Defense Department
spokesman Geoff Morrell issued a statement
Thursday suggesting that discussions about repealing
"don't ask, don't tell" are, in fact, taking
place at the Pentagon. 

"President Obama
has been clear in his direction to Secretary Gates and Chairman
Mullen that he is committed to repeal the 'don't ask,
don't tell' policy," Morrell said. "He has also been
clear that he is committed to do it in a way that is least
disruptive to our troops, especially given that they have been
simultaneously waging two wars for six years now. Although this
will require changes to the law, the secretary and chairman are
working to address the challenges associated with
implementation of the president's commitment."
The comments were a
180-degree reversal of what Morrell had told reporters during a
Tuesday briefing. "I do not believe there are any plans
under way in this building for some expected, but not
articulated, anticipation that 'don't ask, don't tell'
will be repealed," Morrell said.
White House press
secretary Robert Gibbs, who has been saying for weeks that
President Obama is working with military leaders and Congress
to change the policy, enthusiastically reported news
of Morrell's change of heart during the press briefing
Thursday.
Responding to a
question from Air America's Ana Marie Cox about Morrell's
Tuesday proclamation, Gibbs said, "If I'm not mistaken,
the Pentagon did correct that statement on efforts regarding
the reform on 'don't ask, don't
tell.'"
 

"So there are active
conversations happening now?" Cox asked.
 

"Yes. Yes," Gibbs
responded.

The entire exchange between Gibbs and Cox is below:
(Editor's note:
When President Truman desegregated the armed forces via
executive order, he changed a military policy, not a law. The
legal nature of "don't ask, don't tell" differs in
that it is an actual law passed by Congress. Also, a repeal
bill was introduced in the House in early March, but
no piece of companion legislation has yet been introduced in
the Senate.)
COX: So you had said
that the president is working with the Pentagon and the Joint
Chiefs of Staff on "don't ask, don't tell,"
but earlier this week the Pentagon said that the conversations
were "initial" and that there is "no sense of
any immediate developments in the offing on efforts to repeal
"don't ask, don't tell.'" So I
wanted to give you a chance to correct the Pentagon on
that.
And I have two other questions. What other policies are
there --
 

GIBBS: If you
ask like that you're going to get bumped up to, like, the
first row. [
Laughter
]
Let me address the first question because, if I'm not
mistaken, the Pentagon did correct that statement on efforts
regarding the reform on "don't ask, don't
tell."
 

COX: So there are
active conversations happening now?
 

GIBBS: Yes. Yes.


COX: OK. And then I
wanted to know if there are any other policies that the
president believes to be, as you said yesterday about
"don't ask, don't tell," not in our national
interest but is content to let Congress take the lead on? And
second, President Truman didn't see it necessary to clear
desegregation through Congress, so how is this
different?
 

GIBBS: Well, I
don't want to put words in your mouth, but maybe I was --
maybe I used some poor language, but the president is involved
in these discussions. It was the president's commitment to
overturn the policy that's not in our national interest
that is the reason for these discussions and for the effort to
overturn this. So I think the notion somehow -- the reason
Congress is involved is the only durable and lasting way with
which to overturn the policy is to do it by law. That's the
--
 

COX: So when can we
expect a durable policy on racial desegregation in the
military, since that's never gone through
Congress?
 

GIBBS: Well, I'm
out of my depth as a lawyer. And I'm not exactly
sure the timing of when President Truman did that, but my sense
is that there were also some legal proceedings around that. Try
as one may, a president can't simply whisk away standing
law of the United States of America. I think that's maybe
been the undercurrent of some of the conversations we've
had over the past few days on Guantanamo Bay. But if you're
going to change the policy, if it is the law of the land, you
have to do it through an act of Congress.
 

COX: And so there's
pending legislation? I didn't see any.
 

GIBBS: I don't know
what's been introduced in Congress.
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