Michele Bachmann, Republican
presidential candidate, agreed during a conference call on Tuesday
that repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” would “destroy the armed
forces,” the Minnesota
Independent reported.
The Minnesota Congresswoman reiterated
that as president she would reinstate the policy which for 18 years
banned gay and bisexual troops from serving openly, and agreed with a
caller named Jack who said, “'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is going to
destroy the armed forces.”
“I think of all the candidates that
are running in this race, I have been very vocal about this,”
Bachmann said. “I would reinstate the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
policy. It worked before and what it says is the issue of sexuality
is one that doesn't come up and people aren't allowed to be open
about it because the United States military is unique, it's not a
social experiment.”
“I take very seriously the job of
Commander in Chief. I see that as my very first job and I would
listen to the generals [on DADT].”
“I am a believer in the Lord Jesus
Christ,” she said in the call with supporters of Ralph Reed's Faith
and Freedom coalition.
Bachmann also touted her involvement as
Minnesota Senator to ban gay marriage in the state.
“We also believe that God has a
design for marriage between one man and one woman. I was the chief
author of the marriage amendment in Minnesota and we persisted, and
after seven years, in a very hostile liberal state, we finally passed
that marriage amendment and it will be on the ballot and I believe it
will pass in 2012.”
(Related: Michele
Bachmann dismisses gay marriage as “frivolous” issue.)
And she repeated her call for
Republicans not to “settle” for a less conservative candidate.
“Don't settle. Don't settle for
anyone less than a candidate that will stand up for our profile,
pro-family, pro-marriage issues,” Bachmann said.