Monday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

This is going to be a busy week. The President delivers the State of the Union on Wednesday night. For the next few days, we'll hear and read endless commentary about what he needs to say and how he needs to say it. Then, we'll hear and read endless discussion about what he said and how he said it. It's going to be annoying.

One week from today, the President delivers his budget to Congress. We're hoping the budget includes the language to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." If that law is going to be repealed this year, it will happen in the Defense Authorization so the budget is the right vehicle. Obama can and should take the lead by including the repeal language in his version of the Defense budget. Now, we'll hear a lot of bed-wetting about DADT and how hard it will be to pass it and how Democrats can't do anything "controversial" and worries about what the Pentagon thinks. But, the Pentagon leadership works for Obama and the repeal of DADT has broad support. So, this one is in Obama's court.

And, on the subject of Obama and DADT, read the op-ed from Richard Socarides. John posted it here. It's very powerful. Let's hope someone at the White House reads it -- and heeds it.

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