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Some controversy is brewing in the 6th.
Democratic 6th Congressional District candidate Tammy Duckworth is at odds with two national gay rights groups over whether she supports repealing the military’s don’t ask, don’t tell policy.The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network put out a news release Wednesday praising Duckworth for supporting legislation that would repeal the ban on letting gays and lesbians openly serve in the military.
But a campaign spokeswoman said Duckworth doesn’t support the legislation.
“I think she only supports a repeal (of the ban) if it was deemed appropriate by military commanders of the armed forces,†Duckworth spokeswoman Christine Glunz said after the Daily Herald told her about the release. “The press release is incorrect.â€
But Steve Ralls, the organization’s spokesman, said the group based its news release on a statement Duckworth gave to the Human Rights Campaign.
The statement she gave to the group follows:
“When I was serving in Iraq, it made no difference to me what the sexual orientation of my comrades was. It certainly did not matter to me what the sexual orientation was of the men or women who helped save my life after my Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over Iraq,†Duckworth said in the statement, which her campaign acknowledges is correct. “Any qualified American who is willing to make that kind of sacrifice for our freedom should be free to do so.â€
UPDATE: Austin Mayor has the latest GOP mailer that slams Duckworth.
A wise man once said that a political ad can sometimes inadvertently reveals more than was intended. Today’s installment from the National Republican Congressional Committee reveals one thing clearly: The GOP is out of ideas.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 8:56 am
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Duckworth is right. What she is discovering is what happens when you are a Democrat and are naturally expected to pander to special interest groups, even wacky ones like this one.
There is also an assumption by the wackos that since she is running for office, she can be bought and told what to say.
Welcome to politics - 21st Century style!
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 9:24 am
Tammy Duckworth served in Iraq?
Comment by Pingu Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 9:27 am
VanillaMan, your bigotry is repulsive. God forbid gays and lesbians be allowed to serve their country just like everyone else. Such a “wacky” notion.
Comment by anonymous Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 9:46 am
Maybe they should have asked her what her position was, instead of arrogantly assuming what it was based on a rather innocuous statement of her personal philosohpy while serving in Iraq.
Comment by Al Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 10:17 am
So what she said in the past doesn’t apply Al? Great logic!
Comment by Ron Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 10:23 am
“I’m talking about local traffic relief and flood control and relationship with local government and my opponent is weighing in on the national liberal social agenda,†he said.
Skeeter made this Roskam argument with me when I asked Austin about Duckworth’s stand on don’t ask don’t tell
I just want to know why you care so much about an issue that doesn’t matter to nearly anyone else.
Well, Roskam and Skeeter have it wrong. It’s War time and Duckworth better suited then most of us to comment on this one.
Ane her response is a pretty good one too:
“Any qualified American who is willing to make that kind of sacrifice for our freedom should be free to do so.â€
And besides being free to do so, deserving of some respect from the Gov…
This a far bigger ad then the looks of the models on Roskam’s ads by the way.
Comment by Bill Baar Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 10:23 am
far bigger issue I mean…
Comment by Bill Baar Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 10:24 am
I agree with Duckworth. Neither of us are opposed to gays serving their country. Whoever anon 9:46 is seems to be over emotional and a little crazed. They sound like someone who thinks that if you disagree with gays on any issue, you must be a bigot. That is what this posting is about - single minded crazies demanding supreme omnipotence and refusing to listen to anyone that disagrees with them.
Duckworth is right. She can score on this politically by refusing to buckle to haters like anon 9:46. As a good soldier she is deferring to her superior’s expertise and intelligence. This is something some people don’t seem to understand since they have confused self righteousness with being correct.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 11:00 am
I am for letting anyone serve. The problem is more serious than that. A friend’s father who served in Vietnam during multiple tours and has been in the military since then, who is a democrat said it is not that simple.
Comment by Wumpus Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 11:10 am
Fran Eaton bizarrely claims Major Duckworth is somehow injecting sexual issues into national security.
News flash 1: Duckworth didn’t bring it up, liberals like SLDN and conservatives like Bill Baar have been asking her about it for some time.
News flash 2: Duckworth doesn’t want anyone to ask or tell. She says it doesn’t matter. And it doesn’t. Gay Americans can shoot a gun or drive a tank or navigate the high seas just as well as any other Americans.
Does Roskam support allowing all Americans who are able to serve and sacrifice for their nation to actually be able to join the military, regardless of sexual orientation?
