LOS ANGELES — Foes of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military heckled President Barack Obama at a Los Angeles fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer.
The protesters yelled out questions on what the president is going to do about the policy, which bars gays from serving openly in the military. The shouts grew so insistent that Obama responded.
The president said that he supports overturning “don’t ask, don’t tell” and suggested the protesters should be yelling at the people who don’t.
Obama has called on Congress to lift the ban, and military officials are examining how to do that.
Obama also delivered a stark message: Boxer might lose her re-election race if supporters don’t work hard.
The president’s stern words underscored the perilous political environment confronting all Democrats in this midterm election year — and showed Obama is all too aware of the dangers.
“I don’t want anyone here taking this for granted,” he said at a reception at the California Science Center, the first of a trio of fundraisers Monday for Boxer and the Democratic National Committee. “Unless she’s got that support, she might not win this thing, and I don’t think that’s an acceptable outcome. So I want everyone to work hard.”
