I suspect that the president wants to deal with this .... but not right now. He's got a full plate. Once he gets his other programs entrenched, he'll still have political capital to deal with these equal rights issues. Right now, he can't afford to alienate votes he needs to get these programs through.
You have to realize that there are still many people in this country deathly afraid of GLBT people. Somehow, they think that it will rub off on them in some way. I know that it is irrational but for them, it is very real.
I love the Rachel Maddow show. I make a point of watching her every single day. Not only does she present the story, but she has an amazing way to explain complex issues.
She taught herself to read as a child and holds a PhD from Oxford and is the first open Lesbian to command the desk in a national "news" program.
I've forced my conservative friends watch her show with me and by the time she gets through a complicated story, they end up agreeing with her.
Cindi