On Tuesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez promoted singer Lady Gaga calling for an end to the military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy: "A unique showdown shaping up today in the Senate...it's Senator John McCain versus Lady Gaga. The Senator wants to keep the ban, but the world's biggest pop star is throwing her support behind the gays who want to serve in the military."
Correspondent Michelle Miller noted of Gaga: "...recently she's become more vocal with her political leanings, urging her Twitter followers - she has a record 6.4 million of them - to write their senators over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'" Miller concluded: "...the singer known for being out there, hopes her gay friends in the military will simply be allowed to be out." Throughout the report, a headline on screen read: "Lady Gaga Vs. The Pentagon; Pop Star Takes On 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy."
All the sound bites in the segment were in favor of overturning the policy, three from the pop singer herself and one from an outed gay soldier who escorted Gaga to MTV's Video Music Awards. The only time given to the other side was after Miller's report, when Rodriguez mentioned: "...the reason John McCain opposes this, he's waiting for the results of that Pentagon study on how this repeal might impact the, you know, troops who are serving right now."
Here is a full transcript of the segment:
7:15AM ET
MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: A unique showdown shaping up today in the Senate over whether to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' it's Senator John McCain versus Lady Gaga. The Senator wants to keep the ban, but the world's biggest pop star is throwing her support behind the gays who want to serve in the military. CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller reports.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Lady Gaga Vs. The Pentagon; Pop Star Takes On 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy]
LADY GAGA: Doesn't it seem to be that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is backwards?
MICHELLE MILLER: Lady Gaga held court in a Portland, Maine park, calling for the repeal of the military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. A controversial Senate vote is set for later today.
GAGA: Doesn't it seem to you that we should send home the prejudice? The straight soldier who hates the gay soldier!
MILLER: Under the law created in 1993, more than 13,000 soldiers have been discharged. David Hall, who escorted Lady Gaga to last week's Video Music Awards, says he's one of them.
DAVID HALL: A female cadet went to my commander, said I was gay. I made no comment. I was rated number one in my class, had a pilot slot, and then they discharged me just based off of what she said.
MILLER: Lady Gaga is more known for selling 50 million singles and her outrageous outfits than for her political statements. But recently she's become more vocal with her political leanings, urging her Twitter followers - she has a record 6.4 million of them - to write their senators over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' The current law bans gay soldiers from serving, and forbids military leaders from asking about sexual orientation. Essentially encouraging gay troops to keep it secret.
GAGA: I thought equality meant everyone.
MILLER: 60 Votes are needed to avoid a filibuster and repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' the singer known for being out there, hopes her gay friends in the military will simply be allowed to be out. Michelle Miller, CBS News, Portland.
RODRIGUEZ: I think it's important to say John - the reason John McCain opposes this, he's waiting for the results of that Pentagon study on how this repeal might impact the, you know, troops who are serving right now.
SMITH: Right. And as serious as the subject may be, did it look like she had a fake nose on?
RODRIGUEZ: I didn't notice.
SMITH: Okay.
-Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here. [1]