BREAKING: DADT Study: Majority Of Troops Say, “Gay? OK.”
In an exclusive report on the Rachel Maddow show Thursday night, NBC News’s Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel revealed that a majority of America’s troops either would have no issue at all serving alongside an openly-gay service member, or if there were an issue, they would have no problem bringing the issue directly to the attention of the gay or lesbian service member. This is a critical component to debunking the GOP’s fraudulent comments regarding repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Here’s the transcript, thanks to the excellent work of Igor Volsky at Think Progress‘ “The Wonk Room“:
ENGEL: The findings are that for most soldiers, and this wasn’t the sum total of all soldiers, it wasn’t that big of a deal…The majority — the number one answer, first answer was ‘I don’t care.’ That’s significant.
MADDOW: Predominant answer is ‘no big deal.’
ENGEL: Most common, number one. Number two was, ‘I would deal directly with the person involved.’ So when you put the two of those together, it is the majority. Now, there were some people who said, three, they would go to the chain of command and some four, who hated it, hated it. But the answers one and two are considered positive. So these studies show a relative if not positive outlook, at least an accepting outlook.
MADDOW: So the military study is, as you said, the survey of the troops is part of it. It’s an overall study of the feasibility of the issue….this survey of the troops, what you’ve learned is that a majority of troops it’s not going to be a major deal.
ENGEL: Not a deal breaker, that they they’re not going to be running from the army in droves. A key thing this study kept coming back to is that it’s very important about the chain of command. What commanders say. How far commanders act. What tone they set. The marines were the most negative out of the services. They had the most people who were — with negative responses. And the marine corps leadership has taken a stance and has been very vocally against this issue. And the study found that most soldiers and sailors and all different service members follow a chain of command. So if the chain of command accepts this as the law, the data is that so will the soldiers.
Volsky reminds us that the GOP has consistently said they “listen to the troops,” and wait for the study before making any decisions.
In my opinion, it’s important to remember that the Republicans are fond of claiming to want to follow “the will of the American people.” (Personally, every time I type that phrase I hear John Boehner’s voice in my head. Pity me, please?) Well, as a reminder, seventy-eight percent of Americans want “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to be repealed. So, I ask you, what is keeping the GOP from voting for repeal?
It’s also important to remember that, as we begin to hear these drips of details of the survey, the GOP will do everything they possibly can to vote against repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” For whatever reason, the GOP will filibuster, will hem and haw, and absolutely do everything they can to stop the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Never mind the fact that a federal judge has already declared “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” unconstitutional. The GOP will march in lockstep to keep “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as official policy.
At what point do we stop allowing them to control the debate, and the rules, and our lives?
Oh. One last point: You’re voting on Tuesday, right?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640
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President Donald Trump is heading to his Florida estate on Tuesday to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday. The president and First Lady will be staying at Mar-a-Lago for an extended break, returning to the White House early Sunday evening.
As the First Family enjoys their six-day trip, Americans are increasingly dismayed at the state of the Trump economy, which is producing near-record-low consumer sentiment, rising and record prices at the grocery store, increasing unemployment, persistent inflation, and — as the president recently declared — tariff payments that are about to “skyrocket.”
Inflation remains strong at 3.0%. The unemployment rate is now the highest it’s been in nearly four years. Prices for items like beef, coffee, and bananas have increased by double-digit percentages. Major corporations have announced plans to lay off thousands or tens of thousands of workers. Millions of Americans are seeing their health care premiums for next year in some cases double or even triple. And according to one economist, there is a possibility that some parts of the country may already be in a recession. Another economist last week sounded the stagflation alarm.
READ MORE: Family Food Costs Hit Record High Despite Trump Touting Cheaper Holiday Dinner
According to guidance from the White House, published by Roll Call, the president and First Lady will head to Palm Beach, Florida, at 6 PM on Tuesday, after pardoning the presidential turkeys.
The president has no public events scheduled on Wednesday. The only event scheduled for Thursday, Thanksgiving, is a 6 PM call with service members.
On other Thanksgivings, some presidents have visited troops in person, even overseas, or volunteered at food banks.
For Friday and Saturday, the president has no public events scheduled. On Sunday, the president and First Lady leave Palm Beach at 3 PM, headed for the White House.
Last month, President Trump was sharply criticized as “tone deaf” for hosting a Great Gatsby-themed party as millions of Americans were poised to lose their SNAP benefits.
READ MORE: Trump: Nearly All of Biden’s Pardons — Including the Turkeys — Are ‘Invalid’
Image via Reuters
A jovial President Donald Trump, set to jet off to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday, took time on Tuesday to participate in the annual presidential pardoning of two turkeys, but told attendees at the White House that nearly all of the pardons then-President Joe Biden had performed are “invalid.”
“You remember last year,” Trump said, “after a thorough and very rigorous investigation, by Pam Bondi and all of the people, at Department of Justice, the FBI, the CIA, the White House Counsel’s Office, and the Department of Everything —we have a Department of Everything. You know what that is? I think that’s called the White House — into a terrible situation caused by a man named Sleepy Joe Biden.”
“He used an autopen, last year for the turkeys’ pardon.”
READ MORE: Layoffs Surge and Consumer Confidence Tumbles Under Trump as Holidays Approach
“So I have the official duty to determine, and I have determined, that last year’s turkey pardons are totally invalid,” the president, apparently joking, told onlookers.
“As are the pardons of about every other person that was pardoned, other than, uh, where’s Hunter?” Trump continued, referring to the former president’s son.
“No, Hunter’s was good,” Trump said. “That was the one pardon Pam that was good, right? The rest of them are all invalid.”
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The president then appeared to stop joking.
“I don’t know what the h – – you’re gonna do about that, but that’s, now we’re gonna take a little of the joke, and that is a mess,” he said of the pardons.
Presidents, including President Trump, for at least decades have used autopens to sign documents. But Trump has strongly suggested that at least some of President Biden’s autopen-signed documents are invalid.
Trump: “The department of everything. We have a department of everything. You know what that is? I think that’s called the White House. Into a terrible situation caused by a man named Sleepy Joe Biden. He used an autopen last year for the turkey’s pardon.” pic.twitter.com/RpNKIEqpef
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 25, 2025
READ MORE: Republicans Scuttled Trump Health Care Fix Because They Felt ‘Left Out’: Report
Image via Reuters
The Consumer Confidence Index dropped sharply in November, as disillusioned Americans indicated unease in the Trump economy amid rising prices, steady inflation, tariffs, increasing unemployment, and surging layoffs that are making finding a job more difficult.
The Consumer Confidence Index dropped 6.8 points to its lowest level since April, and consumer expectations “tumbled,” CNBC reported on Tuesday.
“Consumers were notably more pessimistic about business conditions six months from now,” said Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’s chief economist. “Mid-2026 expectations for labor market conditions remained decidedly negative, and expectations for increased household incomes shrunk dramatically, after six months of strongly positive readings.”
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Now, just six percent of workers say that jobs are “plentiful,” down from 28.6% one month ago.
“Consumers’ write-in responses pertaining to factors affecting the economy continued to be led by references to prices and inflation, tariffs and trade, and politics, with increased mentions of the federal government shutdown,” Peterson also said in a statement, according to Bloomberg News.
The news comes just as another indicator of a weakening jobs market shows that “private companies shed an average 13,500 jobs over the past four weeks,” CNBC noted, citing data from payrolls processing firm ADP.
“That’s an acceleration from the 2,500 jobs a week lost in the last update a week ago,” CNBC also reported.
Other data also suggest a troubled economy.
READ MORE: Republicans Scuttled Trump Health Care Fix Because They Felt ‘Left Out’: Report
“Government figures out earlier on Tuesday showed retail sales moderated in September after several robust months,” Bloomberg added.
“As for November, the Conference Board’s report showed buying plans for big-ticket items, including cars and major appliances, declined. Home-buying plans also fell.”
Alex Jacquez, Chief of Policy and Advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative and a former Biden White House official, summed up his thoughts on the current situation:
“Good news: fewer people think we’re headed toward a recession. Bad news: more people think we’re already in one.”
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Image via Reuters
‘Theater of the Absurd’: Trump’s Attacks Cast Doubt on Bipartisan Funding Deals
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Trump: Nearly All of Biden’s Pardons — Including the Turkeys — Are ‘Invalid’
Trump to Slip Away on Six-Day Florida Vacation as Americans Struggle With Soaring Costs
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