Prof - a - Prof.

In the mano-a-mano fighting tradition, Law Professor Althouse takes on Law Professor Obama: (whom you must admit has developed a more rope-a-dope strategic style on these issues, given what his social-conservative opponents usually hand him to work with...)

Professor Obama (PO):
Now we recently had a Supreme Court — a district court case — that said DADT is unconstitutional. I agree with the basic principle that anybody who wants to serve in our armed forces, and make sacrifices on our behalf, on behalf of our national security, anybody should be able to serve. And they shouldn’t have to lie about who they are in order to serve.

Professor Althouse (PA):
So don't appeal the case! Say you think the court got it right! Or say that you think DADT isn't unconstitutional. It's just bad policy, and you object to the judiciary taking over in this area.

PO: And so we are moving in the direction of ending this policy. It has to be done in a way that is orderly because we are involved in a war right now.

PA:That's pretty much a cloaked statement that he thinks the court was wrong and that the policy is constitutional. It's not "orderly" for the court to strike it down. The judiciary shouldn't be supervising the military. I'm going to assert with confidence that that is his opinion.

PO: But this is not a question of whether the policy will end. This policy will end, and it will end on my watch.

PA: The arc of history is long! Keep waiting, oh captive voters. Who else are you going to vote for?

PO: But I do have an obligation to make sure that I’m following some of the rules.

PA: Some of the rules?! Man, if you are only following some of the rules, why not give gay people a break?

PO: I can’t simply ignore laws that are out there. I have to work to make sure they are changed.

PA: Pssst. The Constitution is law.