CNN

Yes, let's allow Fox to host all the debates from now and so we can rest assured that Republicans won't face any tough questions and all of us can be reminded of exactly what propaganda means by George Orwell's difinition. Pravda ain't got nothin' on Fox!

Very poor judgment, CNN! This was a YouTube format and unless this guy was a hologram, he should have never been given the opportunity to ask a question! Now we find out he was a "plant" from the Clinton camp. Ever head of RESEARCH?

They do. Ask the Brig.General in the audience who served 40 years.

The stuff about unit cohesion is crap. If President Truman had asked his Joint Chiefs I am sure they would have told him integrating African Americans into the white units was bad for unit cohesion. The armed forces got over it. They would get over this too.

Turns out Keith Kerr works for the Clinton camp. All they had to do was google his name to find this out. Isn't youtube owned by google? Guess that is why they call CNN the Clinton News Network.

So now according to Duncan Hunter most soldiers are conservatives? Do you want the real truth buddy....most soldiers are poor and cannot afford to go to college because of our god-awful education system in the States. I hate the stereotype that conservatives are the only ones in this country that are patriotic. Drop out you bum.

I believe the dont ask dont tell policy is working now, I have not heard of any gay bashing incidents in quite some time coming from the military. To bad CNN couldnt have used that policy to cover the debates. Staged question to stir up the hate mongers thats all

I am not a gay, but a family man. I admired Mr. Kerr for speaking his own identity – an openly gay. Only thing annoyed me that the debate crowd jeered as booing at him because of his gay. That showed disrespects, offensive and insensitivity. I did not see any difference between them and us because they are human beings like ourselves. They are a right to serve in the military without any form of the discrimination. Mr. Kerr is well deserved to be a respected human being, especially for his 43-years military career that served our country with his pride.

There is a difference between gays serving in combat vs non combat duties.
Body fluids are spread around when blood is flowing and wounded soldiers or marines should not be faced with the hazard of aquiring the HIV virus when wounded. Keith Kerr should be well aware of this fact if he was in the Special Forces.

Typical – The Republican's love to support the troops...as long as they're straight. What if a white man couldn't serve comfortably next to a black man? Should we be kicking all the racists out of the military now? Women? My military friends say they know lots of openly gay soldiers in their units and THEY DON'T CARE and most of their superiors don't care either! It's a political wedge issue used to get votes.

His question was did the canidates think that our military was professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians, and for our countries sake I hope that they are if they cant handle a growing culture In our own society then how will the EVER handle cultures around the world, I mean come on! Open your mind folks if its sexual tension Military officals are worried about than explain men and women serving together. Because as a woman if Im walking the streets of Irag the last thing Im worried about is whos looking at my butt!

Why not? no one should ever be discriminated against! whether it is race, religion, or sexual orientation! Gay or straight your service is welcome!

The GOP needs to be true to to its core and come to grips with this issue. It is an equal rights, human righs issue. The answers tonight were disappointing.

I knew you wouldn't leave my comment on...you're editing is so biased, it's scary!

Being a Navy veteran, I don't like the idea of gays in the service, there shouldn't even be any question why here. The percentage of gay population is around 15%, I think that the military would run very nicely with that percentage missing.

For those of you who find it "inappropriate" that Colonel Kerr was in the audience and was allowed a follow-up comment, this was done at the Democratic YouTube debates as well. A person or a couple people are selected for this. It was not "inappropriate" that this man was standing up for the discrimination he and countless other Americans faced and continue to face in the U.S. armed forces; indeed, it was courageous, especially in a room full of booing homophobic people. What is "inappropriate" is that these candidates, and the Republican party in general showcased by the audience, can't treat LGBTQ Americans with the equality that is supposed to be extended towards everyone by the U.S. Constitution.

