Hagel's troglodyte record on gay rights is still an issue even though President Obama finds it very inconvenient as he would like to nominate Hagel tomorrow.

I hope the President will not risk the political cost of loosing the confirmation battle on this terrible choice.

It's not only about what he said many years ago, but that he has not come out for any specific or general commitment to equality for gay military families.

In general for gays to accept Hagel, he must say that he would like to see DOMA overturned at the Supreme Court.

But there are many ways a Secretary of Defense could help gay military families no matter how DOMA is decided and Hagel has not come out in favor of any of these.

Reports to the contrary, LGBT equality is not yet a done deal in the military. There is still the matter of partner benefits. There still remain a handful of regulations that could be revised independent of the Defense of Marriage act that could bring some equity of compensation and benefits to gay and lesbian servicemembers. but remain denied due only to Department of Defense foot-dragging:

Included in the discretionary benefits currently denied are spousal identication cards, cited in the Pentagon's own Working Group study as not requiring DOMA repeal to deliver.

Presiident Obama should also condider.
that besides the bad politics of alienating Democrats by not choosing, Flournoy, a great Democratic manager, many people familiar with Hagel say he is a poor manager.

Hagel has drawn additional heat from insiders who claim he lacks the credentials needed to manage a department as large and essential as the Pentagon.