Cheney sort of backs "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal (video)

Former V.P. Dick Cheney appeared on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday where he was asked if he was in favor of repealing "Don't ask, Don't tell" (DADT). Cheney's response was a very carefully worded recognition that times have changed and that, based on Adm. Mike Mullen's statements to the Senate Armed Services Committee, repeal seems likely and that it's time to "reconsider the policy".
Yesterday the queer-o-sphere was all over this story with headlines like these: "Cheney Endorses Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (LezGetReal), "Dick Cheney Supports "Don't ask, Don't Tell Repeal (The Huffington Post).

Well, folks, Cheney didn't quite "endorse", "support" or "push for" lifting the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the armed forces. He simply acknowledged the times have changed in the 17 years since the policy went into affect and that maybe it's time to take another look at it.

Yesterday, after reading what a major breakthrough this is for LGBT rights, I posted a status update on FaceBook saying, "It's great that Cheney came out in favor of repealing DADT this morning, but the guy is no longer in a position to do anything about it. He's yesterday's news. He's not running for anything. He has no influence. Nobody cares." 


I was challenged on my position by a gay conservative friend who argued that Dick Cheney still has a lot of influence in the GOP and conservatives still listen to him. I pointed out that the GOP had rejected Bush/Cheney in the lead up to the '08 election and had distanced themselves from the failed policies they had fully supported for seven years. I enjoy these kinds of debates, because I think it's good to hear both sides

While Cheney's words may be the closest we get to anything pro-gay on the subject, let's keep in mind that this is the same guy that threw his own lesbian daughter under the right wing bus in '06 when the Neo-Cons were pushing for an amendment to the US Constitution banning same-sex marriage. While he did say that he thought the government shouldn't get in the way if two people wanted to get married, he never lifted a finger to stop the Marriage Amendment effort, that was nothing more than a twisted "get out the vote" exercise using homophobia as motivation.

The fact is that Cheney's subdued endorsement for ending DADT carries no weight in the obstructionist GOP. These guys follow their party's leading grumpy old men, Senator John McCain and House Minority Leader, John  Bhoener, who have both said that the current policy is working just fine. The Republican Party's need to block any Democratic proposal is stronger than any impulse they may have to do the right thing, even if Cheney's words made a difference. I'm sorry guys, but this story is a non-story.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Cheney Endorses Repeal Of Don't Ask-Don't Tell (lezgetreal.com)
• Cheney endorses effort to repeal DADT: 'It strikes me that it's time to reconsider the policy.' (thinkprogress.org)
• Dick Cheney Supports 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal (huffingtonpost.com)
• Reconsider 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' Cheney Says (blogs.abcnews.com)

Don't Get Mad, Get GLAAD

Media watchdog the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), which recently gave failing grades to most of network TV for their lack of LGBT characters and story lines, posts a daily list of recommended viewing of TV shows with positive depictions of the queer community.

Who knew?

While I (and the rest of us) appreciate the work this group has done over the years to foster a more accepting environment for LGBT people, they really need to get a better publicist. You can rage against the machine all you want, GLADD, but it doesn't help if nobody knows you doing it!

Wait a minute. That sounds a lot like what I do. :-/

So here's a list of GLAAD's recommended viewing for Tuesday, August 25, 2009:

8:00 pm Hell’s Kitchen, FOX (1 hr) NEW
Gordon Ramsey is back and this time he has a new crew behind him. Mainly, season two-winner, lesbian Heather West as his new sous chef. Maybe she can give lesbian contestant Tennille a few pointers on how to deal with Ramsey’s outbursts.

8:30 pm Ruby & the Rockits, ABC Family (30 min) NEW
Ruby, an up can coming young rock stars, gets new bass player, Nils, who she soon falls for. But sorry Ruby, your bassist has a secret!

9:00 pm Big Brother, CBS (1 hr) NEW
Tonight will determine who has the Power of Veto. Let’s see if Kevin can win it on behalf of gay roommates everywhere!

10:00 pm Flipping Out, Bravo (1 hr) NEW
Jeff Lewis and crew are back for a third season, but with the economy in the toilet, flipping houses isn’t such a lucrative option. Maybe they can take a page from Zoila’s book and clean them? Yeah, right! Better watch and see what happens!

10:00 pm Addicted to Beauty, Oxygen (1 hr) NEW
If you needed one more reason to fear cosmetic surgery and medi-spas here it is. Watch as these catty six work and play together all while trying to take care of customers needs.

I'm especially intrigued by "Ruby and the Rockits", featuring ex-Partridge turned Las Vegas cheese ball, David Cassidy as a middle-aged man who finds out he has a teen-aged daughter who wants to be the next Miley Cyrus. (That's right, shoot for the stars, kid.) This show should be a lesson to all of us about the dangers of unprotected sex.

I haven't watched this one yet, but it may be worth a visit just to see if Cassidy will be wearing his signature ruffled puffy-shirt and red velour vest with matching bell-bottoms.