On that note, out of all the presidential candidates, Democratic or Republican, only one candidate truly and without reservation will stand up for the LGBTQ community, and that is Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

P.S. – When will certain heterosexual men figure out that being a gay male is not synonymous with being a sex fiend? If you really think the guy next to you is worried about how hot your "ass" is instead of trying to stay alive in a war zone, you really need to stop being so egocentric, so scared of your own sexuality, and so out of touch with rationality.

I think this is more a matter of professionalism than sexuality. I don’t understand why we are denying anybody who wishes to serve in our Armed Forces. I think it is also important to mention that African Americans and women were also once denied the opportunity to serve. I am a married woman with two kids and I obviously don’t share his sexual preference, but I am not going to judge him or discriminate against him.

I agree with Larry from Woodstock. It was a totally loaded question with CNN giving the General personal air time. Is that because it's a "pet" issue for Anderson Cooper?

CNN Fails to Mention Retired Gay General’s Endorsement of HillaryCNN managed to get their heterophobic bias in by planting the general who happens to be a founding member of Clinton's "LGBT Americans for Hillary". Thanks for manipulating the process, CNN, and making the dabates all about your agenda.http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2007/11/28/cnn-fails-mention-retired-gay-general-s-endorsement-hillary

Bill Bennett made a statement that Mr. Kerr may have been a plant from the Clinton campaign or was active in an organization affiliated with her campaign. Can we confirm this? Anderson seemed to jump all over it – at least the appearance of fair balance is is there. I'd be very interested in finding out if this is true.

Amazing how all the candidates danced around the issue and refused to give a reasonable answer. What a bunch of cowards! NONE of them deserve to be President of the USA.... It's sad that the GOP can't give us a decent option to counter the damage that Bush has done....

Hey CNN:
Bill Bennett is trying to say on your air that his man works for Hillary. Over at another blog they googled him and said that he was on the Steering Committee of Veterans for Kerry but nothing about Hillary. But what difference what his connection when CNN chose a question from Grover Norquist....maybe you can find out before Anderson and Bennett go off the air to set things straight and have Bennett stop sounding as if he is maligning CNN for their choice of questionners

Apparently Walt in TX seems to think he has a butt worth coveting – at least be thankful someone was covering it! The rest of us probably could care less. Republicans: Always about whose got MY ass!

It was very disturbing when people booed Mr. Kerr. That only destroys the Republican image further.

In response to Walt from Belton and some of the others:

Comments like "The last thing I want to worry about in combat is whether the guy behind me is covering my butt or covets my butt" are ridiculous and only show your own bigotry.

Anyone who lives in reality knows that homosexuals are not sexual addicts any more than heterosexuals and that most of them are not going to be coveting a fellow soldier in a sexual way just because they're gay. Should we ban all women from the military?

Some of the attitudes presented in this forum and among candidates shows that we have a lot of immaturity when it comes to sexuality in this nation.

The candidates are real flip-floppers. They say they oppose the Confederate flag because it's divisive and harms blacks. But then they support Dont Ask/Dont Tell, even though it's divisive and hurts gays? That's just too much. Make up your mind already.

Because they don't know which bed to get into at bedtime.

First, I think none of the candidates answered the General's question. Secondly, I feel all the candidates who responded towed the party line. If there is an opportunity on the national stage to express their disdain for "the homosexuals" these folks will jump on it for votes in the same breath as some of them will accept the financial support of those same homosexuals. It kills me how we openly welcome any sexual orientation to join our military and fight for us and reward many a brave and courageous soldier. It's only when we learn that he or she is gay that our appreciation for their service just evaporates. Nothing would thrill me more than to have every gay and lesbian soldier to put down their arms and leave the service until they are respected and treated with equal protection under the law. That Consitution law by the way.
Lastly, I applaud the General for his question and his bravery.

Interesting point Mark... seems to me that that shows it can work. The troops should not only be professional enough, they should be mature enough. I would argue that if they can't, then it is those troops that are a danger to morale and unit cohesion. The military use to say Women were a threat to unit cohesion, that blacks were a threat... so what's the difference?

