Tuesday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

Today, the Senate Armed Services Committee hold the long-awaited hearing on Don't Ask, Don't Tell. John wrote a preview, based on various news reports, last night. The Pentagon is going to push for a "year-long" review, which will look at issues like same-sex marriage. That sounds like a delaying tactic. Meanwhile, Congress has to repeal the law. And, the Obama administration needs to put the repeal language in its budget. When gays issues are involved, everything gets way too complicated -- even among our allies. The DADT hearing begins at noon. It will be aired on CSPAN3.

The DNC's Winter Meeting starts Thursday here in D.C. If I were a DNC member, particularly the Chair of a State Party, I'd want to know why the DNC spent $500,000 on Nebraska's Ben Nelson in December. Nelson doesn't even have an election until 2012. And, he isn't destitute. Nelson's year-end FEC report shows him sitting on a million dollar campaign account. He couldn't spend his own money? Why? While the DNC was asking people for money to fight for real health care reform last year, Ben Nelson was undermining real reform. But, Nelson was the beneficiary of those dollars. That's pretty bad. And, it sucks that the DNC was so worried about Nebraska when there was a Senate campaign underway in Massachusetts. I'm sure that $500,000 would have been helpful in some other states where there are important elections in 2010, not 2012, too. Who decided to spend $500,000 on Ben Nelson and why?

Obama heads to New Hampshire today. He's speaking in Nashua about his small business lending proposal.

Lots going on...