Also check out the exclusive Obama interview with The Advocate’s Kerry Eleveld, who will be moving to the new group Equality Matters.

Dan Savage was on CNN this morning talking about the President’s contribution to his It Gets Better project, and he did a great job framing the nuance of the situation. Yes, the LGBT community is correct to point out that there has been far too little action on important issues like DADT and DOMA. However, it’s also important to note that this is the first time an American President has ever spoken so candidly on such an issue, telling gay kids that they are just right the way they are, that there’s nothing wrong with them, and that it will get better.

[h/t David Badash]

He, of course, does not have to defend DADT, by any stretch of the imagination, but there you have it:

Finding itself in a strange legal position, the Obama administration filed an emergency request Wednesday with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to stop the military from allowing openly gay troops from serving.

In effect, the administration wants to continue barring gays from the military even though it ultimately favors repealing the policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

“They are in a very bizarre position, frankly of their own making,” said CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.

[...]

The administration argued that changing it abruptly “risks causing significant immediate harm to the military and its efforts to be prepared to implement an orderly repeal of the statute.”

B.S.

Toobin said the administration would like Congress to deal with the issue on a political level and doesn’t want the courts to take it on unilaterally.

Funny thing about having three co-equal branches of government: when two of them fall down on the job, it’s actually perfectly natural for the third to step in and get the job done.

The other day, The Rude Pundit actually laid out pretty succinctly, as he is wont to do, the best and politically smartest thing Obama could be doing at this point.  Of course, as it is The Rude Pundit, it’s, um, kind of rude, but that’s the point.   Obama should have said, in response to the injunction handed down against DADT:

“Groovy. The Senate can go fuck itself now. Let’s move on.”

Oh, but of course not.  By the way, that entire Rude Pundit piece above is well worth the reading, just to alleviate the exasperation.  His description of the 20% dead-enders who actually really oppose DADT is one of the most beautiful, spot-on analyses I’ve ever seen, by which I mean that it’s gloriously rude and to the point.

Great assessment by Newsweek:

With the Proposition 8 fight, Obama has fallen short in a different way, by his reluctance to join an emerging social consensus. Obama had previously criticized California’s Proposition 8, the ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage, as “divisive.” But his official position — which no one believes he actually holds — is that he is against legalizing gay marriage. Americans are changing their views on this issue with inspiring rapidity. Judge Vaughn Walker’s moving opinion provided an occasion for Obama to embrace the extension of equal rights to gay people. Instead, he slunk mumbling in the other direction. How dismal that America’s first black president will be remembered as shirking the last great civil-rights struggle.

The entire story can be read, if you click these magic, highlighted words.

This, from NCLR:

Clay and his partner of 20 years, Harold, lived in California. Clay and Harold made diligent efforts to protect their legal rights, and had their legal paperwork in place—wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives, all naming each other. Harold was 88 years old and in frail medical condition, but still living at home with Clay, 77, who was in good health.

One evening, Harold fell down the front steps of their home and was taken to the hospital. Based on their medical directives alone, Clay should have been consulted in Harold’ care from the first moment. Tragically, county and health care workers instead refused to allow Clay to see Harold in the hospital. The county then ultimately went one step further by isolating the couple from each other, placing the men in separate nursing homes.

Ignoring Clay’ significant role in Harold’ life, the county continued to treat Harold like he had no family and went to court seeking the power to make financial decisions on his behalf. Outrageously, the county represented to the judge that Clay was merely Harold’ “roommate.” The court denied their efforts, but did grant the county limited access to one of Harold’ bank accounts to pay for his care. (Read More)

Tonight, Obama delivered a powerful and eloquent speech. Obama is a sitting president and pretty words are substance, by the virtue of his office. He is a Nobel prize winning, worldwide figure who gave his imprimatur to gay relationships. This should not be underestimated or easily dismissed.

I hope these moving and stirring words spur Congress to action – as soon as possible. We must continue pressuring the president and Congress until we are no longer second-class citizens. It is crucial that we push forward and voice our dissatisfaction with the status quo until all state sanctioned discrimination is abolished as expeditiously as possible. A few key points:

1) Obama went above and beyond rhetoric to an outright, ringing endorsement of our relationships. This will drive the right wing nuts to the point of distraction.

2) Obama provided Republicans with all the video footage they need to slam him on gay issues when he runs for reelection. So, he might a well just work to pass laws – to get the glory in exchange for the attacks to come.

3) He said he WILL abolish Don’t Ask. That was a direct promise as president – not a candidate.

4) As a former community organizer, Obama seems to recognize our role is to keep pushing forward. Without adequate pressure, nothing will get done.

Obama bought himself a half-hour in the hourglass, but until we are free and have the same rights as our neighbors, our community will not and cannot remain satisfied.

UPDATE 2: It appears that the Team Obama has responded. Gene Robinson’s website said that, “One addendum to yesterday’s posting: I have been invited to be on the President’s Platform for the inauguration/swearing in. An astounding honor!”

UPDATE 1: This is the official statement from Team Obama:

“We had always intended and planned for Rt. Rev. Robinson’s invocation to be included in the televised portion of yesterday’s program. We regret the error in executing this plan — but are gratified that hundreds of thousands of people who gathered on the mall heard his eloquent prayer for our nation that was a fitting start to our event,” said PIC communications director Josh Earnest.

TWO’s Response: “We appreciate the explanation,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. “However, it seems that Team Obama should make up for its error by having the courtesy to invite Bishop Robinson to address the nation on national television. He is a major national figure, and more historically prominent than Rick Warren, who will give the invocation. He deserves a ‘Do-Over’.”

Warren Gets Prime Time, Robinson Gets No Time, Says TWO

Truth Wins Out today urged the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) to explain why openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson was excluded from a Home Box Office airing of inauguration festivities. He gave his sermon on Sunday, but HBO did not air it, leaving America wondering why he was bumped from the broadcast. Additionally, Robinson’ microphone wasn’t turned on until his prayer was nearly over, so the crowd was also unable to hear him. (Read More)

Focus on the Family plucked a video from its Web site today that urged people to pray for “rain of biblical proportions” during Barack Obama’s Aug. 28 appearance at Invesco Field at Mile High to accept the Democratic nomination for president. This, of course, would be about as effective as their attempts to have people “pray away the gay” at their “ex-gay” Love Won Out freak shows.

“If people took it seriously, we regret it,” Minnery said Monday.

Who is Focus on the Family kidding? They are a nasty group that portrays God as a right wing bully who is molded in James Dobson’s dictatorial image. The only joke here, was that Focus on the Family is covering up their true colors by portraying their ugliness as a parody.

You can only feel bad for people who have such an authoritarian, hideous view of spirituality. I hope, even pray, that they get the help they need to escape this miserable mindset in which they are trapped.

Pam Spaulding – from the award-wining blog Pam’s House Blend – has revealed that Obama’s faith-based initiative plan will bar reparative therapy, proselytizing.

A source with Senator Obama’s campaign has now confirmed to Pam’s House Blend that under no circumstances will funds from the program will be granted to FBOs for proselytizing or reparative therapy. Under the Obama plan, MCC congregations, LGBT-welcoming Methodist and Unitarian congregations, and other affirming churches will have access to funds to do much-needed work in communities large and small of great importance — HIV/AIDS education, for instance, relief efforts, etc.