Cheney backs 'Don't Ask' repeal

[ohiodemocratic]

Source: Politico

2-14-10

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served as defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, expressed support for the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy, which President Barack Obama has asked Congress to work on this year.

Cheney told ABC’s “This Week” that 20 years ago when he was secretary of defense, the military was a strong advocate of the policy that bans gays from openly serving in the military, but that “things have changed significantly since then” and he anticipates that ultimately “the policy will be changed.”

“I think society has moved on,” Cheney said the policy shift is partly “a generational question.”

Cheney cited support for repeal from Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as reason that he believes it’s time to “reconsider” the policy, and he disagreed with some Republicans, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), in saying that he would not question the military’s advice on the matter.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/0210/Cheney_backs_Dont_Ask_repeal.html?showall

---

What a crappy article. Nowhere are we told that Cheney's daughter is gay. In my view, Cheney only supports the repeal because his daughter is gay. He does not care about the gay community.

[donheld]

1. Wow! I actually agree with Cheney on one thing.

[keroro gunsou]

23. even a broken clock...

you know the rest.

[Frank Cannon]

48. You beat me to it.

Go fuck yourself, Dick Cheney.

[stillwaiting]

2. It literally makes me sick that Cheney speaks out for immediate repeal and Obama does not.

I understand it's because he has a gay daughter. That's the only way conservatives evolve to liberal positions. It has to happen to them in order to see the wisdom that's inherent in the liberal viewpoint.

[RKP5637]

3. +1, n/t

[struggle4progress]

17. When BigTimeDick served atop DoD, his "opposition" to the policy of ejecting

gay servicemen and lesbian servicewomen was limited to remarking vaguely that the policy was "an old chestnut." He served as VP under a party platform that called for a Federal Marriage Amendment and labelled homosexuality incompatible with military service. In the ABC "This Week" interview, he does not call for "immediate" repeal: he merely says "I'm reluctant to second-guess the military ... When the chiefs come forward and say, "We think we can do it," then it strikes me that it's -- it's time to reconsider the policy"

I can't see anything positive Cheney has actually done of this issue, after all his years in DC

[vegiegals]

4. I do not care why he supports the change, but I am glad he does. Sometimes

it takes a close family member to show the parents that life can be lovely/beautiful even if gay. That happened with Cheney. Good.

[onehandle]

5. BFD. 75% of Americans do. He's just acknowledging the inevitable.

Fuck you, Dick.

[BunkerHill24]

18. Hear, Hear!

[stray cat]

6. He cares about his daughter and accepts her - thats good for the entire community

[TheIdiot]

38. a voice of reason & compassion... n/t

[O is 44]

7. It would hold more weight if he

said these things when he was in charge. He's still evil.

[harkadog]

12. He did say that in the 2004 debate with Edwards.

[TheIdiot]

39. and more recently...

with his wife on that Faux News show with Greta What's-her-name...

[24601]

21. In Charge of DoD, yes. In charge while VP? Of what? The VP

presides over the Senate but is in no way, shape or form in charge of it. The VP is not in the Chain of Command and is not a Deputy Commander in Chief. The Chain of Command runs from the President directly to the Cabinet Secretaries & Agency Chiefs. No disrespect to the long line of VPs throughout history, but they are in charge only of whatever staff the President lets them have. The VP can issue whatever orders he wants and nobody but his immediate staff is under any obligation to follow them. They are in fact not orders but advice or suggestions, nothing more.

[madmom]

8. cheney is only changing his "opinion" because he has been

called out finally. He changed his mind about DADT, he agrees with Obama's handling of Afghanistan. He's backing up and trying to make himself look good, like ALL bullies do when confronted.

[activa8tr]

13. Excellent point about bullies, Eddie Haskell comes to mind, I bet

Cheney was a regular Eddie Haskell, (from "Leave it to Beaver") when he was a kid.

[SnakeEyes]

29. Not the case.

This is consistent with his statements dating back to at least the 04 election.

[slackmaster]

9. Cheney supports the repeal because he hates gays and lesbians

He wants them sent to war so they can be shot at.

[FarLeftFist]

10. He didn't actually say he backed it....

Just that society has moved on. In his heart he doesn't back it, he didn't even really care to elaborate on it too much either.

