Video: Ability for Log Cabin Republicans to enlist, at pace of Log Cabin Syrup

« Go back a post || Return to G-A-Y homepage || Haul tail to next post »

04/21/2010

by Jeremy Hooper

"The president has a process and proposal I think that he believes is the best way forward to seeing, again, the commitment he has made for many years to changing that law."

Robert Gibbs: White House Will Wait Until Pentagon Completes DADT Repeal Study [J.M.G.]

Brava to The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld for keeping pressure on. Bravo to those within the administration and congress who are genuinely working to make this reality. Cheers to the activists, from grassroots to netroots to roots with multi-million dollar endowments, who dedicate the physical and mental energy to keeping this conversation alive.

But a big, fat cold shoulder to those forces of regression who pretend to be working on the machine that is American virtue, but who are really turning the wrench counterclockwise when they think nobody's noticing. Sick of it.

***

**UPDATE: A friend rushes us a transcript, for those who can't clearly hear the vid:

Q The President was heckled pretty persistently on Monday night about “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal. Six LGBT veterans chained themselves to the White House gates yesterday -- I think you actually saw it. All of these actions --

MR. GIBBS: I was walking through the park at that time.

Q You were walking, just a casual walk through the park. Were you pushed back by Park Police -- no, I’m just kidding.

MR. GIBBS: I will say -- can I mention the Park Police?

Q Yes, sure.

MR. GIBBS: I think many people I’ve seen, and I think we were asked yesterday the role in which the White House played in that. Obviously the Park Police has -- rightly took responsibility for some overzealous actions; they corrected those -- albeit belatedly. The White House and the Secret Service did not have any role in that decision-making and I think the Park Police has taken -- rightly taken responsibility.

Q Let me get back to the question. So there was the heckling on Monday night, there’s the veterans yesterday at the White House gates handcuffing themselves to the fence. All of these actions are aimed at getting repeal this year, something the White House has sort of declined to commit to since the State of the Union address. Has the White House misjudged the level of patience among LGBT and grassroots activists on this?

MR. GIBBS: No. Again, I would remind anybody on this issue -- look, first of all, I will say this. Obviously the President made a commitment in the presidential campaign, and understands the passion that people hold the belief that all should be able to serve. The President holds that belief too.

But I would remind folks that wasn’t a belief that the President held in 2007 -- that’s a belief that the President held in running for the Senate as far back as 2003.

The President has made and is committed to making this changed law. I don’t think he’s underestimated the -- as you said, the patience of some. The President wants to see this law changed, just as you’ve heard the Chair of the Joint Chiefs and others in the military say that it’s time for that change to happen.

Q But he’s committed to them letting the Pentagon work through its working group process until December 1st, is that true? He’s committed to that?

MR. GIBBS: Yes. The President has set forward a process with the Joint -- the Chair of the Joint Chiefs and with the Secretary of Defense to work through this issue.

Q Before any legislative action is taken -- that rules out legislative action this year?

MR. GIBBS: Well, again -- the House and the Senate are obviously a different branch of government. The President has a process and a proposal I think that he believes is the best way forward to seeing, again, the commitment that he’s made for many years in trying to -- changing that law.