Obama vows to repeal 'Don't ask, Don't tell,' opens for Lady Gaga

President Barack Obama on Saturday spoke to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay and lesbian civil rights organization, and promised to defend civil rights for gays and lesbians.

The president recounted a brief history of the gay civil rights movement and vowed to repeal the long derided "don't ask, don't tell" policy that excludes gays and lesbians from serving in the U.S. military. "I will end Don't Ask, Don't Tell. That's my commitment to you."

Citing the long struggle for gay civil rights, Obama simplified his message to one memorable line. "I'm here with a simple message," he said. "I'm here with you in that fight."

Obama acknowledged critics who "don't believe progress has come fast enough" and compared those who told African Americans to wait during the civil rights movement with those who tell LGBT leaders to wait for equality.

Although the president never said he supported same sex marriage, he did seem to indicate that a time would come when gay marriages would be recognized. "You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman," Obama said.

On a weekend when ens of thousands of gay and lesbian Americans marched on Washington, the president said that gays and lesbians care about other issues in addition to gay issues. He cited the economy and health care as two such issues.

"For while some may wish to define you solely by your sexual orientation or gender identity alone, you know -- and I know -- that none of us wants to be defined by just one part of what makes us whole," He said that gays and lesbians are "also parents worried about your children's futures" and "spouses who fear that you or the person you love will lose a job."

In a moment that drew enormous applause, the president said he would sign the new hate crimes bill in Congress. "This struggle has been long. Time and again we faced opposition. Time and again, the measure was defeated or delayed. But the Shepards never gave up. They turned tragedy into an unshakeable commitment. Countless activists and organizers never gave up. You held vigils, you spoke out, year after year, Congress after Congress. The House passed the bill again this week. And I can announce that after more than a decade, this bill is set to pass and I will sign it into law."

The president also joked that it was an honor for him to open for Lady Gaga, who performed after his speech.