Unreal:
House Speaker John A. Boehner all but rejected President Obama’s request to speak to a joint session of Congress on Sept. 7 by offering an audience the following night.
Mr. Obama had asked to deliver a much anticipated speech outlining his proposals to boost employment and the economy on Wednesday, Sept. 7 — the same time as a scheduled Republican presidential debate, as it happens.
Of course, this is the same exact John Boehner who didn't even watch the first Republican Presidential debate:
House Speaker John Boehner, the highest-ranking Republican in the country, decided not to watch Thursday night's debate among Republican presidential contenders, the first debate of the 2012 presidential cycle.
Hotsheet spotted Boehner at Morton's The Steakhouse on Connecticut Avenue in Washington enjoying a bottle of Cabernet - and a couple of cigarettes.
Speaking of the debate, Boehner told Hotsheet that he will "read about it tomorrow."
Despite Boehner's rejection of Obama's request for the joint session, the debate sponsors have already said they would be willing to delay the presidential debate to accommodate President Obama's address.
2:03 PM PT: By the way, Thursday night is the start of the NFL season. So not only does Boehner think the GOP debate is too precious to allow President Obama to speak to Congress about creating jobs, he thinks that the GOP's political priorities should interrupt the start of the NFL season.
2:06 PM PT: You know, if John Boehner can't even agree to let President Obama give a speech, there's no way Republicans are going to agree to anything in the way of jobs creation measures. So fuck it. President Obama should go ahead and give the speech somewhere else. Take his message to the public. Screw Congress, screw John Boehner, and screw the tea party's refusal to do a single damn thing to help put this country back to work.
2:15 PM PT (Barbara Morrill): Via Brian Beutler:
RT @thinkprogress: MT @lukerussert: House historian says public move by Boehner to tell Obama to change date is unprecedented.