Joe Biden and Barack Obama denounce disrespect for gay soldier at Republican debate
Appearing on ABC’s The View, Vice President Joe Biden was asked by co-host Joy Behar what he thought about the booing of a gay soldier and his question about the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy at a recent Republican debate (ABC/The View):
“I did have a visceral response [to the booing]. And I’m not sure if it’s because my son spent a year in Iraq. And I know my son and all the kids with him — “kids”, they’re grown men, I don’t think they give a damn if a guy firing a rifle to protect them is gay or straight. I don’t think they care about that. Now look, this kid risked his life. This kid is there for a year. And I, quite frankly, I thought it was reprehensible.”
President Barack Obama also used the incident to go after the Republicans during a fundraiser in San Jose. According to ABC News radio, Obama said (KLPW):
”Some of you here may be folks who actually used to be Republicans but are puzzled by what’s happened to that party, are puzzled by what’s happening to that party. I mean, has anybody been watching the debates lately? … You’ve got audiences cheering at the prospect of somebody dying because they don’t have health care and booing a service member in Iraq because they’re gay. That’s not reflective of who we are.”
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