Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Fighting a no-win Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 15:07:56 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NEWS ANALYSIS \HD Fighting a no-win battle? \SH Transition trips on gay-GIs issue \BY Rowan Scarborough \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES A campaign promise made months ago in the heat of primary battles is now threatening to rock Bill Clinton's hopes of a smooth transition from Arkansas governor to U.S. president. On Capitol Hill, some leading Democrats on defense matters are publicly breaking with Mr. Clinton on his pledge to open the military ranks to openly homosexual men and women. The Joint Chiefs of Staff he inherits from President Bush are already on record against him. And yesterday's second post-campaign news conference in Little Rock marked the second straight time the questioning focused not on the transition, but on how Mr. Clinton proposed to institute the revolutionary change in the military ranks and not rile moderate Democrats who helped elect him. William Bennett, a prospective 1996 Republican presidential contender who held posts in the Reagan and Bush administrations, says Mr. Clinton has made his first post-election mistake. "I think people said, 'Well, this guy's different. He's a centrist,' " said Mr. Bennett, a former education secretary and drug czar. "And if you look at focus groups, there's a lot of worry about groups like ACT-UP [a militant homosexual group]. They really are concerned about this. "American people are tolerant, not bashing. But they are concerned about gay activists and the ideas of gay activists permeating in schools and TV and in sitcoms." Clearly, a full-fledged Washington donnybrook looms ahead on a social issue Mr. Clinton never considered a top priority. It was in the early primary season that the then-Democratic presidential contender, responding to a questionnaire, pledged to repeal the ban on homosexuals in the military. The promise seemed fairly insignificant at the time during a campaign that focused on the domestic economy, not national security policies. But with the president-elect now in a position to quickly deliver on his pledge to homosexual activists - who strongly backed him in the presidential race - the issue has kicked up a storm obscuring other events in the transition. The first publicly fired warning shot came Sunday from a key defense adviser. "I agree with the present policy," Sen. Sam Nunn, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said on CBS-TV's "Face the Nation." The comment put Mr. Nunn, a Georgia Democrat and strong Clinton supporter, in direct conflict with the president-elect. The senator's statements included a dire warning of violence against homosexuals if the ban were lifted immediately. The congressional leadership has moved in recent days to steer Mr. Clinton away from taking quick action. Mr. Nunn wants a series of hearings. Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole of Kansas is urging the creation of a presidential commission. Mr. Clinton yesterday declined to endorse either path. But, after pledging on the campaign trail to take quick action, the Democrat has backpedaled a step by promising to first consult with military leaders about the right way to proceed and saying he has "no timetable." "On the issue of gays in the military, I have made no decision on a timetable except that I want to firmly proceed and I want to do it after consulting with military leaders. I've made no decision about what structure to follow," Mr. Clinton told reporters. But the opposition of those leaders who are on record as supporting the current ban presents the new president with the prospect of an immediate confrontation with the Joint Chiefs, his top military advisers. Republicans are speaking gleefully of Mr. Clinton burning up valuable political capital and showing signs of committing his first presidential waffle. On Sunday, Mr. Dole, Kansas Republican, warned of big trouble ahead. "Mind you, he's going to get in more trouble than he can add up right now if he starts with an executive order on that issue," Mr. Dole said on NBC-TV's "Meet the Press." "It will cause real problems in the military, and it seems to me that he'd be making a big mistake." Congressional staffers offered a possible scenario for a showdown with Congress: Mr. Clinton appoints a presidential commission, which holds hearings and then recommends next summer that the president lift the ban. Mr. Clinton does, throwing the issue to Congress, which debates whether to amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The code makes homosexual sodomy illegal. A congressional vote to uphold current law would create a schizophrenic national policy, according to the scenario. Political experts predict a spat will erupt again if Mr. Clinton takes too long to lift the military ban. "The gay community understands very well what they're doing," the Senate staffer said. "To get Clinton to buy off during the campaign was important. They understand the military is the best place for social change. It's a command social environment. It can give instant legitimacy to the homosexual lifestyle. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM