SOUNDBITES — “There was symbolism today as well that did not go unnoticed. This was also President Bush’s former Secretary of Defense — the President who brought us the illogical, unnecessary and hurtful Federal Marriage Amendment fight. That it would be this Secretary of Defense who would deliver this message to Congress was particularly remarkable to those of us who still wear the scars of that pitched battle. … It’s important to note that Secretary Gates made another important statement today. He reminded the panel that it is ultimately up to Congress to rescind this law. And that’s exactly what the President and Congress must do forthwith: move forward with legislative repeal to give the Pentagon the full authority to close the books on this stain of discrimination. In the end, we’re confident the military will find what every other study has found over these nearly two decades: that there is growing support for repealing the ban on serving openly both within and outside the military, and that many countries have opened up their service and found no resulting performance issues.” —HRC president Joe Solmonese on today’s DADT hearings (via)
reason
The fact that this Secretary served under Bush doesn’t mean a darn thing. The fact of the matter was that Rumsfield was in that chair when the Bush administration took this country off the rails not Gates. Gates was already a distinguished public servant from administrations past, who left his dream job as president of Texas A&M to save the country from certain disaster. He was disgusted with the Bush Administration like everyone else when he selflessly volunteered to serve his country again, and stayed on in the Obama Administration because their is still important work to be done. Gates is not a partisan but a realist that will make decisions that are best for the country regardless if they are supported by the right left or center. Solmonese’s tears won’t disguise the fact that he has done a piss poor jobs uniting homosexuals and organizing an affective movement around the country.
Brian NJ
Joe’s leadership is grossly misguided. Joe just refuses to hold Obama accountable for showing leadership. And there are countless reports that the Administration is the mover and shaker on the order of the Congressional agenda, not Congress itself. Congressional action has always FOLLOWED presidential leadership this year — e.g. stimulus, health care and everything else.
Joe is raising serious questions about corruption at the HRC, if he ever takes an appointment in the Obama Administration. If he is protecting the Administration from criticism, there should be hell to pay.
Sam
Where’s Bill Clinton? He gave us DADT.
Brian
Another fundraising opportunity for HRC. It figures. Gee whiz, $550 million isn’t enough Joe? How about some results HRC?
Tim W
Great as he even said it will same as other studies. So why isn’t HRC saying to the president another study is not needed. ACT NOW.
Brian
Joe Weaselese.
Brian
What did Solmonese and Herwitt do at the Democratic Party retreat? How did they advance the national gay agenda? Did HRC spend $30,000 to be there? What was the cost to HRC?
From http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/
Where in the world was Joe Solmonese, the head of the Human Rights Campaign, this weekend and what was he doing to secure federal protections and equality for gay Americans?
According to a document obtained by Ben Smith at Politico.com, Solmonese and HRC’s legislative director Allison Herwitt, were at the Ritz Carlton in Miami Beach, schmoozing with Democratic U.S. Senators. As with too much at HRC, real transparency about the org’s leaders and their efforts to change federal policies comes not from HRC, but reporters like Ben Smith, who deserves kudos from gays for this important ray of sunshine.
Answers are not posted at the HRC site. You’ll recall that last weekend Solmonese made a high-profile appearance at the Sundance film festival, and his web site was devoid of any details on his visit to Utah.
I sure would like to know what Solmonese accomplished at Sundance and down in Miami Beach, but I guess it’s asking too much of him and his org to keep the community fully informed at this crucial time about his jet-setting advocacy.
In a related matter, today’s front-page New York Times story on the conflict over potentially lifting the Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell ban on openly gay people serving in the military, omitted HRC. Yes, America’s largest political gay advocacy org, which is supposedly integral to the effort to do away with the ban, doesn’t merit even a passing reference in the Times piece.
So, this is lobbying?
Charles Merrill
HRC is leaning towards a “faith based” business model paying Pastor Harry Knox over $80,000.00 per year plus perks. In my opinion religion is the way to move backward not forward. Fundraising and giving funds should never be an excuse for activism.
Cam
Joe was teary because the fact that he kept telling gays to not pressure the govt. and to back off was wrong. They have been pressured and guess what….there is now movement. He is also scared because if gays get rights he’s out of a job.
Caleb
@Sam –
Bill Clinton has been fairly outspoken for the last year about his desire to see DADT repealed.
And saying he gave it to us isn’t exactly true either. But it’s tiring trying to convince some gays to stop rewriting history for their own benefit. Then again, they’ll do the same to Obama I’m sure.