Stewart Pummels Obama For Not Repealing 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' (VIDEO)

Comedians have made no bones about their frustration with President Obama of late. Bill Maher, referring to the health care debate, pleaded with the president to
"stand up for the 70% of Americans who aren't crazy." SNL ran a skit Saturday saying Obama has done "nothing, nada" since taking office. And Jon Stewart has taken on the president for not staying on message, and failing to get a public option passed.

Stewart continued on this trend tonight, taking on Obama and his administration for not repealing "Don't Ask Don't Tell," despite many promises to do so on the campaign trail. The president and his team have said he still plans to do so, but that he has too much on his plate. Stewart's response? "It's f**king chow time, brother."


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Comments

[Morgaro]

This argument should be based in already available evidence, not speculation. There are western countries with equal rights and obligations policies for gay service members. Gay soldiers have already fought (and died) alongside US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

There is no available evidence that there has been detriment to the protection of the nation, the fighting force, or morale, in other western nation's armies, or in US forces they have fought alongside. There is evidence of benefits to recruiting.

[Poorsarah]

"Don't ask, don't tell" is one of the worst/worthless pieces of policy to ever be employed in our nation. Who made this policy, a junior high brat? This kind of thinking surely could not have come from an adult...the policy is too childish. The DADT garbage doesn't make any sense. Yeah, like it's a deep-dark secret that courageous homosexual ladies and gentlemen are serving in our military with excellence and valor; these people are putting their necks on the line so you and I may still live free. What a waste of time and taxpayer money...DADT needs done away with.

[healthcareguy]

lol, check out these funny videos www.videomedy.com

[cyndeewi]

Obama please work on healthcare first. People are dying out here because they have no insurance.

[Beca]

Our President would not have to do much to ensure that every American is granted all protections, guarantees and priviledges our laws and our Constitution already guarantees to all its citizens. All he would have to do is sign an Executive Order. He does not have to negotiate, haggle or compromise, he just has to sign an Executive Order. This is a Civil Rights issue, not some whim on the part of a group of people.
Health Care Reform is critical and it will probably take a few more runs before all the "compromises" of all the corporate lobbyists get ironed out and neatly fit into a reform that will no longer be a reform for the people, but for the private health insurance industry.

Lets not be so selfish and selfserving all the time. As Americans, we should all care that not all American citizens have equal protections under the law, or are granted all the priviledges, protections and rights under our Constitution. This should matter to all of us, for we cannot really call ourselves a free democracy when we are still ok or indiferent with denying equal rights and legal protections to a group of people, regardless of what they look like or who they are.

[QuietNetworker]

That's been "his" full court press for the last quarter.
However, even there he's 'not spinning that plate" with
much intention. Hell, there isn't even a little side dish
of single payer debate.

So given this, I find your plea to be false and perhaps
indicative of a kind of "Don't got a horse in that race"
ME first, You ...well, You when you're like me...

...the president can End DADT with an executive order.

And he can stop defending DOMA.

Finally, he can say, "I support the legislative branch
members who have drafted the Respect for Marriage
Act. Let's pass it."

He could even have GIBBS say it.

So what's the reason to 'wait' at all?

[Eriq]

Yahoo, doggies!! Go Jon!!!

[cyndeewi]

Go Jon for what? Can you give Obama a chance please. How about African Americans and other groups that need Obama as well.

[Beca]

Look cyndeewi, first, how about we make sure that every single American is granted EQUAL RIGHTS under the law, how about if we make sure that every single American is guaranteed all rights and priviledges granted to all under our Constitution first? All discrimination and hate crimes is ugly, regardless of who it is directed to. Discrimination and hate against you is not any worse than discrimination and hate against me.
Then we can work on the institutional racism and other discrimination issues plaguing our country. But until this country does not honor its Constitution and give EQUAL PROTECTIONS under the law to ALL Americans, we can't begin to adress institutional discrimination--it would be a farce and everyone would know it.
Like Jon Stewart says, it would not be very hard for President Obama to sign an executive order stating that from now on, every single American is guaranteed all rights, priviledges, and protections our Constitution already guarantees and our laws state. He does not have to negotiate deals, compromise or anything. It is a civil rights issue. By doing so, he would then be trully protecting and preserving our Constitution--which is in essence, his primary responsibility as President.

[MaggieMamacat]

Watch the video again. Take note of the information about how easy it is to sign an executive order. That's how Truman abolished racial segregation in the military. He didn't beg Congress for permission, he didn't listen to the people who howled that it would ruin morale yada yada. He signed an executive order and told everybody to grow up and deal with it. These other issues you mention are important and must be addressed, but they're not the kind of tasks you just finish off in an afternoon. This one is. So get it out of the way and then while the wing nuts are wetting themselves and having convulsions we can hurry up and pass health care and be half way through some other much-needed reform before they remember how to speak in complete sentences. Truman could have said, "Let's solve a bunch of important things first and maybe we'll integrate the troops some time when Congress is in the mood." Instead he put an end to that nonsense with one signature. Do you think he was wrong?

[Eriq]

Man, it turns out there were NO choices in last year's election... as always!
America is for the dogs.

[greenriverkate]

This DADT must be done away with soon. We are losing so many in the military that we need so desperately. I am sick of watching useful, smart, intelligent people kicked out for no reason. Obama should have got on this immediately when he took office as we are short military recruits and truly needed these people. They were trained and in place, what a waste of monies. Look, I am straight but God knows, I am not out on the make 24/7 and neither are they! Like us, they do their work, they do as directed, they follow the law and doubt that many have time to "hunt" as so many of you think. For cryin out loud, these are our kids, the entire United States. Why are we turning our backs on our own kids? We need them far more than they need us/

[hapiday]

Umm... brother? Getting a little too familiar.

