Louie Gohmert Channels Robert Byrd

Rep. Louie Gohmert claims repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" threatens the existence of America. Never mind that Israel allows gays to openly serve in the military. I doubt Gohmert would tell pro-Israeli conservatives that Israel's existence is about to end. The general consensus is Israel has a formidable military.

GOHMERT: To my friend who said that history would judge us poorly, I would submit if you would look thoroughly at history -- and I'm not saying it's cause and effect -- but when militaries throughout history of the greatest nations in the world have adopted the policy that "fine for homosexuality to be overt" -- you can keep it private and control your hormones fine, if you can't, that's fine too -- they're toward the end of their existence as a great nation.

Gohmert is making the same argument that the late Sen. Robert Byrd made to President Bill Clinton about ending the ban of gays in the military. Byrd gave a rambling spiel to Clinton about Tiberius and Caesar and the fall of the Roman empire. George (Stephanopoulos documented Byrd's exchange with Clinton in his book "All Too Human.") Byrd is also a well known bigot and former member of the Klu Klux Klan.

Gohmert might want to use a more orignail talking point.