I like the contrast with his campaign speeches. From November 29, 2007:
Unfortunately, instead of leadership, what we're getting from this commander-in-chief is headlong retreat. I like Maddow's comment: "I wonder what his [Obama's] record would be like so far if he weren't a fierce advocate for gay rights."
Add in this story about the Supreme Court refusing certiori on a DADT case -- at the administration's request -- and you start to see why I'm not real happy: I don't like the picture that's emerging here at all.
In the "don't ask, don't tell" case, the Supreme Court sided with the Obama administration, which had urged the justices not to hear the appeal against the policy, even though Obama is on record as opposing it. The court thus spared the administration from having to defend in court a policy that the president eventually wants to abolish pending a review by the Pentagon.
But the administration doesn't have to defend the policy -- it can elect not to. In fact, Obama has all sorts of options here that are not being explored.
I sort of wonder how much of Rahm Emanuel's influence we're seeing here? Somehow, having Mr. Republican-Lite as WH chief of staff doesn't reassure me a great deal. Whatever the cause, we voted for a leader, but got a Chicago politician.
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