we could not ask for a better president of the arts commission published than dee jay johnson. [applause] let's take a moment to also thank john wilcox and staff at the san francisco examiner. they really have been partners with many of the arts community and organizations, as well as the arts commission. many of you will remember that when we saw the installation, the examiner helped to spread the word throughout the city by printing 100,000 copies of the handouts that were distributed for an entire year while he got his sound insulation installed in city hall. they have been extraordinary partners on many occasions. thank you so much. i was blessed when i came to san francisco to have found extraordinary, talented, dedicated, hard-working, more than 40 hours per week staff. i would like to thank them, please join me in thanking this hard-working staff. they really deserve it, they were -- will work tirelessly on behalf of arts and culture in the city, and they never punch a clock. they are extraordinary. this evening we have a double celebration. not only do we have literally

jay johnson, we appreciate your time.nk you very much. >>> and just ahead, president obama promised again today to support the troops in afghanistan. the question is, what kind of support can america expect from the afghan government? revelations of corruption on a massive scale. words like quagmire, money pit, total mess. we'll talk to one expert that says america needs to totally rethink the way it does business in afghanistan. >>> later why a toy you might buy a little girl for christmas could be used as a tool for pedophiles. what the fbi is saying about video barbie. [ coughs ] ♪ [ inhales deeply ] ♪ ♪ so i take one a day men's 50+ advantage. as a manager, my team counts on me to stay focused. it's the only complete multivitamin with ginkgo to support memory and concentration. plus it supports heart health. [ bat cracks ] that's a hit. one a day men's. >>> a lot happening tonight, joe johns is here with the latest in this "360" bulletin. >> a federal advisory panel has endorsed approving lap band obesity surgery for

jay johnson, we appreciate your time.hank you very much. >>> and just ahead, president obama promised again today to support the troops in afghanistan. the question is, what kind of support can america expect from the afghan government? revelations of corruption on a massive scale. words like quagmire, money pit, total mess. we'll talk to peter bergen and one expert that says america needs to totally rethink the way it does business in afghanistan. >>> later why a toy you might buy a little girl for christmas could be used as a tool for pedophiles. what the fbi is saying about video barbie. i help you? yes, i hear progressive has lots of discounts on car insurance. can i get in on that? are you a safe driver? yes. discount! do you own a home? yes. discount! are you going to buy online? yes! discount! isn't getting discounts great? yes! there's no discount for agreeing with me. yeah, i got carried away. happens to me all the time. helping you save money -- now, that's progressive. call or click today. it will with natural

>> first of all, the repeal law would not, as i understand it -- i am not a lawyer and maybe jay johnson can address this for you more authoritatively when he comes up here -- as i am understand it, until we certify -- until the president, the secretary of defense, and the joint chiefs certify that the military is ready to implement the law, the repeal, the currently existing rules would continue to apply. so you would have a period of preparation, if you will, as i indicated earlier, which i do not know exactly how long it would take. >> from my perspective, we are one military. we are one military. >> two more questions. >> you have spoken quite clearly on how you supported the president's position on this and how this these to be done in in a courtly and measured way. -- in an orderly and measured way. do you think that it has been wrong for gays and lesbians not to be able to serve their country over the years? >> one of the things that is most important to me is a personal integrity. and a policy or a law that, in effect, requires people to lie gives me a problem. so i think it is -

(applause) >> also the authors of the pentagon's review, jay johnson and general carter ham who did outstandingnd meticulous work. (applause) >> and all those who laid the groundwork for this transition. and, finally, i want to express my gratitude to the men and women in this room of that worn the uniform of the united states armed services. (cheers and applause) >> i wanna thank all the patrons who are here today, all of them who were forced to hang up their uniforms of "don't ask, don't tell" but who never stopped fighting for this country and who rallied and marched and fought for change. i want to thank everyone here who stood with them in that fight. because of these efforts, in the coming days, we will begin the process laid out by this law. the old policy remains in effect until secretary gates, admiral mullin and i certify the military's readiness to implement the appeal. and this is especially important for service members to remember that. i've spoken to every one of the service chiefs, and they are all committed to implementing this change swiftly and efficiently. we are not going t

