Patterico's Pontifications

8/31/2011

Obama Tries to Overshadow GOP Debate; Caves

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 8:37 pm



It was a fun day as the Obama administration tried to set a speech before a joint session of Congress at the very same time as a GOP debate. It was hilarious to watch the top spokeshole try to justify this:

It was when we wanted it, you see . . . because . . . well . . . it just was.

It had nothing to do with wanting to screw up a Republican debate featuring the debate debut of Rick Perry.

Anyway, Barry caved. Ha ha.

38 Responses to “Obama Tries to Overshadow GOP Debate; Caves”

  1. Let’s hope Perry does not disappoint. I am eager to get to hear him.

    In any case, the prez will be following a sizzling debate and will be against football, LOL! Good thing he has all these expensive campaign managers.

    Patricia (1832e5)

  2. It’s going to be a long year of petty stungs like this.

    A looooong year.

    Dustin (b2fb78)

  3. I’d love to go to the debate. Hosted by MSNBC!

    Patricia (1832e5)

  4. B-but Rick Perry wore a confederate flag[Which makes him racist or something.]

    /Sarc Off

    DohBiden (d54602)

  5. Yeah, Obama has never pulled a stunt like this before – paging Dick Cheney.

    Joint session of Congress – He wants to lecture them on national TV in a forum in which they can’t respond – Remember the SC Justices at the SOTU address?

    Risky strategy for Obama if he just regurgitates the same pablum.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  6. bi partisan things to boost the economy and hiring?

    well, Congress could repeal Obamacare, and Jefh could sign the bill… that’s one.

    push “Cut, Cap and Balance” through the Senate, and Jefn can sign it… that’s two.

    the House and Senate could pass a Balanced Budget Amendment, and Jefh could endorse it to the states… that’s three.

    any one else wanna chime in bipartisan things the SCOAMF will never suggest or agree to that would actually w*rk, unlike his bull5hit?

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  7. He means raise the taxes on the rich Obama critics.

    DohBiden (d54602)

  8. Here’s what Barry could do at his speech before the joint session of congress which would really goose the economy, would be bold, bi-partisan, and would help his own re-election chances enormously. He could say “while we’re all here, what say we repeal Obamacare? You pass it in both houses right now and I’ll sign it before we leave here tonight.”

    Added bonus would be seeing Nancy Pelosi’s head explode along with most of the D.C. punditocracy.

    elissa (edcfac)

  9. Obama, by trying to be cute and bigfoot the GOP debate, got himself scheduled opposite the Packers-Saints game.

    It appears Pres. Supergenius didn’t have an endgame.

    Karl (37b303)

  10. @Karl: and i’ll be turning on the game, just to help screw with Jefh’s numbers…

    pass the idea on.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  11. When Rush went off about this ploy today, I never thought for a second that Boehner would have the stones to do as Rush insisted he do: Say, “No.”

    May this be the first of many times the GOP shows no fear and calls Emperor BHO on his nakedness!

    Ed from SFV (7d7851)

  12. Ed & Larry are already intimating that this slight on the part of Boehner towards Teh One is an unprecedented move that would not have been done to a white POTUS.

    Paging Chris & stari, you’re on!

    Icy Texan (b1b8ac)

  13. We’re called the KKK for our opposition to Obama but the real KKK believes the right are to blame for the norway bombings and yet the biggest pork fiend was a KKK member.

    DohBiden (d54602)

  14. What does this administration want us to believe? That they are so grossly incompetent that they really didn’t realize the debates were already scheduled (in spite of almost every American knowing about it) and that they believed we would be gullible enough to buy Jay Carney’s claim that it was simply a coincidence, or that they believed with all their little hearts in the power and pull of the Lightworker, thus believing Speaker Boehner and friends would roll over and agree to the demand?

    Neither option speaks well of the administration. Stunning arrogance and gross miscalculations simply serve to remind us that this administration is just as incompetent as we’ve always been led to believe they are.

