bring some progress. but you know, the concerns of gay service members and their families were not enough to move most republicans to supporting the repeal of don t ask, don t tell. the difference here i think is that, a, there s a lot more to be known, the politics are changing, but the military as an institution is saying, it is greatly disruptive to us as peoo follow orders if our orders and privileges are delivered unequally. we can t function as an discriminatory organization. i think it s difficult. people think of the military as this gigantic institution, which it is, but think about just life on a base. it is so stark, i think it brings into such shopper focus the problem with doma. there s been not a peep out of the elected republicans this week. not a peep. i said let me defend my
but you know, the concerns of gay service members and their families were not enough to move most republicans to supporting the repeal of don t ask, don t tell. the difference here i think is that, a, there s a lot more to be known, the politics are changing, but the military as an institution is saying, it is greatly disruptive to us as an institution where people need to follow orders if our orders and privileges are delivered unequally. we can t function as an discriminatory organization. i think it s difficult. people think of the military as this gigantic institution, which it is, but think about just life on a base. it is so stark, i think it brings into such shopper focus the problem with doma. there s been not a peep out of the elected republicans this week. not a peep. i said let me defend my fellow republicans. you have to start somewhere. it s true.
don t ask, don t tell. and chuck hagel got on the record yesterday, talking about the support he has of that. take a listen. i m fully committed to implementing the repeal of don t ask, don t tell. and doing everything possible under current law to provide equal benefits to the families of all all our service members. so, sir, hagel has said military chaplains will not be forced to perform or oversee marriage equality ceremonies. but do you think that hagel has satisfied the concerns of what have been legitimate ones from the lgbt community, especially given the fact that the president has come out for marriage equality. the fact that the president has been forward on the full repeal of don t ask, don t tell. and now that that would fit squarely in the purview of chuck hagel. well, he satisfied my concerns. and my concerns had to do with whether he would, in fact, take
hagel s confirmation? oh, we re going to do hagel first? okay. very tough, grueling day for senator hagel, but i have seen no shifting of votes from supporters. and i think the key question, joe, is is he qualified to be secretary of defense? is he qualified? and i believe he is. my vote will be for him because on issues like iran and israel, he indicated he is strongly in favor of unilateral sanctions against iran, and if necessary, military attack to prevent iran from becoming nuclear armed. on israel, strong support for israel s security. on sexual assault in the military, unequivocal, clear determination to go after it. on repeal of don t ask, don t tell, another very important issue, unequivocal support for implementing that repeal. on strategic issues, undersiege warfare, submarines, another very important source of surveillance as well as military
the hispanic vote. okay. or that. a school in colorado allowed its students to say the pledge of allegiance in arabic. are muslims getting special treatment? can mogul al gore co-exist with activist al gore. my overyoul world view has never changed. america must engage in the world. not retreat from the world. i am fully committed to the president s goal of preventing iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. i have always said i am a supporter of israel. i m committed to effectively and efficiently using every single taxpayers collar the right way. i am fully committed to implementing the repeal of don t ask, don t tell. i will work with the service chiefs as we officially open combat positions to women. you said the surge would be the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since vietnam. i would like to answer whether you are right or wrong and then you are free to elaborate. i m not going to give you a yes or no. i think it s far nor complicated. and to go