President Obama’s Joint Session Jobs Speech Sparks Controversy

UPDATE: The White House has released a statement saying he will now speak on Thursday, Sept. 8th, per the request from Speaker Boehner.

The White House fumbled a Presidential address to Congress which becomes a political football — literally.

FOX News Radio White House Correspondent Mike Majchrowitz reports from the West Wing:

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement:

“After 239 days with no action to create jobs, Speaker Boehner and House Republicans have just given the American people the clearest – and most disgraceful – proof yet that their priority is playing politics instead.

“Republicans saw and heard from outraged constituents across the country throughout the August recess but clearly did not listen. Americans’ top priority is creating jobs and protecting Medicare while Republicans’ top priority is playing political games.”

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus released the following statement:

“President Obama’s decision to address Congress at the same time as a long-scheduled Republican Presidential debate cements his reputation as Campaigner-in-Chief.  While the White House claims it’s simply a ‘coincidence,’ the American people can see right through that excuse.  The President has had months to get to work on the economy, but instead he chose to take a taxpayer-funded campaign trip and a cushy Martha’s Vineyard vacation.  If the President were serious about putting ‘country before politics,’ as he said in his request to speak to Congress, he wouldn’t be caught in such a thinly-veiled political ploy.  This is yet another reminder that the President is out of touch and out of ideas.  The only job he seems to care about is his own.”

Republican Senator Jim DeMint threatened to filibuster the motion to hold the joint session in the Senate, issuing this statement:

“The President should pick another night. I’m planning to watch the Republican primary debate on the evening of September 7, and the President should watch it too. He will hear job creation ideas that don’t involve more wasteful stimulus spending. And he’ll hear ideas that don’t include job-destroying tax hikes.  Frankly, we’ve had enough speeches from the President.  If he has a jobs proposal, put it in writing, give us a cost estimate, and send it over.  I want to read the bill, not listen to talking points off a teleprompter. If he insists on playing politics by picking the night of the GOP debate, I will object to the session.”