# Obama aide confirms he will end "Don't ask, don't tell" in military **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 14, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331 "2009-01-14T21:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/1 "2009-01-14T21:39:33Z")
It seems that Obama is confirming that he will end the policy put in place by Bill Clinton in 1993. From the [San Fran Chronicle](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/13/MNTG159HHG.DTL&type=politics&tsp=1): > [@](#): > > On Friday, however, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs, responding on the transition team’s Web site to a Michigan resident who asked if the new administration planned to get rid of the policy, said: > > "You don’t hear politicians give a one-word answer much. But it’s ‘Yes.’ " How soon do you think this will happen and what effect will it have on retention and recruitment? I entered the Navy in 1993. When I first signed up I had to sign a statement saying I was not gay. When I went to boot camp, I signed a new contract with that portion blacked out. While I was in I new of at least three gay or bi men and of those two got kicked out. One justly (he was the head enlisted on the submarine and was sexually harassing young sailors), and one unjustly (someone made false accusations, but in the process of investigating them they found evidence that he was gay). I think with a better policy in place the first could have been removed sooner and the second not at all. Jonathan ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/2 "2009-01-14T21:58:22Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > …How soon do you think this will happen and what effect will it have on retention and recruitment?.. It’ll take an act of Congress to repeal DADT, but that won’t be hard to pass. As President and Comander-in-Chief Obama can issue an executive order on day one halting all DADT discharge proceedings (or halting any DADT investigations). This bigoted law will finally be gone in a month and the focus will shift to how to deal the partners of newly outed gay and lesbian servicemembers. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/3 "2009-01-14T22:03:11Z")
I hope this doesn’t derail Obama’s ability to deal with far more important issues at hand. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/4 "2009-01-14T22:05:58Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I hope this doesn’t derail Obama’s ability to deal with far more important issues at hand. Yeah, if I remember correctly DADT was Clinton’s fall back position when gays in the military met massive internal and external opposition. Jonathan ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/5 "2009-01-14T22:35:29Z")
I think it’s a great idea and I hope he follows through on it. I also hope it doesn’t cost him too much political capital to do all the OTHER stuff that’s important. He’s not even president and already he’s do a hell of a lot. I’m very encouraged and am highly looking forward to this presidency. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/6 "2009-01-14T22:45:41Z")
Hell, I almost care more about exposing Elaine Donnelly as the qualifications-less deranged hack she is than the substantive issues… ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/7 "2009-01-14T23:06:49Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I think it’s a great idea and I hope he follows through on it. I also hope it doesn’t cost him too much political capital to do all the OTHER stuff that’s important. He’s not even president and already he’s do a hell of a lot. I’m very encouraged and am highly looking forward to this presidency. > > -XT Handling this stuff early on is the way to go. It’ll be forgotten largely by the rank and file by election day. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/8 "2009-01-14T23:27:24Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > Yeah, if I remember correctly DADT was Clinton’s fall back position when gays in the military met massive internal and external opposition. > > Jonathan True, but we’ve come a long, long way in 16 years. Anyhow, if he does it maybe we can finally have an adequate number of Arabic translators. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/9 "2009-01-14T23:39:40Z")
I believe O has said elsewhere that he would not be taking the issue up in the first few months of his administration but rather would be consulting with the military top brass about it. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/10 "2009-01-15T01:12:52Z")
You can rest assured that Obama has already discussed this with Gates and the Joint Chiefs. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/11 "2009-01-15T01:34:13Z")