i too wish to thank jay johnson and carter hamm as well as everyone involved in the working group for their extraordinary efforts over much of the past year. i fully endorse their report. its findings, and the implementation plan recommended by the working group. the working group was given a tall order. indeed, nothing less than producing the first truly comprehensive assessment of not only the impact of repeal of the law governing "don't ask, don't tell" but also about how best to implement a new policy across the joint force. as the secretary indicated the working group surveyed our troops and their spouses, consulted proponents and opponents of repeal and examined military experience around the world. they also spoke with serving gays and lesbians as well as former members of the military who are gay and lesbian. the result is one of the most expansive studies ever done on military personnel issues. and i applaud the time that was taken to arrive at solid defensible conclusions. more critically, i was gratified to see that the working group focused their findings and recommendatio

the cochairs of the department working group on this issue, defense department general counsel, jay johnson, and general carter hamm. tomorrow, we will hear from the vice chairman of the joint chiefs and the service chiefs on this report. to examine this issue, the department launched an unprecedented effort to seek the views of our troops and their families. mr. johnson, general hamm, your approach in the report that you have delivered is evenhanded and respectful. you were given a very tough job. your performance is of great value to our country. it yesterday's hearing -- excuse me, today's hearing is part of the committee's own review of this issue. which has been before us for nearly a year. secretary gates and admiral mullen testified at a friday hearing on this policy on february 2. each of the service chiefs were asked for their views on an annual hearing in the defense budget in march. and on march 18, the committee heard testimony from outside experts and testimony in support of as well as opposition. both the house of representatives and his committee have approved legislation tha

also the authors of the pentagon's review, jay johnson and general carter hamm, who did outstanding andwho laid the groundwork for this transition. and finally, i want to express my gratitude to the men and women in this room who have worn the uniform of the united states armed services. [ applause ] i want to thank all the patriots who are here today, all of them who were forced to hang up their uniforms as a result of don't ask, don't tell, but who never stopped fighting for this country and who rallied and who marched and fought for change. i want to thank everyone here who stood with them in that fight. because of these efforts, in the coming days, we will begin the process laid out by this law. now, the old policy remains in effect until secretary gates, admiral mullen and i certify the military's readiness to implement the repeal. it's especially important for service members to remember that. but i've spoken to every one of the service chiefs, and they are all committed to implementing this change swift lly and efficiently. we are not going to be dragging our feet to get this don

>> first of all, the repeal law would not, as i understand it -- i am not a lawyer and mbe jay johnson can address this for you more authoritatively when he comes up here -- as i am understand it, until we certify -- until the president, the secretary of defense, and the joint chiefs certify that the military is ready to implement the law, the repeal, the currently existing rules would continue to apply. so you would have a period of preparation, if you will, as i indicated earlier, which i do not know exactly how long it would take. >> from my perspective, we are one military. we are one military. >> two more questions. >> you have spoken quite clearly on how you supported the president's position on this and how this these to be done in in a courtly and measured way. -- in an orderly and measured way. do you think that it has been wrong for gays and lesbians not to be able to serve their country over the years? >> one of the things that is most important to me is a personal integrity. and a policy or a law that, in effect, requires people to lie gives me a problem. so i think it is -

to the co-chairs of the working group, jay johnson, and general carter ham wrote in their report, quotegher percentage of service remembers in war fighting units predict negative effects of repeal, the percentage distinctions between war fighting units and the entire military is almost nonexistent. when asked about the actual experience of serving in a unit with someone believed to be gay. closed quote. that is to say that predictions of negative effects are higher among troops in war fighting units. but the actual experience of troops in combat units who have fight alongside gays is that their units were largely unaffected according to the working group report. this evidence is confirmed by the experience of some of our closest allies who have made this change. in the militaries of great britain and canada, there was even greater concern about this shift before it was made than exists today in our military. but the working group reports that their transition was smoother than expected, and that there is no evidence that a change in policy has diminished combat effectiveness for these a

