Reid calls on Obama to show leadership in helping repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

By John Byrne
Thursday, October 1st, 2009 -- 9:27 am
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harry reid rotunda Reid calls on Obama to show leadership in helping repeal Dont Ask, Dont TellSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has personally called on President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to show "leadership" in helping Congress repeal the law banning openly gay soldiers from serving in the US military.

In a letter penned to Obama Sept. 24, Reid reiterated his opposition to the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which allows gays to serve in the military as long as they don't come out, and highlighted the cases of two servicemembers who are set to be expelled for revealing their sexual orientation.

"Last month, I had the opportunity to be the keynote speaker at the Las Vegas Human Rights Campaign gala dinner," he wrote, referring to the D.C.-based gay rights lobby group. "At the dinner, I was introduced to First Lieutenant Daniel Choi, a West Point graduate who served honorably in Iraq and was an Arab lingust. This past April, ... Lt. Choi receive a discharge letter from the Army after he publicly revealed that he is gay. According to published reports, Lt. Choi's fellow soldiers knew he was gay, but most cared more about his strong leadership of his unit rather than his sexual orientation."

President Obama has said that he supports the repeal of the military's ban on gay soldiers. He hasn't, however, used his executive authority to suspend the policy, as gay rights activists have called on him to do. More than two hundred gay servicemembers have been expelled from the military since Obama took office in January.

"I... request that you bring to Congress your recommendations on [don't ask, don't tell]," Reid said. "Your leadership in this matter is greatly appreciated and needed at this time."

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The letters were copied to The Huffington Post's Ryan Grimm. (The letter to Obama can be read here in PDF form, and the letter to Gates here.)

Because the policy is part of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, it must be repealed by Congress. Reid called for its repeal earlier this year. Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), who is openly gay, said earlier this year that the House didn't have enough votes to nix the measure, but that the Democratic leadership plans to bring up the issue in 2010. In the Senate, Democrats would need 60 votes to overcome a Republican filibuster.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was instituted by President Bill Clinton as a compromise between those who felt that gay servicemembers should be banned entirely, and those who wanted gays and lesbians to be able to serve openly. Prior to the policy, Pentagon officials were accused of witchhunts in going after gay soldiers.

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Story comments are below...
  • bayside
    Reid says show leadership to obama.. That is rich ,when we gave him 60 votes and he still concedes to republicans. I believe he is working against us in every way possible and needs to change parties..He is not a dem..
  • groovygrover
    Reid asking for the President to lead. What chutzpah. He should take his own advice.
  • prsteve11
    Harry Reid needs to be defeated, both for this and other matters.
  • DownriverDem
    Defeated?????? Then we get a repub??? Think about it.
  • But we already have a Republican.
  • DownriverDem
    The American People to Reid: Show courage: Pass a health reform bill with a public option.
  • rmb
    Harry Reid couldn't lead a little league to Diary Queen.
  • WJM
    Yeah, Harry, berate others for not standing up for what YOU want. Leadership, my butt. That's really funny coming from the single most spineless POS that has ever been majority leader, from EITHER party.

    I am all for dismantling DADT. It's a travesty that we use to separate people from their own lives and citizenship. And what does it solve? Anything at all? Not from what I can tell. It, just like damn near every other right wing policy, has been a disaster for those who are really impacted by it. And yes, I know it's a Clinton thing, but I consider him to have been a republican, just like I do Max Bauchus and Joe Lieberman. They can call themselves whatever they want, but I look at their actions, which are screaming REPUBLICAN right in my face.

    Go home, Harry. You are NOT a person who has ANY business gong around telling others that they aren't being leaders. YOU have NEVER shown an ounce of spine, and for you to talk about ANYONE else not living up to YOUR expectations is the height of hypocrisy.

    Yo, NEVADA! Do us ALL a favor and send this spineless POS home. You can do FAR better than him, and the rest of us NEED him to be gone so that someone else with even a modicum of strength can take over and do the job.
  • TakeOurCountryBack
    Harry "Spineless" Reid tells Obama To show some leadership..............That's Laughable

    Would he expect Obama to show the same "Leadership" that he uses?........ More Laughs!
  • kscitydude
    Now might be the perfect time to do this. I would sure take the focus off healthcare.
  • Name
    Harry! Isn't that a little "Calling The Kettle Black"?. Pun intended.
    The hypocrisy is breathtaking! Why don't you,Pelosi and most of the other "Enablers" just pull all your seats together! No need for an aisle!
    I am disappointed by pretty much the entire govt.
    Time for "We The People" to start looking for alternatives,whatever the cost.
    America is slipping away right under our "American Idol" watching noses.
  • I swear, Ho-hum Harry has Republican moles working on his staff. Is it possible the Majority "Leader" is as obtuse as he comes off?
  • po
    Re: "Because the policy is part of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, it must be repealed by Congress."

    So, Reid, how's 'bout showing us some leadership, eh? On this, or any other subject currently under consideration by the US Senate.

    I'm soooooooooooo tired of Congressional Democrats trying to blame their failings on the POTUS, whether the POTUS has an (R) or (D) after their name. Do your jobs, this president will do his.
  • Tino
    funny to see Harry Reid pretend that he has a pair after hiding behind Nancy Pelosi throughout most of the healthcare debate... but he's right, Obama has to show leadership and do what his executive powers allow him to do

    but some part of me thinks Obama will never use his executive powers for this, it'd just allow the right wing to make him out to be a leftist dictator, instead he'll need congress to support it, maybe even carry it into law from beginning to end, that way it looks like it was part of a more uniform national effort and not just the decree of the current leadership
  • Ahhh, some red meat from Harry.

    I definitely think we need to stop being such dolts about gays in the military.

    But Harry, this isn't going to get you out of the mess you helped create by not showing real leadership over the health care issue.
  • marinessuck
    Senator Reid, show some initiative and get the fuck out of the Senate you worthless asshole!
  • alfredo
    Hei, Reid! show some leadership on health care. Tell Baucus, and the other blue asses, on the Senate finance committee to to go and "Cheney" themselves. In their asses.
  • Name
    With all the problems facing this country right now, is "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" really that big of an issue right now? Seriously, these asshats will create any sort of diversion to distract from doing their jobs.
  • philedrifter
    Show leadership, President Obama:
    FIRE EVERYONE AND START OVER
  • dennycrane
    Reid, your mormon "magic" underwear is showing. Why don't you "fight" for single payer and quit changing the subject matter to another problem that you dumbasses will "fold" over at the end anyway. Prick.
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