Editorial: Going slowly on gay rights

President Obama extended an olive branch to gay-rights activists this week who are upset that he hasn't moved fast enough on issues important to them.

Obama urged the gay and lesbian community to be patient, reminding them that his administration is only six months old. Ironically, the administration has been criticized for moving too quickly on too many other big issues.

Obama told the gay and lesbian audience he invited to the White House to mark the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion to judge him not by the "promises I've made, but by the promises that my administration keeps."

That seems more than fair at this early juncture.

Obama campaigned on a promise to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law that allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, and to overturn the military's "don't ask, don't tell" rule, which bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military.

He indicated that he plans to keep that promise, but that may not be enough to appease some activists, who withdrew support for a recent Democratic National Committee fund-raiser. Some gays are still upset that Obama picked Rick Warren, the evangelical pastor opposed to same-sex marriage, to deliver the invocation at his inaugural.

Obama did change a policy in the federal government that discriminated against same-sex partners. The domestic partners of federal employees may now be added to a government insurance program that pays for long-term conditions. They also are now entitled to sick leave to care for a sick partner or non-biological child.

White House officials insist Obama remains committed to getting rid of the "don't ask, don't tell" rule, but they have been vague about the timing. A few public relations missteps have not instilled confidence.

Gay-rights advocates are upset that Obama didn't act immediately. The president indicated that he needs time to build support in the Pentagon.

Obama has also rightly called on Congress to pass a hate-crimes bill. Obama has said all the right things. Now, it's just a matter of timing and execution.