Pelosi: ‘Don’t ask’ will be ‘memory by end of this year’
“The Pentagon’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will be nothing but a memory by year’s end, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declared Wednesday.
Pelosi, in an interview with The Hill, stopped short of laying all of her strategic cards on the table. She wouldn’t say whether the House will take the lead on the issue or predict when the Clinton administration-era tenet would be repealed.
But she made it clear ending “Don’t ask, don’t tell” is at the top of her agenda.
“I don’t have any doubt that ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ will be a memory by the end of this year,” she said.”
As The Hill notes, the bill that would end DADT still has just 192 co-sponsors, 24 short of a majority. But Pelosi has shown a willingness to fight for what she wants, and if she’s willing to make statements as stark as this, she must be pretty confident that the votes will be there.
Some conservative Democrats have said they don’t want to vote on the controversial bills, especially in the wake of tough votes on healthcare and climate change.
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225 comments Add your comment
JohnnyReb
May 21st, 2010
12:45 pm
Normal – I respect your and and any other blogger’s opinion on this topic who has actually served in the military. Those that have not served may think they understand, but they do not. As to kicking my butt, it would not take much. 1 – I’m 63, and 2, my military training past basic was how to chase electrons. I can, however, bomb the hell out of you and send petro up to a circling thirsty fighter!
theyeshaveit
May 21st, 2010
12:49 pm
Scout, you know THAT was not the point. The point is that there some good men and women in the military at this very moment and a number of them may be gay. That they are should not preclude them from serving their country. It IS their country, too, you know.
Big D
May 21st, 2010
12:49 pm
You were answered…you’re just in denial, but I’m sure you’ve heard that before.
AmVet
May 21st, 2010
12:56 pm
Big D, so humor me and repeat it!
99% of who?
LOL…
Gale
May 21st, 2010
1:05 pm
“The support sections of the military and politicians can have all this useless dialog about sexual orientation, but the grunt that’s getting shot at and living in hell could not give a damn.”
And the military has discharged some of those grunts who were decorated for bravery in combat just because they were gay. Face it, the flamboyant types are not enlisting. The gays that enlist just want to serve in the same way straights want to serve. The only “openness” they want is to stop the need to lie about themselves.
Jenkins
May 21st, 2010
1:11 pm
The only people against it are secretly homosexuals anyway. Just like those evangelicals and ministers who rail against it and have been caught w/ their pants down. Kinds like that marine guy in American Beauty
JKL2
May 21st, 2010
1:12 pm
It’s the ones who hold press conferences to try and prove some point or Soldiers who want to get out and use this as an excuse to get that are discharged.
There are always exceptions, but generally the system works well.
williebkind
May 21st, 2010
1:45 pm
If we end DADT then we must initiate the draft! I want all liberals to have a chance to be a part of something they do not believe in.
williebkind
May 21st, 2010
1:46 pm
Jenkins
May 21st, 2010
1:11 pm
That is a lie! You can find progessive liberals disguised as republicans in every election.
williebkind
May 21st, 2010
1:47 pm
If it is vile and disgusting, the liberals are for it.
Scout
May 21st, 2010
1:49 pm
theyeshaveit:
Yes there are ……….. and again you make my point. Just keep it to yourself.
williebkind
May 21st, 2010
1:54 pm
DADT allows them to serve! What else do you want? To have sex with the platoon! On the parade field! Besides what I can tell most homosexuals in the military are women–or want to be. Oh well it is not about serving in the military it is about making our country accept homosexuality as NORMAL. Not in my family.
Scout
May 21st, 2010
1:57 pm
williebkind:
Ooo Rah! Fix bayonets ……………..
casual observer
May 21st, 2010
2:00 pm
Hey Bookman ??? Why don’t you serve in the military before you try your liberal social program. And your Daddy doesn’t count.
Scout
May 21st, 2010
2:05 pm
casual observer:
“Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea.” Samuel Johnson (1709-1784).
However, in his defense we are all trying to be “journalists” here …………………
williebkind
May 21st, 2010
2:10 pm
Scout
May 21st, 2010
2:05 pm
Well watching CNN or Fox News you have to be a lawyer to become a journalist. Jay needs to go back to school.
kjdf
May 21st, 2010
2:37 pm
i guess amvet is ready to put the current prez/vice prez on trial and in jail as they have not changed any policy of the former administration and even have embraced many of them.
kjdf
May 21st, 2010
2:40 pm
Pelosi will be ‘memory by end of this year’
8:00 am May 21, 2010, by Jay
DannyX
May 21st, 2010
3:21 pm
We just can’t have gays serving. Most of the guys I’ve talked to are against it because it would be too tempting. They are away for long periods of time. This would open up the army to tons of sex. Not gay sex, just you know, minor stuff.
Scout
May 21st, 2010
4:42 pm
williebkind @ 2:10 :
LOL !
DannyX
May 21st, 2010
5:16 pm
Hey Scout, would you have been more inclined to be on the receiving end of a hand job if gays were allowed when you served? The fear in getting caught I’m sure stopped you before. Would you have given in? Out of desperation of course.
Jenkins
May 21st, 2010
6:45 pm
Williebkind…This isn’t a political ruse; it’s about sexual orientation stupid. I have found that those who usually jump up and down and yell the loudest AGAINST being gay, usually embrace it in private. But are cowards afraid to let the general public know their real feelings. It’s OK if you are gay, we still accept you and value your opinions.
Scout
May 21st, 2010
7:59 pm
DannyX:
That was quite an infanitle response but I’ll humor you. First of all, Gays were in when I served. Mostly in the Air Force, Some in the Navy, Coast Guard and Army and even a few in the Marine Corps (although the Corps made it a practice of weeding them out in bootcamp). They have always served in our military from the Revolution forward and some of them quite honorably and heroically.
That’s not the point. The point is keep it to yourself and there are others that do not want to know about you perverse sexual orientation and are repelled by it. It’s just that simple.
Dino S.
May 21st, 2010
10:31 pm
It is time for don’t ask don’ t tell to go period. US Representative Patrick Murphy is the first Operation Iraqi Freedom Vet to serve in congress and he is the lead sponsor of the repeal. Comon people get a clue.
Scout
May 21st, 2010
10:46 pm
Dino S.
…………. and he is a politician looking for votes ………….. not a career military man.