Boehner to Obama: Speak on Another Night

This might not bode well for President Obama's chances of getting Republicans to go along with his jobs plan: The two sides can't even agree on when he should unveil it. In response to Obama's request to address a joint session of Congress on Sept. 7, John Boehner has asked him to postpone the speech one night, reports the Hill. Boehner noted in his letter that the House isn't scheduled to reconvene until 6:30 on the 7th, which would raise "logistical impediments" in getting the chamber ready for a speech 90 minutes later.

He did not mention what everyone else has noted: that Obama's speech would conflict with a GOP presidential debate—Rick Perry's first one—at the same time. White House spokesman Jay Carney called the timing a "coincidence," but that didn't stop critics such as Rush Limbaugh from piling on, notes Mediaite. "This is intended to disrupt the Republican debate," he said on his show today. "It’s intended to make Obama look bigger than the Republicans." Another thing Boehner didn't mention: Postponing the speech by one night would pit the president against the NFL's opening night, notes the National Journal. (More President Obama stories.)