Former Bush Adviser: ‘Republicans Are So Far Out Of Step’ On ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

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Former Bush Adviser: ‘Republicans Are So Far Out Of Step’ On ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

Last week before the House passed an amendment to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), the policy that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly, Republicans took to the floor to rail against repeal, calling it a “social experiment,” un-patriotic and an “insult” to the military. Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) claimed that “the American people don’t want the American military to be used to advance a liberal political agenda.”

Today, on ABC’s This Week, former Bush adviser Matthew Dowd asked rhetorically, “They socialize with kids that are openly gay and all of the sudden they go in the armed services, somebody gives them a rifle and they’re not supposed to be around gay people anymore?” Then he took a shot at the GOP intransigence:

DOWD: It doesn’t make any sense. It’s long been decided in the public’s mind. I think the Republicans are so far out of step about this, where the country is…Republican office holders are so far out of step with this.

Conservative columnist George Will later said “the case is over” on DADT. Noting overwhelming public support for DADT repeal from both progressives and conservatives in America, host Jake Tapper then asked, “What’s going on with the Republicans in Congress?” Will replied, “They’re not being very intelligent.”

Watch it: http://thinkprogress.org/2010/05/30/dowd-gop-out-of-step/

Dowd and Will are right — the GOP is way out of step with Americans on DADT. A recent CNN poll found that 80 percent support allowing gays to serve openly in the military. “Support is widespread, even among Republicans. Nearly six in ten Republicans favor allowing openly gay individuals to serve in the military,” said CNN polling director Keating Holland.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Yes. The rest of the country has moved on. nt