[SnakeEyes]

30. That's still different

than sticking to a backwards mentality and saying he doesn't support the repeal.

[onenote]

11. its probably true that his view on DADT is attributable to his having a gay daughter

But I would suggest that there are many many supporters of repealing DADT who came to that position only after learning that someone they are related to or close to is gay.

[TheIdiot]

40. hey... whatever it takes. n/t

[No Elephants]

14. Society has moved on. No thanks to you or those like you, Dick.

[Grassy Knoll]

15. Cheney is just pissed because.....

his boss wasn't killed when in office so he could have been " 44 ".
I don't think he wished well for that admin. unless he called the shots,
Even GWB didn't agree with his kill em all agenda.

[WhiteTara]

16. yeah right.. That's why

he rushed to make it happen during the past 8 years.

[WillParkinson]

19. Of course he does!

Republicans will be more than happy to have some more body fodder out there for their wars.

[earcandle]

20. Is Cheney an elected or appointed official or out of office now? What does his POV even matter?

[EFerrari]

22. Why does anyone care what this sociopath has to say?

He should be behind bars.

[hay rick]

28. Next we get Charles Manson on board. nt

[mitchum]

24. Of course, that warmonger doesn't want to limit cannon fodder

[tucsonlib]

25. ...and Hitler built the Autobahn.....n/t

[SemperEadem]

26. oh now he does... where was this during the course of the last 8 years?

Fuck him. Who gives a good goddamn what he backs?

[SnakeEyes]

31. In the 04 debate with Edwards

he said he supported the repeal. As VP there wasn't much he could do.

[BrklynLiberal]

27. He is still a shithead.

[ejbr]

32. +1 n/t

[Divine Discontent]

41. +2. It's like hearing Hitler say kittens are a beloved animal and all should have one. Pet owners

don't wanna hear Hitler talk about loving cats because Hitler was shit.

Cheney is not Hitler, but my point is the same. We don't wanna hear that ass agree with us on anything, we just want him to shut the *uck up about EVERYTHING.

[TheIdiot]

42. nobody ever said he wasn't...

but he's been quietly un-repug on this issue for as long as I can remember.

[Quantess]

33. Who asked him his opinion?

Seriously, does he think he is still relevant?

[Hulk]

34. Like WHO really gives a rat's ass what this war criminal/thug thinks???

I could care less what this disgusting, vulgar, walking piece of shit has to say about anything.

He should be behind bars, and his daughter should be given a uniform and sent to Iraq to police the markets in Baghdad.

[lib_wit_it]

47. This is a perfect example of this belief that he, and therefore his issue, is superior to all.

[tomhayes]

35. He's doing it ONYL because of his daughter

I strongly believe if she passed away that he'd reverse his position.

[TheIdiot]

43. cite...? n/t

[tomhayes]

46. Hey idiot (which I think is your real name)

That's why I used the word BELIEVE in my reply. Because *I* believe it to be true.

[Blue Owl]

36. But he's opposed to Don't Look/Don't Shoot

n/t

[TheIdiot]

44. yeah, but he's a prick...

with a gay daughter who he's stood behind for years. I try to be a little discriminating... learn to hate the sin, not the sinner.

[Javaman]

37. Cowardly chaney...

It states nothing about dickheads daughter being gay, and why is he in such agreement now?

He could have said something when he was in office but no, he was too chicken shit to do that out of fear of pissing off his bigotted base.

However, now that Obama is doing this, that's the same Obama that dickhead was railing about recently as being weak on terrorism, now suddenly agrees with him?

Because dickhead knows he doesn't have to placate to the ultra right insane fucks any longer for his own personal gain.

The man is a prick.

[bamacrat]

45. How can the scum on the right be against this now. Their Messiah has said gays are a-ok!

But of course he would be ok with this. Not because his daughter is gay but because he sure as hell wouldn't want to go to fight so let them. That is how I see it. I don't want to go into the Army, seriously contemplated it in 2002, not because of the kill the trrrrsts mantra but because I hadn't decided if I really wanted to go to college and it seemed a good way to see the world and get ahead. But alas after I thought about everything and the ramping up to Iraq I declined. So if a gay person wants to I am for them. We need a military who wants to serve, not a military that does so out of desperation or there is nothing else to do.