The Speaker of the House replies to the White House request:
August 31, 2011
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Thank you for your letter requesting time to address a Joint Session of Congress next week. I agree that creating a better environment for job creation must be our most urgent priority. For months, the House has been implementing an agenda designed to reduce economic uncertainty, remove unnecessary government barriers to private-sector job creation, and help small businesses, and we welcome the opportunity to hear your latest proposals.
As your spokesperson today said, there are considerations about the Congressional calendar that must be made prior to scheduling such an extraordinary event. As you know, the House of Representatives and Senate are each required to adopt a Concurrent Resolution to allow for a Joint Session of Congress to receive the President. And as the Majority Leader announced more than a month ago, the House will not be in session until Wednesday, September 7, with votes at 6:30 that evening. With the significant amount of time – typically more than three hours – that is required to allow for a security sweep of the House Chamber before receiving a President, it is my recommendation that your address be held on the following evening, when we can ensure there will be no parliamentary or logistical impediments that might detract from your remarks. As such, on behalf of the bipartisan leadership and membership of both the House and Senate, I respectfully invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday, September 8, 2011 in the House Chamber, at a time that works best for your schedule.
We look forward to hearing your ideas and working together to solve America’s jobs crisis.
Sincerely,
John Boehner
Classy. Now watch the White House and/or their media surrogates try to spin this as "Hey, WE wanted to take care of jobs earlier, but those evil Republican TeaPartiers obviously were in no rush!"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat a very nice way to tell Obama, "Hey, Dumba**! Next time, ask us first, before announcing it to the press!"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePerfect!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRACIST!!!!!!!!!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLike a boss.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHmm...Thursday night, what to watch. The Packers vs. The Saints or droning Barry. So tough to choose.
And don't tell me Mr. "just a coincidence" Carney that the White house hasn't thought about that. NBC will certainly have thought about it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm sure the networks will pre-empt the game to carry the speech. If President Obama agrees on Thursday night, he's lost Wisconsin and Louisiana in 2012. The NFL fans have been looking forward to this matchup all summer. Good response by Boehner to give him a Hobson's choice.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI would still tell him to put a sock in it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis totally works for me.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHell, I'd invite him to come earlier in the day Tuesday so that his jobs package could be heard ASAP. Make him be the one who puts it off. Who says joint sessions have to be in prime time?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLet Obama speak, then begin the GOP debate immediately afterwards.
What a lead-in for a larger audience, and an opportunity to rebut the speech.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'll add that he risks showing lower ratings than the GOP debate which would surely become a Drudge headline.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseEXCELLENT idea. From your lips to Boehner's ears(or whoevers ears schedule debate-type things).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell, Barry is going to be on all the networks, so in the Republican response they should include some line like "A point that many Republican candiates have been making and I'm sure will make in their debate tonght at 9:00 on MSNBC."
Nothing like a free plug for our side if Barry's going to use the presidency to force free time for himself as a candidate.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuselarger audience?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI was beaten to it, but still:
That's racist.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhy is it that Repubs use full courtesy when the Dems are constantly slamming us?
Yeah, yeah, I know, but geez.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe are classy enough to attempt to make them look forward to the trip.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseVorpal -- because courtesy wins. Boehner hit it out of the park here. It is, in every sense, a much greater victory than if he dashed off a Pelosi-style letter full of vitriol.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf Obama doesn't roll on this - Boehner needs to forcefully remind him that Congress is a co-equal to the POTUS and not for the POTUS to use to push his policy agenda.
I find it offensive that a POTUS would go speak before the Legislature so much - that is not his realm and isn't it unprecedented how many times this guy has gone to address joint sessions?
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