Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wrote letters to President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates asking for advice and "leadership" on the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Also last week, the Pentagon’s leading security studies journal, Joint Force Quarterly, published an article that called for the repeal of the ban.
On CNN's State of the Union, John King asked National Security Adviser Jim Jones if now is the time for President Obama to begin fulfilling his campaign promise and start repealing the ban that prevents gays from serving openly in the service.
The National Security Adviser responded: "The President has an awful lot on his desk. I know this is an issue that he intends to take on at the appropriate time. He has already signaled that to the Defense Department. The Defense Department is doing the things it has to do to prepare, but at the right time, I’m sure the President will take it on. ...Um, I don’t think it’s going to be—it’s not years, but I think it will be teed up appropriately."
Maybe a more "appropriate" time to pencil in our civil rights would be during one the West Wing's casual Fridays? Maybe after the Administration has discharged a couple hundred more gay servicemembers?
Watch, via Think Progress, AFTER THE JUMP.
In other words, we'll get around to it when we can.
Posted by: Palmer | 05 October 2009 at 10:10