You know, you live "looking in" long enough you realize how thin are the political "memes" that form the basic crutch for so much political 'thought'.
You'd think that would be cynical, but it is actually liberating, at least intellectually.
Anyway, Frank Rich is still swooning for Obama-Biden, even though there are red flags on the play (no pun intended).
Symbols and substance are both important.
Like many, I'll give up "fighting" over symbols when "I" have my substance.
Even so, that's not a choice that was ever presented. It was ... doled out, in a way that seemed divorced from any clear understanding of what was going on in the gay community, of facts-on-the-ground (you know, like, people-in-the-streets angry, not champagne-maker angry...). As such, it's indicative of decision-making trouble, possibly, within the Obama camp, even making wide allowances for everything else going on.In fact, the "choice" that was given was, (a), 'trust us on substance, character' and, (b), 'give up this symbol, as a show of goodwill toward civility'.
Like many, I'll give up "fighting" over symbols when "I" have my substance. Since Warren has his substance, he's the one who should be giving up his symbols (without being asked, one might say, as well). If he has some role to play in the greater, inner evangelical struggle, there are other, better ways to facilitate that, I believe. In other words, he can play his role and the rest do not have to 'choose'.
THERE ARE ONLY 'OPEN STRATEGIES' - 'CLOSED STRATEGIES' ARE LIKE FOOL'S GOLD
And for all those calculating, 'secret deal', die-hard liberals who think that gays and gay rights "issues" should take a pass (on symbols and criticism and not being "calm" enough), the answer is that they probably will, anyway.
Obama has so much on his plate right now, he'd be a fool to put gay rights on the 'first-100-days' calendar, right? If I were him, I wouldn't bring it up in the 111th, would you? If Secretary Gates publicly opposes repeal of DADT, that could risk an early breakdown of the cherished 'Team of Rivals' concept. I'm guessing that Obama-Biden, who have pinned their hearts to A Lincoln Portrait, would consider that ... baaaad.
[Besides, the HRC probably hasn't met and 'educated' all the new members of Congress, similar to those who we were told (cough, cough) were holding up real ENDA, last go round.]
Of course, by the 112th, his early decisions will be undoubtedly in the 'highly questioned' category (as they always are, in the short-term, while results are not in yet). Of course, then it will not be a good time, probably because he won't have the votes for a 'distinctly liberal' agenda, on the heels of everything else he will have tried. Bush has already pushed him to choose on the social dividing line issues, to some extent, by approving religious exceptions rules, as a kinda Rovian parting dagger. Obama's team will have an eye on the mid-term elections...
There will be no Ted Kennedy in the Senate (at least not at full strength). I cannot think of anyone, offhand, who will fill his shoes. Hillary is off on her (dead-end?) Secretary of State job, which may well end donations to her husband's good work.
So, .... substance? Tempus fugit ...
