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Speaker Boehner Responds To Obama

By: streiff (Diary)  |  August 31st, 2011 at 04:43 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Kudos to Speaker John Boehner for his timely and appropriate response to a juvenile stunt pulled by the Obama White House. That the short notice demand for a Joint Session of Congress was anything other than junior high level one-upmanship was dispelled today when the zero gravity press secretary, Jay Carney, compared the scheduled GOP debate at the Reagan Library with a “wildlife show.”

Speaker Boehner’s response can be found here. In essence it says we can’t do it Wednesday because we won’t be in session until 6:30 pm. We’ll see you some time Thursday.

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  • mkozikowski

    I give high praise to Mr. Boehner for standing up to the spoiled brat of a President.
    That is the only adult response that could have been returned to such a blatant disrespectful, ignorant and totally outrageous demand.

    Thank you Speaker Boehner.

    • inovrmihd

      So the President doesn’t get to upstage the debate. Isn’t the far more important issue the proposals he will make and whether they will be passed? Isn’t granting a joint session of Congress conveying a seriousness and significance to what he will say? Assuming his plans are bad, why help him sell it? A lot more people are going to pay attention to his proposals if they are given before a joint session (imagine if he had to give an hour long speech on regular television without a crowd of democrats clapping every few minutes). Is there any precedent for not honoring a presidential request for a joint session?

      • RichmondG30

        Not sure, inovrmihd. Is there any precedent for a US President requesting a joint session at the exact date and time of a previously-scheduled, nationally-televised Presidential Primary debate?

        Multiple choice:
        This President is:
        A. the most arrogant man ever to hold the office
        B. the most juvenile man ever to hold the office
        C. the most clueless man ever hold the office
        D. All of the above.

        • carolina

          .

  • inovrmihd

    Why should Boehner allow him the prestige of a joint session of Congress? I am asking this seriously. We don’t know what Obama is going to say, but doesn’t calling a joint session of Congress convey that what he is saying is significant, when it may not be? Maybe this is just the way things are done in D.C., but wouldn’t the more appropriate response have been to say no, and demand eqqual time from the networks to publcily respond to the President’s ideas or offer a Republican jobs plan?

    • charliesalmanack

      ….this would have been a much better response.

      He’s giving Obama a free commercial, elevating the importance of what he has to say, etc.

      Boehner is so damn weak. Honestly…..

      • perry4prez

        I am forced to agree with charliesalmanack. Boehner’s response makes it look like we are afraid of what O’Bumbling has to say but it speaks for itself. O’Bumbling is going to say something like “corporate jets, Social Security, fat cats, Social Security, soak the rich, Medicare, oil companies made me do it, Obamacare, insurance companies” blah blah blah.

    • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

      Regardless of the respect due personally to the current inhabitant. It’s wholly reasonable and appropriate.

      • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

        Which just goes to show: the universe rewards virtue in the most surprising ways.

        • gawken

          I can’t believe that nobody in the WH political offices didn’t look at the calendar, and/or forsee what Boehner might do…and what would happen if he said no to Wednesday.

          The folks who supposedly ran the GREATEST CAMPAIGN EVER in 2008 are in BIG trouble..

          • swami7774

            …they’re counting on the MSM to take their side in this and blast the GOP for “playing politics”(which is, of course, precisely what Obama is doing).
            The MSM will comply, pantingly.

          • carolina

            I think they are so internally focused that ‘they’ did not even think about the GOP debate.
            Good thing ‘they’ have agreed to Thursday now.

          • carolina

            I think they are so internally focused that ‘they’ did not even think about the GOP debate.
            Good thing ‘they’ have agreed to Thursday now.

        • Raven

          There are better things on.

      • inovrmihd

        Did Bush ever make such a request other than after 9/11?

      • acat

        From this white house?

        I don’t buy it, Night.

        Mew

        • http://www.tooncesthecat.wordpress.com tooncesthecat

          Me neither

      • westcoastpatriette

        But this President is anything but normal and continually abuses his authority with contempt toward those who are harmed by his recklessness.

        This is one more brazen act designed to undermine the Republican debate and draw attention to his morbid propaganda whereby he will insist the only answer to America’s current crisis is more of the same.

        I say screw him. He has completely destroyed any reason to respect him–office of the Presidency or not.

        • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

          As a former military man, I understand this all too well. In addition, due to my religious beliefs, I understand that God has placed this man in this position, and he is therefore due the respect the Office entails. If God finds the man unworthy in this position, He will deal with him appropriately such that I will not have to.

          • westcoastpatriette

            Since when does the office of President carry more clout or deserve more respect than being in an office in the House of Representatives or the Senate?

            In America, presidents aren’t kings who must be bowed down to at all times. The executive branch is no more or less important than the other branches of the federal government.

          • westcoastpatriette

            .

          • perry4prez

            @westcoastpatriette, the President is our Head of State not just the head of government or of a political party. He is the symbol of our Nation like the Queen is for England. That is one reason why I personally believe our president should be in tune with the values of the American people. So while I (obviously) agree that we don’t bow before the President, he IS different from just a Senator.

          • westcoastpatriette

            And think your perception is the result of a distorted view of federalism.

            If the federal government had not grown to be the overpowering monster it has become, views such as yours would not be so prevalent.

            As I stated before, the president is on a par with a Senator or Congressperson and, constitutionally, presides over the executive branch of the federal government. Not sure how you come up with your view that the office represents a symbol of our nation on a par with the Queen of England, but that is only your view.