Where’s his clear response? Or did it get deleted like his connections to the NRA.
Comment by NW burbs Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 11:27 am
For the sake of good order and discipline and to remove the military from partisan politics the Joint Chiefs should allow gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military.
The ban is out of touch with modern realities where it’s pretty normal for people to be gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 12:13 pm
I asked Duckworth’s office about it a long time ago and was told she had no position on it.
The one in the Herald isn’t bad. She gives her personal experience and then defers to the Generals and Admirals.
Roskam is clear too.
Neither Roskam and Duckworth that far apart really; other than Duckworth can give a combat officers view. And that counts for a lot.
If I were Duckworth (if I were Roskam) I’d come out more strongly in favor of dropping it (again with deference to the brass) and link it directly to the assualt on the ROTC programs over don’t ask, don’t tell.
Those are the real culprits here for me. The activists who use this issue to pull ROTC off campus.
Hunt down Cal’s posts on the Gay Games at McHenry…somewhere you’ll see me posting those Gay Game supporters should have made a point of doing just that… stand up a demand a right to serve… it went over like a ton of bricks with the Gay Game advocates.
Comment by Bill Baar Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 12:13 pm
I’d say both parties are out of idea, Austin. That will be true when we see Duckworth’s direct mail start hitting. Post those too, would you please? Thanks!
Comment by Ron Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 12:27 pm
What do you think, 16 people maybe? are going to be voting on this issue come November.
Comment by HANKSTER Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 12:47 pm
This is nothing more than a GOP way to stir up the loonies on the far right, along with flag burning and gay marriage.
Unfortunately for them, there just are not that many in C6 anymore. The ones who are there were probably going to show up and vote anyway, since they love Roskam’s extreme views on stem cells and abortion.
Like Austin said, the GOP has run out of ideas
Hankster nailed this one. In C6, the issue is worth 16 votes.
Comment by Skeeter Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 2:07 pm
This is not the way to be the pro military “MODERATE” they want her to be. The area she wants to represent(not where she lives)will not think this is a moderate stand, she is just a Democrat having to bend over backwards to the homosexual lobby.
An officer does not have to share squad bays with others and has their own areas and more often than not their own rooms.
This is a military issue not a civil rights issue when you are in the military you have no rights
Comment by RAI Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 2:44 pm
RAI,
Who do we think knows more about a well-functioning military?
Major Duckworth? As you may know, she was a Major who served in Iraq. That story has been covered a bit.
Or Roskam, a personal injury lawyer who never served a day?
Sometimes it is nice to hear from people who know what they are talking about. Major Duckworth knows that she is talking about.
Comment by Skeeter Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 3:57 pm
Ron (10:23)–what Duckworth said had nothing to do with what her position was on “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Just because Duckworth said she didn’t care about the sexual orientation of people serving under her in Iraq doesn’t mean she supports overriding the military commanders and having Congress repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell.” You can’t extrapolate her position on a major change in military policy based on those personal sentiments, and that’s what this interest group did when they sent out their press release.
Comment by Al Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 4:07 pm
Duckworth gives whatever view General Rahmmel tells her to. She may be an accomplished woman, but she is running the way Rahm tells her to.
Comment by Wumpus Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 4:14 pm
We Gays and Lesbians are taking the complete wrong approach to this. We should be saying that we don’t want to serve and that we should be “protected” from serving in the military. One the radical right wing that controls the Republican party heard that, they would be drafting us and sending us to the front lines in Iraq.
Comment by Coloradem Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 4:54 pm
Shame on the GOP for attacking a genuine war hero, Tammy Duckworth, who lost 2 legs on the field of battle in service of her country.
Furthermore, there is NOTHING in the public record that says Tammy will “vote to raise taxes”. The ghost is the former principled leaders of the Republican Party who never would have tolerated such treatment of an American war hero.
Comment by Minion Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 7:15 pm
So who is attacking her service? Pull your skirts down and buck up. Every time her name comes up, you knee-jerks start crying. Her service was admirable, she gave more than most in service to this country. With that said, I don’t want her to represent me in congress. These extremists here think that any disagreement w/Duckworth on any issue is either attacking her military service or some attack on her because she is female. The jig is up.
Actually, the dems want to bring back the draft.
Comment by Todd Castro(ger) aka Wumpus Thursday, Aug 10, 06 @ 11:21 pm