it is a great day for our history jie. for the first time gays and lesbians will be able to serve openly in the military, but not immediately. margaret witt was once a flight nurse and she was discharged after she -- it came out she was a lesbian. she would like her job back. but they say "don't ask, don't tell" will not affect the military. meanwhile, president obama is hoping for another christmas gift from capitol hill, a new start treaty to ring out the old year. david curly, abc news, washington. >>> shoppers came out in droves on the last weekend before christmas tackling their gift list and driving traffic up at malls across the country. since october 31st, master card's spending says americans are buying more. clothing sales are up almost 10%, jewelry up 2.5%. sales of consumer electronics are up just .60%. it is mostly because of deeply discounted television. on-line sales were up 13.5%. and a spokesman for spending pulse says this is the first normal christmas in three years. >>> the rain and the snow is not quit

and she said yes, but he is moving out jie. they met outside the hall of justice after interviewing britney and the man accused of kidnapping her and driving cross country. >> now that she has been fined and headed back to roanoke soon. the police department's focus has shifted to the murder investigation. >> easily is also a suspect in the murder of britney's mother, tina smith, found dead last week in her virginia home. family members say easily and tina smith were romantically involved and moved in with her and britney in october. but if during the day's interviews they shed light on the cross country journey, investigators are not saying. >> we don't want anything to jeprodize the case and the investigation back in roanoke. >> reporter: surveillance video shows the last time britney and easily were seen on december 3rd buying camping gear. police believe in san francisco they lived in an encampment. they panhandled outside this safe bay, and that's where a woman recognized them on friday and called police. police will not s

i am disqualified jie. he would like nothing -- he would like nothing more than to see don't ask, don't tell repealed, but it still has to get through the senate. and he realizes this will be the repeal's last chance for awhile. >> it is the best time because if we wait it is not going to happen unless it happens now. >> what is not clear to me, amy is what is -- is what the impact to gays in the military will be on the national readiness. >> retired brigadier general from alameda says he understands these tense on the part of legislators. he has changed his mind on the issue and he says he has been confused by it. but he trusts the military will handle whatever comes its way. >> the military, i believe, is big enough and the command authority of the country to make this work. if it doesn't and we are wrong in my guess about it, we will have to take -- we will have to go back to "don't ask, don't tell." >> they got enough votes to get this through the senate. the senate has a full agenda before the session