I think I just had an epiphany why Obama wants to address Congress, instead of a WH address.

[TheWraith]

He wants to be able to talk about jobs, and let the public hear the Republicans booing. Makes it rather clearer than any speech who, really, is in the wrong here.

[backscatter712]

1. Yeah. Got a point there.

He wants the American people seeing for themselves what douchebags the Republicans are.

And Boner's forcing Obama to switch days? Even better! They walked right into that one!

[orpupilofnature57]

2. He needs actions not witnesses ,most of us know Brian A Scates was..

less of an obstructionist than these Misanthropes.

[Scurrilous]

3. You Lie!!1!

:P

[TX Thinker]

4. Agreed

TV cameras don't lie. And the looks on the Republicans' faces will be priceless.

[polmaven]

5. As will the empty Republican seats!

[doc03]

6. Has there been more than one that announced he wouldn't

attend?

[polmaven]

13. No, but

I will not be surprised if there are more!

[orpupilofnature57]

7. If Democrats did that we'd boil them in Oil ,they'll be revered by the Pukers

Thats why http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/04/09/03_hard.html

[Historic NY]

9. makes for good theator later...........

Republicans interested in jobs, job creation, the economy......not so much they didn't show up.
I sure hope someone captures the missing faces.

[Yavapai]

17. I can't wait to see what Colbert does with this!

[wuushew]

10. Nobody will watch that speech

The Packers are playing the Saints. Republicans win again after forcing the President to acquiesce.

[MH1]

15. speech is before game time.

maybe those who don't give a shit about the country or jobs will be watching the pre-game show, but those will be republican voters anyway.

[polmaven]

The Packers are playing the Saints at 8:00..

The NBC coverage begins at 7:30. The president's speech is at 7:00. I'm hoping it will be the first touchdown of the night!

[FarCenter]

25. He'll have to be more on time than today.

He was over 15 minutes late.

If he enters the chamber at 7:15 and starts the stroll down the aisle shaking hands, he won't be speaking until close to 7:30.

[bemildred]

8. Yep, the Bully Pulpit. nt

[Davis_X_Machina]

11. If he gives stirring speeches...

...people say "Yeah, but he's not doing anything". Then you propose something, Congress fillets it, and people say "If only he appealed more to the people. Gave stirring speeches."

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

I can't figure out why a guy that smart wants such a shit job. $500,000 give or take is what a reserve shortstop makes.

[bemildred]

16. The first goal of US politics is to get elected.

The second goal is to get re-elected.

Fixing things is usually optional, in fact it can be bad, because if you actually do something, you will piss somebody off, and voters get much more pissed off about positive actions that affect them than about doing nothing, and people vote when they are pissed off more than when they are content.

[Davis_X_Machina]

18. I don't know a non-hereditary...

...form of government that isn't predicated on getting elected. Ask Nick Clegg.

[bemildred]

24. So that definitely applies to us, yes? nt

[izquierdista]

26. For the extensive pension plan

[bemildred]

27. Now there is some "entitlements". nt

[Doctor_J]

12. 13 Dimensional Chess again?

that one's getting tired.

[pnorman]

20. "13 Dimensional Ches"? No, it's more like

being the calm adult in a group of squalling brats,

[kentuck]

14. Face to face, he has had his moments...

I remember earlier when he was invited to the Republican caucus and he shot each and every one of them down. They were embarrassed.

[Rex]

19. Good point. Maybe he can get one of the jackasses to yell "NO" or some such

idiotic nonsense so he can cast his gaze upon them like a disappointed parent. You know the Teabaggers are frothing at the mouth. No telling what they might yell.

[kentuck]

21. I predict that several high profile Republicans will not show up...

Just a hunch. They don't want the camera focused on them.

[wiggs]

43. I'm hopeful that they won't show up because they KNOW that

Obama will eat their lunches right in front of them. He's always been fine with going into the lion's den and getting in some serious digs. Done it with Supreme Court, with a GOP dinner in which he dominated, did it with Ryan at the state of the union, etc. I really hope that in congress he'll do what he hasn't done yet....lay it one the line and use words like obstruction, deception, lying, wealthy 1%, and point out exactly what the RW is doing.

[yurbud]

22. a clear cut, unambiguous that contrasts rather than borrows GOP policies would be better

even better still if he vigorously fought for such a plan.

[DocMac]

23. The rethugs already know what to say.

HE WANTS TO SPEND MORE MONEY!!!! I'm taking bets.

[Broderick]

28. Haven't heard much booing in a situation like that

in my lifetime to be honest.

[B Calm]

29. That must be it, Obama plays chess and republicans play checkers.

[Doctor_J]

32. Yes, that's been working so well for 32 months

Another dispatch from the Great State Of Denial

[sabrina 1]

30. I don't think the goal should be to show up Republicans for what they are.

The goal should be to get the American people on his side with a huge jobs plan. When you are side-tracked by focusing on the other guy's behavior, rather than on your own goals, you tend to lose sight of your goal.

This is one of the major problems with the Democratic Party. They are always worried about Republicans, trying to show them up, trying to show THEM how RATIONAL we are, trying to show the Public how RATIONAL WE ARE and how IRRATIONAL THEY ARE. Republicans are failures, they have rotten ideas, they are extremists, they are hugely unpopular right now.

But what does any of that have to do with the job Democrats should be doing?

The only mention he should make of Republicans is, AFTER he gets the public excited about HIS plans, to tell them to go call their Reps, especially if they are Republicans. Then let Republicans explain directly to their constituents why they are against jobs.

This 'our team against the other team' is nothing more than a distraction imho.

Just focus on the needs of the American people and the rest will take care of itself.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sabrina 1]

38. I guess you're right!

:-)

[gristy]

44. Very good point.

A cliche fits here too: better to play offense rather than defense!

[elleng]

31. Damn right. Its called The Bully Pulpit.

[joshcryer]

33. It's perfect campaign fodder. Show Obama talking up renewable energy, then show...

...one of the Republicans in a given campaign sitting there stoic. It's typical politics but it's going to be really nicely done.

[lpbk2713]

35. He ought to say ...

"It's their fault!"





But I know that's not gonna happen.

[gulliver]

36. That and possibly...

...he wants to take away their ability to say they didn't hear what he said. The only thing missing (and I miss it a lot) is the ability for the right to respond and for Obama to counter. We need something more like Prime Minister's questions, something interactive. If Republicans don't get a chance to put up their dukes and throw their best punches, Obama doesn't get a chance to introduce them to a face-up view of the boxing ring lights.

[TheWraith]

37. I tend to agree, but I think the problem there is...

The Republicans wouldn't really "respond" so much as they would just fling talking points. Kind of like monkeys in a zoo.

[Safetykitten]

39. Good in theory, but they will not let out a peep this time. They got their orders.

[scheming daemons]

45. Some of them are loose cannons... not very good at "following orders"

[applegrove]

40. Yeah. I mean are the Republicans going to sit on their hands when

Obama calls for massive infrastructure improvements.

[Creideiki]

41. My epiphany: Actors need stages

Obama is a performer. He doesn't really believe any of this, so he looks and sounds wooden in the Oval Office. He needs an audience. And he's choosing to not do it in front of Americans because then it will get written off as a stump speech.

[LoZoccolo]

42. Chess!

:bounce:

[Brigid]

46. Yep.

It will make for some interesting Thursday night TV.