Finally.

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, one of the nation’s leading gay rights champions, blasted President Obama yesterday over a controversial anti-gay marriage court filing and is calling on the commander in chief to explain himself.

“I think the administration made a big mistake. The wording they used was inappropriate,” Frank (D-Newton) said of a brief filed by Obama’s Department of Justice that supported the Defense of Marriage Act.

The DOJ brief, which has touched off a firestorm of anger in the gay community, argued that states should not have to recognize same-sex marriages from other states, just as states don’t have to recognize incestuous marriages or unions involving underage girls.

“I’ve been in touch with the White House and I’m hoping the president will make clear these were not his views,” Frank said.

Frank goes on to say that he doesn't think gays and lesbians should pull out of next week's DNC fundraiser: “I think it’s a mistake to deny money to the DNC.” DNC Treasurer Andrew Tobias agrees—unsurprisingly—and adds that he doesn't believe "this debacle of a brief [represents] the president’s views." But we haven't heard from the president yet, Andrew, so who really knows? The president has ignored Rep. Polis's request for a statement disavowing the DOMA brief—leaving Polis fuming—and the White House has taken no action on Frank's request for a clarification about the "president's views."

And at this point... does anyone give a flying fuck about the president's personal views? The president's personal view is that DADT should be scrapped... but the president refuses to act. The president's personal view is that DOMA is an "abhorrent" law... but the president allowed his DoJ to defend DOMA in the vilest possible terms and most damaging possible way. The president's personal views are worthless so long as the president refuses to take public, political stands based on those views. The president's personal views are worthless so long as the president insists on swanning around the White House acting like he's powerless to do anything about public policy.

And, yes, the president can't do it alone. He has to pull Congress along with him. Which is why the president, in his letter to the gay community during the campaign, said this:

As your President, I will use the bully pulpit.... But having the right positions on the issues is only half the battle. The other half is to win broad support for those positions. And winning broad support will require stepping outside our comfort zone. If we want to repeal DOMA, repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and implement fully inclusive laws outlawing hate crimes and discrimination in the workplace, we need to bring the message of LGBT equality to skeptical audiences as well as friendly ones—and that’s what I’ve done throughout my career.

Gee, has anyone seen the president bringing the message of LGBT equality to the skeptical audience that is Congress? Has the president been stepping outside his comfort zones? Because right now all I see is members of Congress—Baldin, Polis, Frank—begging our "fierce advocate" to "clarify his views" on DOMA. President Obama campaigned on repealing DOMA and, again, described the DOMA as an "abhorrent" law and five months into his presidency Barney Frank is having to beg the president to pretty please tell us what he really thinks about DOMA.

Fucking pathetic.