When Senator John McCain suspended his campaign during the general election to fly to Washington and help deal with the economic crisis, then-candidate Barack Obama called him out for his lack of multitasking skills. The Obama campaign’s message was simple: being able to walk and chew gum at the same time is President’s job. If McCain couldn’t handle it on the campaign trail, how could he ever do it in the Oval Office?

The criticism was sound then– multitasking is essential to performing the job of the President effectively and competently– and it still stands now.

That’s why I was so disappointed to see what Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Fox News Sunday, and why I was particularly disappointed at his reasoning.

When Fox’s Chris Wallace asked Secretary Gates why there was money set aside in the proposed 2010 budget to enforce Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by discharging gay and lesbian members of the military, Secretary Gates just said that the military would continue to enforce the law until it changed.

But when would it change?

“I think the president and I feel like we’ve got a lot on our plates right now, and let’s push that one down the road a little bit.”

You know what? Secretary Gates is right. The President is dealing with an economic crisis, fighting two wars, and planning on ramping up one of them significantly. That’s a lot to deal with.

But discharging members of the military critical to success in those wars and needing to recruit their replacements also takes a lot of effort.

So why we try taking our own advice, President Obama, and learn to walk and chew gum at the same time. Maybe then we’ll be able to live up to our campaign promises, take a small step for equality, and a big step for national security.