a suicide bombing hid explosives in his turban. rabbani was heading welcome back to hardball. welcome back to hardball. a new era in the american military began at 12:01 this morning when the pentagon morning when the pentagon stopped enforcing the don t ask, don t tell law, which said gays and lesbians could serve only if they did not reveal their sexual orientation. well, president obama issued a statement this morning that read in part, quote, as of today, patriotic americans in uniform will no longer have to lie about who they are in order to serve the country they love. as of today, our armed forces will no longer lose the extraordinary skills and combat experience of so many gay and lesbian service members. and today, as commander in chief, i want those who were discharged under this law to know that your country deeply values your service. stacy vasquez was an army sergeant first class who was discharged after being outed, if you will, and aubry sarbas also served in the u
worldwide. now back to chris and hardball. what a day. welcome back to hardball. a new era in the american military began at 12:01 this morning when the pentagon stopped enforcing the don t ask, don t tell law, which said gays and lesbians could serve only if they did not reveal their sexual orientation. president obama issued a statement this morning that read in part, quote, as of today, patriotic americans in uniform will no longer have to lie about who they are in order to serve the country they love. g of today, our lose the extraordinary skills and combat experience of so many gay and lesbian service members. and today, as commander in ch discharged under this law to know that your country deeply values your service. stacy vasquez was an army
and even though a senator from his own party s side, the late robert byrd, insisted on an additional 60 days wait just because an additional 60 days waiting after the military said it was ready to implement repeal of the policy. this all happened despite republicans continued effort right until the very end, until now, to delay repeal further. there was initial resistance from some corners of the military. despite that, on the eve of repeal, tonight everyone charged with making this thing happen seems to be in line and onboard with getting rid of don t ask, don t tell. there will be a press conference about it at the pentagon tomorrow including the chairman of the joint chiefs and secretary of defense. the regulations, themselves, will change at 12:01 a.m., a minute after midnight tonight. in a few short hours, the policy of hounding people out of the military for being gay will end. tonight at midnight and tomorrow on what they re calling repeal day, i can confidently confirm there
day, i can confidently confirm there will be some celebration. what i have found myself wondering in recent days is how repeal day will be noted by people who fought to keep don t ask, don t tell in place. by the people who said we need to keep kicking gay people out of the military, 14,000 is not enough. how, for example, will john mccain spend repeal day? how will lindsey graham spend repeal day? how, for example, will the lady who said that don t ask, don t tell was responsible for the mass deaths of birds in arkansas? how will she spend repeal day? remember her? the blackbirds fell to the ground in beebee, arkansas. the governor of arkansas s name is beebe. and also there was something put out of arkansas called don t ask, don t tell by a former governor. this was proposed, bill clinton. and so could there be a
house and through the more problematic senate though the republicans filibustered it there. and even though a senator from his own party s side, the late robert byrd, insisted on an additional 60 days wait just because an additional 6 o day 6 waiting after the military said it was ready to implement repeal of the policy. this all happened despite republicans continued effort right until the very end, until now, to delay repeal further. there was initial resistance from some corners of the military. despite that, on the eve of repeal, tonight everyone charged with making this thing happen seems to be in line and onboard with getting rid of don t ask, don t tell. there will be a press conference about it at the pentagon tomorrow including the chairman of the joint chiefs and secretary of defense. the regulations, themselves, will change at 12:01 a.m., a minute after midnight tonight. in a few short hours, the policy of hounding people out of the military for gay will end. tonight at mi