[djgizmoe]

Rolls eyes.

[oldcliche]

Ever heard of Hulk Hogan, brother?

[Json]

Probably just a big fan of Desmond on Lost.
See you in another life, brotha'.

[Mosby12]

Obama was elected for change... how is that "change" working out for the homosexual community.
Obama does not support Gay marriage and has not move and will not move on "don't ask..."

My hope of getting work... not working out either.

Talk is cheap Obama... how about some walk?

[expatwing]

"Sorry videos not available in your country" !!!!!! wtf HuffPost?! Since when can the UK not watch daily show clips?! Arrrrgghhh­hhsahsflka­kmecopadk

[makeshiftriot]

It's not HP. Its Comedy Centrals embed. Try it on their site. It may just be messing up.

[expatwing]

Yeah - after I posted this I went to the comcen website and they apparently aren't allowing videos out of the US anymore! A year ago they cut back on the full episode feature and now we can't watch anything! Argh!

[beckpod1]

I think it's good that we call our president down on things...
He's still a politician...
President Obama is the best we've had in a long time...I think he can deal with the critics!
Keep calling it as you see it JON!

[JIzin]

My feelings exactly :D

[Matt7]

Good comments.

[MaggieMamacat]

It's ultra cool that we can call our president down on stuff and he doesn't even accuse us of being un-American or hating the troops. I can imagine him laughing at some of these jokes himself.

[FirstShirt]

An executive order is all it takes. Truman did it with blacks in the military. Oh, it also takes guts.

[TruthSeeker09]

You should do some research on Truman's executive order. The military ignored it. It did not produce the sweeping change that people have romanticized that it produced...

Even Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, when he was on Rachel Maddow's show, said that he believed that the problem lies with senior military leaders who are averse to change. That suggests that if they are not inclined to support a change in the law, they are not likely to support a unilateral change in policy through an executive order.

Executive orders are not the way to deal with an existing law. They are open to willful ignorance and more susceptible to legal challenges.

[Beca]

Yeah right, so lets not do anything and just wait for these idiots to come around! What do you think might have happened if that had been the attitude when the Civil Rights Law came to effect, or desgregation? . The issues were forced, ignorant people fought hard and angrily to keep the status quo or legal racism, but in the end, the law prevailed because the leadership stood its ground, despite the enormous explosion of anger, indignation and hate. We still have a long way to go on eliminating institutional and entrenched racism and discriminatoin, but at least under the law, most Americans (except gay people) are protected.

[edwarvir]

Let me be the first to tell you Stewart SLAVERY HAS BEEN ABOLISHED
This President has a lot on his plate, wars, health care reform
the economy just to name a few. Children killing children in America's
school. DADT can wait.

He has already worked harder in 9 mos than any other presiedent.

[Mosby12]

Yeah maybe... what has he acoomplished? SNL wants to know!

[iv08]

Good Point! cause SNL is NEVER WRONG. Just like they backed Hil in the primaries...how'd that work out for them...also P.S. to SNL please hire @ least 1 more colored man so you maybe can have an actual African American play Obama instead of being to afraid to have Keenan play Obama.

[SuperBenFranklin]

You know, he's got plenty to do without dealing with Don't Ask Don't Tell. Leave it to the military to figure it out if they want to change, or leave as is for now.

[KillgoreTrout43]

The military doesn't write policy. Obama could suspend DADT with the stroke of a pen. Then recommend permanent change to Congress.

[zenlikejen]

When you've served your country for nearly 20 years - QUIETLY - as the military asks of them these days and you STILL get outed and lose everything you've worked for...you would certainly not be willing to sit back and wait for the powers that be to finally pull their collective heads out of their backsides and catch a clue.

I understand your point - but that's the WHOLE POINT of Stewart's rant! It shouldn't take much from him to change this.

[LuvzAmerica]

Isnt it a known risk though???? I am not saying its right or wrong... I am pointing out FACTS... we all know what the military policy is at this time... and yet, some people take the RISK.

[FirstShirt]

Nice evasive technique you have there. Stand up and tell everyone if you vote for me I'll eliminate the don't ask, don't tell policy and then go back on your word. He can do it right now if he wants. Has he done it?

[MaggieMamacat]

Do you believe Truman should have let the military decide whether or not they wanted to end racial segregation? IMO Truman made the right choice, but if you think he was wrong I'd be interested in hearing your reasons.

[FunPie]

I imagine the women being gang raped and locked in storage units would prefer to have more openly gay men serving around them.

https://thefunpie.wordpress.com/

[Provit2me]

They would. At least there would be a MAN to help protect them from the cruel and insensitive 'real' men. Just having a male (gay or straight) around that could help is better than no one. Also, no one seems to discuss how the straight guys gang rape other guys. I know I had to be at a court martial for 4 "guys" who did exactly that. They were "straight".

[FirstShirt]

Not sure what military you are referencing but the female soldiers I knew could kick a mans a**. They were tough and physical and still very feminine and in great shape. And not scared.

[LuvzAmerica]

Well thank you... but I was not a soldier, I was a Marine. LOL

[MaggieMamacat]

It's a mercenary reference, KBR did that to female employees and locked them up so they couldn't complain about the crimes. Check the Huffpo story about Franken's bill passing for more information. But if you think rape happens because victims are weak, you're very mistaken. Tough, brave women (and men) can be overpowered and sexually assaulted just like tough brave people can be robbed or murdered. I do hope that if you ever speak with a victim of rape or any other violent crime you won't say anything so cruel.