If this happens, how many military personnel will come out of the footlocker? Any guesses? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/12 "2009-01-15T01:50:28Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > If this happens, how many military personnel will come out of the footlocker? Any guesses? A lot of the gay ones I am certain. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/13 "2009-01-15T02:05:06Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Handling this stuff early on is the way to go. It’ll be forgotten largely by the rank and file by election day. I wouldn’t count on that. Anyone who was military in 1993 will tell you without hesitation that they blame DADT on Clinton and it’s a good thing he couldn’t get the ban lifted outright. If there’s any lesson to learn from the Clinton years, you don’t start out of the gate by leading with the culture war and grand sweeping social programs. The rightwing backlash is still rolling across the electorate. Sounds like Obama has learned this lesson. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/14 "2009-01-15T02:19:31Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > The rightwing backlash is still rolling across the electorate. Actually, I think it peaked in 2004. See [here](http://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Democratic-Majority-John-Judis/dp/0743254783/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-0323301-0796122?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182621390&sr=1-1) and [here.](http://people-press.org/report/312/trends-in-political-values-and-core-attitudes-1987-2007) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/15 "2009-01-15T02:49:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Anyone who was military in 1993 will tell you without hesitation that they blame DADT on Clinton and it’s a good thing he couldn’t get the ban lifted outright. Including the gay personnel at that time? Because a lot of them were mighty pissed as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/16 "2009-01-15T05:01:55Z")
If it’s not too much of a hijack, assuming Obama goes through with this, what do you think the effect on recruiting and morale will be? I hope, of course, that nothing changes (or that it improves), and I suspect in the long term that will be the case, but in the short term I’m afraid it might not be. And should this pass, to what lengths will daily life change? Will shower rooms and barracks be reconfigured? Will same-sex partners live in military housing? As someone who grew up on Army bases, it’s almost impossible for me to imagine, but I suppose that could very soon be the case, no? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/17 "2009-01-15T05:55:16Z")
Most military people I know of are quite aware that there are homosexuals in the military. I think Obama is going to go straight for a bunch of things and change them immediately, and then move on. Watch, he’ll do it fast, he’ll do it hard, and move on. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/18 "2009-01-15T06:08:28Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > If it’s not too much of a hijack, assuming Obama goes through with this, what do you think the effect on recruiting and morale will be? I hope, of course, that nothing changes (or that it improves), and I suspect in the long term that will be the case, but in the short term I’m afraid it might not be. And should this pass, to what lengths will daily life change? Will shower rooms and barracks be reconfigured? Will same-sex partners live in military housing? As someone who grew up on Army bases, it’s almost impossible for me to imagine, but I suppose that could very soon be the case, no? There will be no sweeping changes, and that is the purpose of ending the DADT policy. If the Military was forced to adapt to the population rather than the other way around, we might as well have one set of showers for blacks, one set for Jews, etc. The housing issue would have to be worked out so same sex married couples would live in on post housing. The big change would be that there would be no big change. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/19 "2009-01-15T06:13:40Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > I wouldn’t count on that. Anyone who was military in 1993 will tell you without hesitation that they blame DADT on Clinton and it’s a good thing he couldn’t get the ban lifted outright. If there’s any lesson to learn from the Clinton years, you don’t start out of the gate by leading with the culture war and grand sweeping social programs. The rightwing backlash is still rolling across the electorate. Sounds like Obama has learned this lesson. A lot has changed in 16 years. Teh Gay is not quite the 3rd rail it used to be. The right wingnut media will bitch and cry, but they’ll do that regardless and they’re becoming increasingy irrelevant anyway. As for the opinions of the rank and file – the military is a dictatorship, not a democracy. Their opinions mean nothing. They’ll do what they’re told and they’ll shut the fuck up and that will be the end of it. A clear message should be sent that harrassment of gay personel within the ranks will not be tolerated and as many examples should be made as necessary to get that message across. They all need to understand that Obama is the pimp, they are the bitches and that’s the end of it. He can’t fuck around and take shit from Bible thumping fascists in the military. That was Clinton’s mistake – not raising the possibility of lifting the ban on gays in the military, but turning it into a dialogue instead of a simple decree. There’s no reason to a have arguments with those people. His word is law. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331/20 "2009-01-15T06:15:37Z")
Doesn’t it need to be approved by Congress though? Barbara Boxer was on Maddow and they were talking about Senate approval. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-aide-confirms-he-will-end-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-military/481331.md?page=2)