          • perry4prez

            I think the idea is rooted in the Constitutional provision allowing the President to appoint Ambassadors and other public ministers. The Founders believed this would be a ministerial act and thus in the realm of the Head of State, not an instrument of policy that would belong to the political branches – it is the expansion of the Federal Government that has transformed it into an instrument of policy.

            What provision of the Constitution supports your view that the President does not have any ceremonial roles?

          • westcoastpatriette

            Are you saying that the President’s desire to make a speech to the nation and before Congress is a ceremonial role? If so, I disagree with that, too.

            And so what if he appoints ambassadors and other public ministers?
            He still plays a limited role under the concept of federalism. Just what do you mean by “Head of State?”

          • dock3511

            Are in charge. The president and Congress are public servants. They need to be reminded of this from time to time.

          • snowshooze

            He just thinks it is the best public housing he has ever lived in.

            And true, God deals with people as he will. Sometimes he recruits other mere mortals..

          • acat

            As I do not share your religion, I will be ignoring the second part.

            Should Obama have something to say, the proper method – since the State of the Union speech has been done – would be to go to Boehner and Reid and lay out his case.

            Reid doesn’t really matter, he’s a Dem and the Senate is too small to look impressive on TV, so Boehner is the one to ask… and it sounds like he’s said “No”.

            This does not disrespect the office, but does provide some justification to the lack of respect for the current administration.

            If Obama really had something to say, or even if he could put together a sufficiently believable fable, Boehner would have let him have the slot.

            Mew

          • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

            it really seems to be lost in this discussion.

            He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses.

            Sounds to me like President can convene both houses whenever he believes there are extraordinary occasions. Boehner’s response was reasonable. He can’t say no, but he can say, “that day doesn’t work, how about this one?”

          • acat

            and, based on the response, neither does Boehner.

            Sure, Obama can call the House and Senate into session, but … doing so, without an “extraordinary Occasion”, will have political consequences.

            As I’m sure you recall, Night, constitutional authority contains lots of checks and balances …

            Mew

          • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

            Looks to me like the President determines exratordinary occasion. You can disagree that it is, but it seems to be for him to determine, not us.

          • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

            And I DO see extraordinary occasion. 9%+ unemployment is an extraordinary occasion and needs to be addressed. The only think we’ll surely agree on here is Obama has no plan to do anything about that (other than make it go higher).

          • acat

            Boehner, apparently, does not see this as an “extraordinary Occasion”.

            Historically, 9% unemployment (or 17% actual unemployment) is unusual – but ask a Carter survivor such as myself and you’ll find that it’s not historically unique…. and I don’t recall Carter doing a special address on the subject. Further, unemployment has been hovering around this level since Obamacare passed and companies stopped creating jobs. The situation is, therefore, not urgent.

            We agree that Obama has no plan.

            We further agree that Obama can call both houses into session.

            My point – which I thought I was clear on – is that Obama can even do so without an actual “extraordinary Occasion”. As you say, he just needs a good economy/stump speech, whipped up to look like an occasion….

            The less believable it sounds, especially in light of a long-on-the-calendar GOP debate and this administrations’ history of playing politics where it does not belong… and if it’s not a *new* and *urgent* situation … he’ll pay a steep price for doing so.

            Mew

          • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

            I’m aware of the unemployment problems back then.

            So to bring this full circle, since we both agree Obama can call both houses into session, Boehner’s response was reasonable. That was my original point.

            We agree on one more thing. This will hurt him politically, because people will see it for the stunt that it is. Obama has long been out of idea, and reiterating the same failed ones again won’t work this time.

          • westcoastpatriette

            Congress regarding jobs falls under the provision you quote in the Constitution. And there is still protocol for doing so.

          • Scope

            Obama has been on the jobs meme since he took office. From what we are reading, he really doesn’t have any new ideas other than more spending by government to create jobs, which the government has no ability to accomplish. It is a campaign tactic, created by his campaign people, in order to usurp the Republicans running against him.

            When is the first time Obama has ever respected anyone other than his liberal partners in crime? When is the first time he ever has shown any respect for the Republican party?

            Obama, single handidley, destroyed any respect for the office he unfortunately has occupied. Now we are expected to bow to his “I Won” ploys yet again.

  • streiff

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_session_of_the_United_States_Congress#Presidential_addresses

    • azaeroprof

      He gave a couple of addresses to joint sessions very early in his presidency to advocate his proposals for solving the economic crisis.

  • uselogic

    More appropriate would be, “Pound sand!” ButI guess we have to maintain decorum even if this Administration does not.

  • inovrmihd

    Is there a realistic chance he will be primaried? Has any conservative group with clout publicly supported a primary challenge?

  • snowshooze

    And we have heard it all before…

  • gawken

    so memebrs could watch the debate while Obama spole.

    Also, popcorn machines…

    • Raven

      Thursdays starts the NFL season. Maybe the members want to watch the first game of the season.

    • rightwingmom52

      he’s going to have an applause track installed next to his teleprompter.

      • rightwingmom52

        …

  • runner12

    in a respectful way to kick rocks. This was a very juvenile and arrogant move by the President to upstage the Republican debate. I am glad Boehner put his foot down here.

  • doncorleone

    Of how a thug (most of the time, the spindley, mouthy one), wins fights, by having his cohorts hold the combatant, while the spindley one punches him. What we have is a campaign stump speech, while the opposing party in both houses gets berated and disrespected in front of a national t.v. audience. Let alone, during the g.o.p. debates. What he did to certain supreme court justices the last time jog anyones’ memory?

  • http://www.libertygirlusa.com libertygirlusa

    Obama ? Wait for America to Consider another Presidential Candidate who will not keep America waiting!

    http://bit.ly/nvAs0d

    Thanks for reading!