| 00:00:1423 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
Hey, folks, how are you? (Applause.) It’s a good day. (Applause.) It’s a real good day. As some of my colleagues can tell you, this is a long... |
| 00:00:374 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Please be seated. |
| 00:00:4121 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
It was a great five-star general and President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who once said, “Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, fairness... |
| 00:01:0215 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
By repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" today, we take a big step toward fostering justice, fairness and consideration, and that real cooperation President... |
| 00:01:1754 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
This fulfills an important campaign promise the President and I made, and many here on this stage made, and many of you have fought for, for a long... |
| 00:02:111 min. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
It is both morally and militarily simply the right thing to do. And it’s particularly important that this result was fully supported by those within... |
| 00:03:218 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
He already has enough power. Don't -- (laughter.) |
| 00:03:2926 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
And it couldn't have been done without these men and women leading our military. And certainly it could not have been done without the steady, dedicated... |
| 00:03:5522 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
Mr. President, by signing this bill, you will be linking military might with an abiding sense of justice. You’ll be projecting power by promoting... |
| 00:04:1736 sec. |
Biden, Joseph "Joe" R. Jr. - Vice President, [D] United States
Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States of America, the Commander-in-Chief, Barack Obama. (Applause.) |
| 00:04:5315 sec. |
AUDIENCE, -
Yes, we did! Yes, we did! Yes, we did! |
| 00:05:083 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you! Yes, we did. |
| 00:05:114 sec. |
AUDIENCE MEMBER, -
Thank you, Mr. President! |
| 00:05:153 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
You are welcome. (Applause.) |
| 00:05:181 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
This is a good day. |
| 00:05:191 sec. |
AUDIENCE MEMBER, -
Yes, it is! |
| 00:05:2011 sec. |
AUDIENCE MEMBER, -
(Inaudible.) (Laughter.) |
| 00:05:312 sec. |
AUDIENCE MEMBER, -
You rock, President Obama! |
| 00:05:335 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Laughter.) |
| 00:05:3827 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
You know, I am just overwhelmed. This is a very good day. (Applause.) And I want to thank all of you, especially the people on this stage, but each... |
| 00:06:0547 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Sixty-six years ago, in the dense, snow-covered forests of Western Europe, Allied Forces were beating back a massive assault in what would become known... |
| 00:06:5244 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And during the firefight, a private named Lloyd Corwin tumbled 40 feet down the deep side of a ravine. And dazed and trapped, he was as good as dead.... |
| 00:07:3660 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
For the rest of his years, Lloyd credited this soldier, this friend, named Andy Lee, with saving his life, knowing he would never have made it out alone.... |
| 00:08:3644 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And Lloyd’s son is with us today. And he knew that valor and sacrifice are no more limited by sexual orientation than they are by race or by gender... |
| 00:09:2028 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So this morning, I am proud to sign a law that will bring an end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” (Applause.) It is a law -- this law I’m about... |
| 00:09:4837 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
No longer will our country be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans who were forced to leave the military -– regardless of their... |
| 00:10:2531 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
As Admiral Mike Mullen has said, “Our people sacrifice a lot for their country, including their lives. None of them should have to sacrifice their... |
| 00:10:567 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
That’s why I believe this is the right thing to do for our military. That’s why I believe it is the right thing to do, period. |
| 00:11:0353 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Now, many fought long and hard to reach this day. I want to thank the Democrats and Republicans who put conviction ahead of politics to get this done... |
| 00:11:5621 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Today we’re marking an historic milestone, but also the culmination of two of the most productive years in the history of Congress, in no small part... |
| 00:12:172 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
I want to thank Joe Lieberman -- (applause) -- and Susan Collins. (Applause.) And I think Carl Levin is still working -- (laughter) -- but I want... |
| 00:14:1930 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
I also want to commend our military leadership. Ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was a topic in my first meeting with Secretary Gates, Admiral... |
| 00:14:491 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
And two years later, I’m confident that history will remember well the courage and the vision of Secretary Gates -- (applause) -- of Admiral Mike... |
| 00:16:1850 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And finally, I want to express my gratitude to the men and women in this room who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Services. (Applause.)... |
| 00:17:0847 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Because of these efforts, in the coming days we will begin the process laid out by this law. Now, the old policy remains in effect until Secretary... |
| 00:17:5526 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Now, with any change, there’s some apprehension. That’s natural. But as Commander-in-Chief, I am certain that we can effect this transition in... |
| 00:18:2133 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
I have every confidence in the professionalism and patriotism of our service members. Just as they have adapted and grown stronger with each of the... |
| 00:18:5437 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
As one special operations warfighter said during the Pentagon’s review -- this was one of my favorites -- it echoes the experience of Lloyd Corwin... |
| 00:19:3129 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Finally, I want to speak directly to the gay men and women currently serving in our military. For a long time your service has demanded a particular... |
| 00:20:0014 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
You’re not the first to have carried this burden, for while today marks the end of a particular struggle that has lasted almost two decades, this... |
| 00:20:1430 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
There will never be a full accounting of the heroism demonstrated by gay Americans in service to this country; their service has been obscured in history.... |
| 00:20:4426 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
There can be little doubt there were gay soldiers who fought for American independence, who consecrated the ground at Gettysburg, who manned the trenches... |
| 00:21:1032 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And so, as the first generation to serve openly in our Armed Forces, you will stand for all those who came before you, and you will serve as role models... |
| 00:21:421 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
And you need to look no further than the servicemen and women in this room -- distinguished officers like former Navy Commander Zoe Dunning. (Applause.)... |
| 00:22:5344 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
There are a lot of stories like these -- stories that only underscore the importance of enlisting the service of all who are willing to fight for this... |
| 00:23:3725 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
That is why I say to all Americans, gay or straight, who want nothing more than to defend this country in uniform: Your country needs you, your country... |
| 00:24:0237 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Some of you remembered I visited Afghanistan just a few weeks ago. And while I was walking along the rope line -- it was a big crowd, about 3,000 --... |
| 00:24:3956 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
For we are not a nation that says, “don’t ask, don’t tell.” We are a nation that says, “Out of many, we are one.” (Applause.) We are a... |
| 00:25:352 sec. |
AUDIENCE MEMBER, -
Thank you, Mr. President! |
| 00:25:373 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you! |
| 00:25:404 sec. |
AUDIENCE MEMBER, -
We're here, Mr. President. Enlist us now. (Laughter.) |
| 00:25:4448 sec. |
AUDIENCE MEMBER, -
(The bill is signed.) |
| 00:26:327 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
This is done. (Applause.) |