"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" may not be in Obama Speech

Gay rights groups were heartened by word yesterday from Sen. Carl Levin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, that President Obama would address the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in his State of the Union Address tomorrow.

The president has promised to repeal the policy, which keeps gays from serving openly in the military, but he has yet to seriously press Congress to do so. Democrats have indicated they would try to get a repeal of the policy into this year's Defense Appropriations bill, but gay rights advocates fear they will retreat amid concerns about their midterm election prospects.

Now a senior administration official tells CBS News that while language has been drafted for Mr. Obama's State of the Union urging Congress to repeal the policy, it is not by any means certain that language will be included in the speech, which remains in a state of flux.

According to Levin, officials at the Pentagon expect Mr. Obama to address the policy. Levin has agreed to delay Congressional hearings on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" until after the State of the Union and now hopes to hold hearings early next month.