Maybe it was a re-enactment of the campaign. Maybe it was a sort of absurdist performance art. Maybe it was all a cleverly enacted, satirical commentary on Washington politics.

From online accounts, it was actually exactly what it looked like; President Obama halfheartedly shining an important and ignored constituency on, while the elite members of that constituency just basked in the honor of it all. Thank you sir may I have another, and all.

Last night at Obama’s big speech to the Human Rights Campaign, the newly minted Nobel Laureate didn’t even feel the need to make sense all the time, such as this on Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell:

“We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve this country.”

Then stop doing it.

“It’s not for me to tell you to be patient,”.

No, its for you to be President and lead.

“I’m here with you in that fight.”

Yeah? How about telling the voters in Maine.

“Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach,”

Is that with or without your help, Mr. President? Is it really enough to simply not make things worse? Is that what it means to be a “fierce advocate?” Really?

Basically, President Obama made a “what I will do if you elect me President” speech. Nothing about the process beyond it-takes-a-while and I-know-some-people-think-it-should-move-faster. A little bit of “I can’t ask you to be patient” so listeners could tell themselves they weren’t being patronized.

But they were. The Human Rights Campaign is beginning to cross a line, whereby it looks less like a serious advocacy organization and more like a fund for cool, high-powered Hollywood event sponsorship. Between them and the new President, there suddenly seems to be a real dearth of fierce advocates for LGBT issues inside the beltway these days.