, is “When?”, but this is just about the best news we’ve heard from the Obama camp regarding the decade old policy banning gays & lesbians from openly serving in the military. It’s exciting not just because Obama will be fulfilling a campaign promise, but because after eight years of press secretaries serving as little more than obfuscating puppets, Robert Gibbs will answer your questions– and by way of YouTube, to boot. The question comes at about 4:18 in the video.
Carol Anne
All by himself? Won’t Congress have to revoke the legislation?
Brian Miller
It’s exciting not just because Obama will be fulfilling a campaign promise
Yeah, and I’ve got a beautiful seaside cottage in Wyoming overlooking Cape Cod to sell you — cheap.
dave
At least he’s trying. Give him the benefit of the doubt. You people honestly think that Clinton would have even attempted this since her husband was the one who enacted it?
Alex
I’ll agree with Dave re: benifit of the doubt, especially now that Rev. Robinson has been given a (late, but no less symbolic than Warren’s) position in the inaugural proceedings.
As for DADT, I don’t see why they don’t just stick it in the first military budget bill. The most conservative Dem (and even Republicans) have the cover of saying “I support the troops.”
Dave (Tx)
Ahhh doppleganger!?!?!?! But yeah I also agree with Dave on this one. Henceforth I’ll be posting under petted to avoid unnecessary confusion. Though it does seem like we’ve gotten a lot of news of timely appointments of late – just saying its a little uncanny, maybe I’ve gotten overly used to Bush it being 13 years for us in Texas, 5 as governor (which was bad enough at the time), it’ll be nice to see somewhat who’s not definitively far right as President now if only we could get someone competent in as governor…. sigh
Nick
It won’t happen in his first 4 years.
Obama is, above all, a politician, witness Rick Warren and many of his appointments. Obama is going to be a right of center president, it’s McCain lite kids. Get used to it.
BrianPrince
I’m with Nick… to a degree.
I don’t see Obama as McCain lite… although I think he’ll be a bit more center, and little less liberal than he has been portrayed. I do not, by any means, see Obama as this decade’s Tubman, King, or Grier… but I think it’s likely he’ll do more for us now, than what has been done in the last 16 years.
I suspect that if he feels he won’t be re-elected for a second term, he’ll pull the DADT Repeal Out of his rump, post-haste… if not, he’ll likely wait until well in his second term — so as to not alienate the conservative gay-haters in congress.
Hide your porn under your pillows, soldiers, it’s going to be a long haul.
Vanhattan
Obama has already lost my vote in 2012. Hell I wonder why I voted for him in 2009. He will have to EARN, really EARN my next vote. He can start by publically supporting same sex marriage, the repeal of DOMA, DADT, ENDA and FISA. Until then…..
GSM
If DADT gets repealled, there had be a clammoring enlistment from the gay community. If not, we should never have sounded a peep.