Patience is Wearing Thin with Obama

National Journal has a great interview with openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, who certainly confirms that patience is wearing thin with Obama when it comes to LGBT rights.  First there's the delay in "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Then there's the silence on marriage equality while four states legalize it during the first four months of his administration.  (Well, OK, not total silence, given that Obama made a joke about marrying his campaign manager in Iowa, at the White House Correspondents Dinner.)  Then there's the tepid response that Obama's "Pride Declaration" was met with throughout the LGBT blogosphere.

Yup, that sound sure sounds like patience slowly slipping out the door.

Here's one of the best money lines from Bishop Robinson:

National Journal: Let me ask you about Pres. Obama. There's much consternation bubbling up in the gay community that he's not visible on issues of interest to the community. Many say, for example, they'd like him to do more in trying to retract the military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. And yet he's been awfully quiet since taking office on this and other issues. Do you feel like he's losing some goodwill among gays and lesbians?

Gene Robinson: I think that a number of us are beginning to be impatient with him. The argument that he's got other things on his plate really doesn't hold water since he has certainly demonstrated an ability to multitask and to tackle very, very important issues at the same time. Also, I just saw a poll -- I think it was yesterday or the day before -- showing enormous support for an end to 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' even amongst the military, even amongst conservatives, amongst Republicans, not to mention the general public. I still believe that he is going to move forward on that and on the Defense of Marriage Act and so on, but I do think patience is wearing thin, and I think it's time for him to begin to give this some of his time and energy.

I know that he's put together a study committee around 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' and I don't think he would have done that if he hadn't been assured of what the verdict would be. I don't know when they are due to report, but certainly when they do would be an opportune time for him to act. I think he did that so as not to fall within the same danger zone that Bill Clinton did when he tried to do it by fiat.

It's an interesting interview, with Robinson talking about New Hampshire's recent decision to enact marriage equality, and about the role that religion plays in winning the debate over marriage equality.

In the end, though, I'm left thinking that Robinson - who gave a much heralded prayer during the opening ceremonies of Obama's Inauguration (which was, subsequently, not telecast on HBO like the rest of the festivities) - is speaking for the masses when he says that Obama better start to pay attention to us, lest he start losing LGBT support by volumes.