Obama’s doing healthcare reform and other big, complicated tasks. Why can’t he manage something relatively simple and less controversial like DADT?

Are they really afraid that it will provoke controversy that will distract from the other tasks?

Are they more interested in support from across the aisle than support from traditionally Dem groups like gays?

Or does Obama have some personal objections to gays? African Americans tend to be less approving than Americans in general.

I don’t know.

hmgph. wish I had kept that campaign donation and taken my sweetie out to a nice dinner instead. I wouldn’t feel like suuuuuch a sucker.

The White House press office declined to detail which benefits would be included, but people familiar with the legal obstacles posed by the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, said health benefits are not likely to be a part of the package. The Lieberman-Baldwin Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act, a bi-cameral bill that was introduced last month, will still need to be passed by Congress in order for full benefits to be extended to domestic partners of federal workers.

“Our analysis has been that it will take an act of Congress for the full suite of benefits such as health benefits and retirement benefits to be provided for same-sex couples and families,” said Leonard Hirsch, president of Federal Globe: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Employees of the Federal Government. Hirsch said the executive branch has the authority to extend certain other benefits through departments and agencies, such as providing relocation costs for partners of federal employees.

Really? Relocation expenses? You’ve got to be kidding me. Health and retirement benefits are the most important part of any benefits plan. This one is practically useless — and a cruel joke at that, given the events of the past few days. If this is supposed to be a sop that the Obama administration is throwing to LGBT employees, it’s a pretty limp one.

I’ve now updated the title of this post to put “Domestic Partner Benefits” in scare quotes where they belong.

American voters, if you put your confidence in me, if you elect me as your president, I promise you that I will provide relocation costs for partners of federal employees.

Ummm…. yeah, that wouldn’t be a very compelling campaign. Not that I’m not grateful, I am, but well… let’s just say I’m not dancing around my table.

I find it interesting that there wasn’t a single positive comment on the Advocate’s site.

Politically it’s kind of disappointing though. Why didn’t he take on DADT first, which has such political support and which he promised during the campaign?