    Dana (4eca6e)

  15. The Arrogance of Power, and Lord Acton.

    Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (f8e76c)

  16. OTOH, this now allows Obama to criticize the debaters’ statements in his speech.

    Nate Whilk (624828)

  17. Yes it does, and Friday’s edition of the Excellence In Broadcasting should be a Doozy.

    Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (f8e76c)

  18. I, for one, am eager to hear the President speak. He is a fascinating combination of Nixonian finger-pointing and wounded pride, coupled with empty calls for togetherness that even he cannot continue to pretend to believe in AS HE SAYS IT! Really. Watch him speak. He starts all soaring and high-minded and watch his face lose interest prior to the completion of that spoken sentence! it is like he has Conviction-Narcolepsy – he loses his “look” at inopportune moments and lapses into “bored”.

    Californio (8e2445)

  19. Jefh is frustrated, according to the e-mail he sent me this afternoon:

    Friend —

    Today I asked for a joint session of Congress where I will lay out a clear plan to get Americans back to work. Next week, I will deliver the details of the plan and call on lawmakers to pass it.

    Whether they will do the job they were elected to do is ultimately up to them.

    But both you and I can pressure them to do the right thing. We can send the message that the American people are playing by the rules and meeting their responsibilities — and it’s time for our leaders in Congress to meet theirs.

    And we must hold them accountable if they don’t.

    So I’m asking you to stand with me in calling on Congress to step up and take action on jobs:

    http://my.barackobama.com/Time-To-Act

    No matter how things go in the weeks and months ahead, this will be an important challenge for our organization.

    It’s been a long time since Congress was focused on what the American people need them to be focused on.

    I know that you’re frustrated by that. I am, too.

    That’s why I’m putting forward a set of bipartisan proposals to help grow the economy and create jobs — that means strengthening our small businesses, giving needed breaks to middle-class families, while taking responsible steps to bring down our deficit.

    I’m asking lawmakers to look past short-term politics and take action on that plan. But we’ve got to do this together.

    I will deliver this message to Congress next week, but I’m asking you to stand alongside me today:

    http://my.barackobama.com/Time-To-Act

    More to come,

    Barack

    what’s really amusing is that the SCOAMF think’s i’m his friend. 8)

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  20. It’s going to be a long year of petty stungs like this.

    A looooong year.

    Comment by Dustin — 8/31/2011 @ 8:45 pm

    Yep, and this one containing more than the polite come-on-now smackdown by Boehner and Pres. Obama being forced to cave in lieu of admitting his intent was to step on the debate.

    What I like about the timing on this is that IMO he won’t be able to help replying to the more stinging criticisms raised in the Sept 7 debate when he speaks the following night.

    The narcissistic wounds will be fresh, and this almost guarantees more petulance, irritation, self-referencing and blaming in his speech (and less time for his aides to argue him out of the revised wording for TOTUS). None of which traits are going to be attractive.

    Not to mention that a mere ball game will be his competition. That’s got to hurt.

    no one you know (b847ed)

  21. This was well considered as the Olympic,& World Cup, March Madness brackets and other great victories in strategic intelligence

    ian cormac (4e0dda)

  22. Once upon a time it was Hope and Change, now it’s Excuses and Pouting.

    ropelight (0608cd)

  23. You must be closet gays since you oppose Obama and Gay Marriage or something.

    /Sarc off

    DohBiden (d54602)

  24. I guess this will be the start of the “Hoarders and Wreckers” campaign theme. BTW, when did we start using joint sessions for campaign speeches?

    Kevin M (563f77)

  25. I wonder if Obama’s plan all along was to find a way to make this about Congress? Congress’ ratings are even lower than Obama’s so that makes it a good target to blame, and Obama knows he’s going to need someone to blame in 2012. Blaming someone else is the only campaign he knows how to run.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  26. He is trying reprise Harry Truman’s campaign against the “Do Nothing Congress”.
    Unfortunately, when one looks at, and tells people about, what that Congress actually accomplished, it is revealed for what it was:
    Campaign BS!
    And, the Congressional actions that Barry & Co. decry, are ones that the vast majority of “likely voters” say that Congress is not doing enough of.

    Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (588042)

  27. Yes, Dustin suggested that in the other thread, and it makes a lot of sense. He was expecting a rude response, had his response to that all prepared, and hadn’t counted on Boehner replying as courteously as he did.

    Milhouse (ea66e3)

  28. Thanks, Milhouse.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  29. If Obama wanted to play a “keepin’ the pimp hand strong” card, he should have called Congress into special session to introduce his supposedly urgent legislation (or rather, ask that it be introduced).

    Of course, the assertion of urgency stands sharply at odds with the President’s linktastic golf and vacation schedule …

    … and, in my scenario, the President quite rightly would face criticism for using the rarely-used special-session-calling power for what will obviously be a crass, partisan political speech rather than a largely apolitical matter of State …

    … but at least, this way, Congress sorta HAS to convene to hear him.

    Mitch (341ca0)

  30. Mitch, I don’t think he can convene a joint session. He can convene both houses separately, but only they can agree to sit together.

    Milhouse (ee8a5d)

  31. Joint sessions are on the Speaker, since only his side of the Capitol is large enough for the assembly.

    Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (588042)

  32. That’s a good point. (I haven’t checked but assume it is so.)

    Also, in the UK Parliament, technically the chambers (Lords, Commons) are places that the Sovereign may enter only with the respective House members’ PERMISSION. It’s THEIR House, not the Sovereign’s. (Not sure how much of that tradition fairly carries over the ocean and over 200+ years, of course.)

    This may not have much practical significance today, but in the 1600s …

    Mitch (341ca0)

  33. Yes, Mitch, the President must request that he be allowed to address the respective houses of Congress, or a Joint Session.
    It’s that inconvenient separation of powers thingee.

    Another Drew - Restore the Republic / Obama Sucks! (588042)

  34. Imagine if Boehner requested an opportunity to address the President in the Oval Office.

    Even getting private meetings has been tricky.

    O’Drama follows the Michael Scott playbook for negotiations.

    Dustin (b2fb78)

  35. Also, in the UK Parliament, technically the chambers (Lords, Commons) are places that the Sovereign may enter only with the respective House members’ PERMISSION. It’s THEIR House, not the Sovereign’s.

    Indeed; when the Queen sends Black Rod to summon the members of the Commons to the Other Place to hear her Speech from the Throne, the doors are barred to him, and he must knock on them and request admission.

    (Not sure how much of that tradition fairly carries over the ocean and over 200+ years, of course.)

    It does, except for the fact that, as AD pointed out, joint sessions take place in the House chamber, because it’s bigger. In the Westminster tradition the head of state (the Queen or the Governor General) addresses Parliament in the upper house, even though it’s typically smaller, because she is not allowed to set foot in the lower house.

    Milhouse (ea66e3)

  36. Milhouse —

    Man, that Charles I messed it UP.

    Mitch (341ca0)

  37. I’ve read that Obama goes on at length talking about sports during important meetings. Who has the guts to stage whisper the Packers/Saints score during Obama’s address? You might even provoke Obama out of his typical indifference.

    bonhomme (b87f37)

  38. Congress is not operating at the discretion of the President. That’s for other less enlightened nations. The mere thought of Obama dictating to Congress when they will meet with him in full session is as ridiculous as Congress dictating when POTUS will appear, except perhaps for impeachment hearings. Congress and POTUS are coequals. And it is plain that chafes Obama. He needs to be reminded that Congress is not his feifdom. Nor is it his soapbox.

    I’d suggest that Congress order, at the last minute, that all cameras in the room be disabled and all live data lines out of the room be disabled. He is addressing Congress. It can be reported upon. But it will not be a live over the air event he can manipulate.

    {^_^}

    jbd (99eed4)


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