WaPo: Obama to Ask for End to 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Meredith Jessup | January 27, 2010 7:41 PM

The Washington Post is reporting that President Obama's state of the union speech tonight will include a request for Congress to act in ending the military's "don't ask, don't tell policy" with regards to gays openly serving in the military.

The White House has faced pressure since early last year from liberal and gay rights groups over the policy. A growing chorus of people across the political spectrum and several retired military leaders have also called for a repeal.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) hinted to reporters earlier this week that Obama might mention a repeal. He said the White House had asked him to delay hearings scheduled for February on the matter.

My guess is that this is a verbal olive branch for the gay community and the president is throwing a bone to some very vocal members of his base. The Left is already angry with the president over his failure to pass his health care overhaul plan, among other things. But with the economy continuing to limp on, bleeding jobs, and health care still up in the air for Dems, I'm going to predict the White House holds off on doing anything related to the controversial 'don't ask, don't tell' policy for a while.

I may be wrong, but it does seem odd that the president insists on making this a key issue of his state of the union while, at the same time, asking the Senate to delay hearings.