Where the Democratic candidates stand on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Sen. Joseph Biden: “I would, just as president of the United States, end it. I would issue an executive order saying there will be no discrimination whatsoever in the military and everybody will be held to the uniform military code—so that if two gay people engage in illicit activity on the base, they’re gone; just like if two married people engage on the base, they’re gone. It’s simple. And the other thing is, I’ve talked to these generals in the field—France, Germany, England—they’ve allowed gays in the military for I don’t know how long. And 70% of the [U.S.] veterans—the people who got shot at coming back from Iraq—say they have no problem whatsoever serving with an openly gay person.”

Rep. Dennis Kucinich: “It starts with standing up for marriage equality...the fact is, the underlying issue of marriage equality is what truly establishes rights for our people. When you have marriage equality, issues like 'don’t ask, don’t tell' disappear. As long as you don’t have marriage equality, you have a two-tiered society, one with rights for one group of people and not rights for another. I want full rights for people who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender—full rights, period. We can set a higher tone in our policy—if it’s not an issue in our larger society, then it’s not an issue in our military."

Sen. Mike Gravel: “When I met with the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, I said, 'I'll do an executive order,' and they said, 'Senator, you can't do that, it's a law.' I said, 'Well, you just watch me.' Let me tell you, I've learned one thing about military people, those stars can come off as easy as they go on when you're commander in chief.... Bill Clinton was nothing but a wimp, and his wife joined him in that. She now says [the policy] was transitional—this was never transitional. They should have taken a page from Harry Truman, who said, ‘If I can’t get through the Congress the law to integrate the races [in the military], I’m going to do it as president.’ Omar Bradley, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the military wouldn’t stand still for it. And Truman said, ‘Well, if they won’t stand still for it, tell them to start bringing in their stars—I’ve got a drawer that they can put them in.' And that was it.’ ”

David Bonior, campaign manager for the Edwards campaign: “[Edwards] has made his position clear that he’s opposed to the policy. He believes that sexual orientation should not be a consideration for people who are willing to give their lives to serve the country and risk their lives—that should not happen. Actually, he came out maybe three months ago with his position on that policy. He will do whatever is necessary to get it [repealed], and quickly, once he is in office.”

Robert Gibbs, communications director for the Obama campaign: “[Obama] supports repealing it. I don’t think you need a strategy if you support repealing it. I would have to check on what the legislation says, but he has said he supports repealing it.”