I am a straight guy in the Army and I have no problem with it... might want to shower elsewhere, but I have no problem with fighting side by side with them.

And for you Fox followers... they are hosting debates and if you are wanting your right sided spin on things, watch those. This debate was hosted by CNN, the candidates agreed to come so beyond that it is fair game.

Walt, it is you and anyone who thinks like you who is the disgrace. I do not think anyone of substance (gay or not) would covet your butt

The audience response said it all. Gay men and women arte ok to serve in this country so long as they keep quiet about it. Give me a break! Straight men are wimps if they cant handle working alongside gays and lesbians. Come on! Get over it–and as far as the bible stuff goes-give it a rest –we are supposed to be a country of people with the choice of freedom of religion. I would also like to think that meant freedom from religion.

To people criticizing the General, I'm sure he has done more honorable and brave things in a day than many of you have done throughout your entire lives. He's a prominent and typical example of homosexuals serving with as much honor as heterosexual soldiers. The don't ask don't tell policy is ridiculous, and the fact that none of these guys could say anything to that effect shows you what is wrong with the Republican party and conservative American people.

The last thing I want to worry about in combat is whether the guy behind me is covering my butt or covets my butt. General or not, to me he is a disgrace. He can't abide by the rules.

I'm a veteran. I served in the navy on a ship – in close proximity to and in tight quarters with my shipmates. We had common showers, toilets with no doors or walls, and small sleeping compartments that held 72 people in small bunks stacked 3 high. We had a few gays – everybody knew who they were. They kept to themselves or found themselves swimming home.

And here I was under the assumption that all men (and women) were created equal. I guess I need to re-read the Constitution.

Larry, are you suggesting that the only questions allowed be those in which the candidates agree upon? I think you've been watching too much Fox.

I think the don't ask and don't tell in the military should just NOT be allowed. Why should these people hide who they are? If others are worried about this guy or that girl hitting on them perhaps they should not be in the military. I don't believe the military should have any say. They are humans and have the same rights as the rest of us.

Best question so far! No answer; and they still think we have the "most professional" armed forces. Whew! What does that say? Hunter is a goof – "most people in the armed forces are conservative-family values folks"?

It is obvious that whole “Gays in the military” was staged by liberal CNN. Was there any other YouTube questions where the question had follow-up from the submitter, who by the way, just happened to be in audience…..??? Come on CNN,, we are not that stupid. Why don’t you stop the B/S liberal jabs. I think that Fox News should host the debates.

What a loaded question. Why did this particular gent get to not only ask a question, but apparently was invited to be in the audience and be allowed to give his thoughts/lecture the candidates as to why their answer was not to his liking. Anderson knew full well that the candidates would not agree with him.

Mr. Kerr has more credibility on that issue than anyone in the entire District of Columbia.

The current Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy is ridiculous, and has no place in an advanced and tolerant society such as our own. If Europe and Israel can maintain strong militaries with openly gay service members, so can we.

If the "conservative" service members have a problem with it, they can get over it. Part of being a professional in ANY occupation is working with people who you don't identify with.

It will undoubtedly be my young generation that will fix this moronic attitude that the older conservative generations have towards homosexuals.

This is one of the most shameful aspects of America today.

It was interesting to see how quick the conservative crowd and candidates turned and booed a gentlemen who served his country. If you build your campaign on supporting military, you better do so for those who are retired, and for those who serve, homosexual or not. It's OK for these folks to die for the country, but don't you dare admit your sexuality – typical ignorance of this country.

The best part is when the audience booed the general for being gay. So classy.

A valid question, but it was a poor choice to choose this one for which to include the questioner in the audience. I very much thank Mr. Kerr for his dedicates years of service, but having him in the audience and allowing him the opportunity to create an additional platform for his view was inappropriate.

And once again, Mr. Romney succeeded in not saying anything decisive at all.