the cochairs of the department working group on this issue, defense department general counsel, jay johnson, and general carter hamm. tomorrow, we will hear from the vice chairman of the joint chiefs and the service chiefs on this report. to examine this issue, the department launched an unprecedented effort to seek the views of our troops and their families. mr. johnson, general hamm, your approach in the report that you have delivered is evenhanded and respectful. you were given a very tough job. your performance is of great value to our country. it yesterday's hearing -- excuse me, today's hearing is part of the committee's own review of this issue. which has been before us for nearly a year. secretary gates and admiral mullen testified at a friday hearing on this policy on february 2. each of the service chiefs were asked for their views on an annual hearing in the defense budget in march. and on march 18, the committee heard testimony from outside experts and testimony in support of as well as opposition. both the house of representatives and his committee have approved legislation tha

to the co-chairs of the working group, jay johnson, and general carter ham wrote in their report, quote, while a higher percentage of service remembers in war fighting units predict negative effects of repeal, the percentage distinctions between war fighting units and the entire military is almost nonexistent. when asked about the actual experience of serving in a unit with someone believed to be gay. closed quote. that is to say that predictions of negative effects are higher among troops in war fighting units. but the actual experience of troops in combat units who have fight alongside gays is that their units were largely unaffected according to the working group report. this evidence is confirmed by the experience of some of our closest allies who have made this change. in the militaries of great britain and canada, there was even greater concern about this shift before it was made than exists today in our military. but the working group reports that their transition was smoother than expected, and that there is no evidence that a change in policy has diminished combat effectiveness

as theochairs of the department working group on this issue, defense department general counsel, jay johnson, and general carter hamm. tomorrow, we will hear from the vice chairman of the joint chiefs and the service chiefs on this rept. to examine this issue, the department launched an unprecedented effort to seek the views of our troops and their families. mr. johnson, general hamm, your approach in the report that you have delivered is evenhanded and respectful. you were given a very tough job. your performance is of great value to our country. it yesterday's hearing -- excuse me, today's hearing is part of the committee's own review of this issue. which has been before us for nearly a year. secretary gates and admiral mullen testified at a friday hearing on this policy on february 2. each of the service chiefs were asked for their views on an annual hearing in the defense budget in march. and on march 18, the committee heard testimony from outside experts and testimony in support of as well as opposition. both the hse of representatives and his committee have approved legislation that wo

jay johnson. the proper thing to do was to seek an appeal from this chaotic order of the ninth circuit. i do not believe that, under the present state of the law, the supreme court is likely to overthrow the statute. i think i am in an accord with the aclu. i saw in the report here, and general amos, a question. i am not here to condemn anybody. we live in a great country. we have all kinds of people with different perspectives and lifestyles and abuse. we accommodate to that as best we can. but i did notice that in one of the questions where they ask individuals who had served with homosexuals in the unit's how it were -- units how it worked and if it affected the morale of the unit. the numbers were high. in the range, it was 45%. -- in the marines, it was 45%. it is a little bit different from some of the testimony i have heard from people who have served in units with homosexual members where it made no difference to them. is that a correct interpretation of that question? do you recall? >> si

jay leno show and they expanded their repertoire. their first music video just in time for the holidays. and we are going to talk about this new music video. >> my name is a bennett johnsonnd by the education director. and i get to go around the bay area through workshops, choirs. i used to seeing. i would never have guessed that allow >> to ever do any of radio? >> yes, a little bit of high school. >> in this new music video. it is totally made by you guys? >> yes, and pretty much amateur. and iwhat not? a brand new pop song. with the new independent pop song that this group has done and it needed a video. and going through indianapolis. >> in this. no expense? >> correct. >> to use their own phones, and dates. no expense. >> base. no expense. >> what is amazing- >> they scaredates.scscss no expense. >> this. no expense. using a iphone,they spared no expe nse. 7 7 is more challenging, not the typical foreperson her money. it is more harmonious than just a pop song. >> and it is 12 different men but the cover remarkable dynamic range. >> right. and how did they do that? >> the lo-i did not think i have ever heard anybody seen lower than him. and he looks it. >> and some