Boehner Asks for Thursday: Obama Schedules Jobs Speech to Joint Session of Congress on Same Day as GOP Presidential Debate
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U.S. President Barack Obama speaks next to AFL-CIO Richard Trumpka (R) in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, August 31, 2011
President Barack Obama intends to deliver his much-anticipated speech laying out his jobs agenda and plan to cut the federal deficit on Sept. 7 to a joint session of Congress. Mr. Obamas timing steps directly on a Republican presidential debate scheduled for that same evening in Simi Valley, Calif.
The president sent a letter to congressional leaders Wednesday requesting time to address a joint session on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m.
Our Nation faces unprecedented economic challenges, and millions of hardworking Americans continue to look for jobs, Mr. Obama wrote. It is my intention to lay out a series of bipartisan proposals that the Congress can take immediately to continue to rebuild the American economy by strengthening small businesses, helping Americans get back to work, and putting more money in the paychecks of the Middle Class and working Americans, while still reducing our deficit and getting our fiscal house in order.
It is our responsibility to find bipartisan solutions to help grow our economy, Mr. Obama continued, and if we are willing to put country before party, I am confident we can do just that.
Good for the GOP Presidential contenders?
NBC and Politico will call the shots, but a GOP debate after the President’s speech would be a full two hour prime time television rebuttal of the President.
Of course, the debate is only being carried on MSNBC.
My bet is the debate will be cancelled and rescheduled until a later date. Now, agreeing on that date may be problematic.