Hillary Clinton opposes "don't ask, don't tell" military policy in speech to gay activists

In a keynote speech on Friday, Democrat Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told the Human Rights Campaign that she wants a partnership with gays if elected president.

Hillary Clinton also said she opposes the "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays in the military that was instituted during her husband's presidency.

"I am proud to stand by your side," Clinton said. "I want you to know that this is exactly the kind of partnership we will have when I am president," Clinton told the group. "I want you to know that just as you always have an open door to my senate office, you will always have an open door to the White House and together we can continue this journey."

Clinton's husband Bill Clinton was president when the Pentagon instituted the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which says gays may serve in the military only if they keep their sexual orientation private. In 1999, as she prepared to run for the Senate from New York, Clinton publicly opposed that policy.

Previous to Bill Clinton's administration, gays were flatly forbidden from serving in the military, but Hillary Clinton said it would be safer for the nation if openly gay soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen could wear the uniform. "This policy doesn't just hurt gays and lesbians, it hurts all our troops and this to me is a matter of national security and we're going to fix it," Clinton said. Clinton's chief rivals for the Democratic nomination, John Edwards and Barack Obama, have also declared that they would favour repealing the policy.

She also attacked the Bush administration for making political appeals based on gay rights issues, vowing that her presidency would mark "the end of leadership that has politicized the most personal and intimate issues."

Well, all I can say is that it's about time. In this day and age, it looks like we finally have a presidential candidate who will stand up for equal rights for all,irrespective of race, gender, religion or sexuality. I don't know why the otehrs find this basic principle so difficult. I like Hillary, I know she can come across as a bit shrill and calculating but she's working on that, at least she's getting out there and meeting people. Maybe she should think about having that makeover suggested by Donatella Versace..