LEFTIST ANGER VERSUS ALL DELIBERATE SPEED
The Administration's rollout of DADT is doing better in week two that it probably should do, given how weak it was. A big boost was given in week 2 by Colin Powell.
WaPo blog Doug Feaver reports "1,000 comments", about evenly split. AP reports "The Army's official Facebook site has been swamped with hundreds of comments, pro and con, " and "The Pentagon's move to consider letting gays serve openly is generating lively debate on social media sites".
The unclear messaging and lack of attention from the White House's team leading the effort, if there even is one, shows up:
Barney Frank, writing in HuffPo:
I am unclear as to exactly what forms of implementation the Secretary thinks he needs, since it is acknowledged that gay men and lesbians have served bravely and ably in the military for some time, and have done so increasingly with the knowledge of their fellow servicemembers.
In a somewhat more sober assessment, Kathleen Parker writes:
More questions remain than can be posed, much less answered, in this space, and Gates may need every minute of the 11 months he has requested to study the issue.
With so much high-rhetoric flying about who's ideals are stronger or should have primacy, it's sad to see so much disagreement on the practical issues, as well.
Always jealous of their prerogatives, many in the military are bristling at civilian overreach, even though it was their own leadership who have been failing to evolve the policy or ask Congress for changes.
Some are citing opinion polls, forgetting that the Right's machine is able to move public opinion, but the Left's is not. Remember how the polling went on immigration reform? At week 2, no one interested in reform should be feeling comfortable.
Obama's inclination, ability, and discipline to shy away from the fray in order to diffuse the hotheads is laudable. However, as we've learned last year, you can't be silent and push an agenda. Whether it comes from the President or other leaders, like Powell, there needs to be a steady reinforcement and assurance.
It doesn't have to be the President, of course. But there is no evidence that the WH is staffed up for an offensive, an advisory panel or team that knows enough to control the message (one can't trust Rhambo on these issues). Frankly, President Obama has all his eggs in one basket, with Gates, right?
