Posted on 08/31/2011 10:57:02 AM PDT by RightGeek
President Obama plans to lay out his long-awaited jobs speech before a joint session of Congress next Wednesday evening -- which happens to be the same night of a Republican presidential debate.
"I respectfully request the opportunity to address a joint session of Congress on Sept. 7, 2011 at 8 p.m.," Obama wrote in a letter sent Wednesday to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney says the timing of the speech is not aimed at overshadowing the next Republican debate, which is cosponsored by NBC News and Politico, and is scheduled to air at the same time as the planned presidential address.
"It is coincidental," Carney said. "It is one debate of many [that will air] on one channel of many... [and] there are many other factors here" to consider when scheduling a major address from the president, he added.
Carney gave NBC his permission to reschedule the Republican debate so it doesn't conflict with the president's speech, saying "if the network so chose and the candidates so chose" to reschedule, "that would be completely fine with us."
Boehner and Reid have not yet responded to Obama's letter, according to Carney.
Now we know for sure the Dems are actually running the MSM and not the other eway around?
Uhh... no.
On hold here too.
God d@mn it, Boehner, if you have any balls at all tell the POS to go pound sand.
The list, ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
I say go ahead and reschedule the debate. Let him lay out his “new plan” and then candidates can open up on him like chopped meat for proposing his tried and true failed policy initiatives...
Schedule the address for 11AM EDT.
So that RUSH can use his entire show to mock it.
I would agree, but this sets a bad pattern allowing the Democrat President to interfer with the Republican debates. Instead . . let Boehner come back with an alternate time/date. If Barry is so intent on pushing for bipartisan mumbojumbo, let it start with the timing of the stupid speech.
Jay looks like Opie Taylor!
Me too...
Let me know what his office says if you get your answer before I do!
Why bother with the middlemen? Can the GOP just go ahead and have the DNC host the debate???
I was on hold for 20-30 minutes and then gave up.
I needed to make another call.
Please post here if you get through.
Thanks.
I thought they were, "What does this button do?"
Calling Congress into special session on extraordinary occasions is in the Constitution, but not whenever a president wants a captive audience for a nasty little speech. Just say no.
On hold now too.
I’m on hold and just got message “we are experiencing heavy call volume” I’ll bet!!
It’s going to be a political speech - just say no.
It’s really an outrageous request.
Wow. He said respectfully request which is a means, for talking to subordinates, which the President clearly isn’t to the House. He must really feel insecure. If he really was a strong President, he would say, House, I am taking over the TV hour to make a speech....deal with it. When are we going to have a strong President again. He is the senior guy in government and groveling to the Republicans....WEAK!! He makes me so sick sometimes.
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