Ratings: Did Boehner fall into a trap?

Why the hell would the POTUS pull this?  Why announce a Sept 7th speech in front of Congress without talking to the House?  Why?!

I'm inclined to believe he fumbled.  If Obama hasn't stopped playing ball, then here's my theory -- in which Boehner has helped Obama.

THEORY:  Obama doesn't have a speech.  Not the presumed "speech about an actual, on paper, CBO-score-able PLAN".  Obama has a speech about the concept of ideas related to jobby-job related economicking.  In other words, Obama knows his speech will suck.  Obama wants to take back the promise of a speech.  Obama is scrambling.  Obama needs to have the least amount of people watch the speech, and he needs as many gimmes in his pocket as possible.  He needs the majority of people to hear about the speech from the forgiving media instead of hearing the bungling live...


"Hey, guys!  I got it!" Obama yells out to his advisers.  "Thursday is football night, eh?  Let's do the speech then!"
"There's one problem, sir.  You will look like a dick if you schedule a speech for Thursday."
"But, but, but..." whines Obama.  "I want it!  What can we do to get me Thursday night and not make it my fault?  Geez Louise.  So I guess that means Tuesday?  It's not like we can schedule it for Wednesday during the R debate.  Oh my.  Oh, wait..."

Thus, Obama schedules the speech for Wednesday, and he makes it a Congressional Speech.  Boehner will get pissed about the power struggle and insist on Thursday (which was Obama's first choice all along.  "Whatever you do, don't throw me in that Briar Patch!").  Then, on Thursday, Obama can have a little-heard speech.  And, he can blame the scheduling on the Republicans.  Republicans hate football!  Republicans care more about their debate than America!  Republicans are playing partisan games while I, the mighty orator, arise above it all.  YOU SHOULD ALL LEARN FROM ME, THE MIGHTY COMPROMISER

Now, it's time to compromise: everyone do what I tell you to do.


(Oh, and second-best scenario:  Do the speech on Wednesday, during the debate.  At least that will mess up the conservative press and make it more difficult for them to bash Obama and also help Perry ride the wave.  Only one thing can take center stage at a time.  Whatever, whatever happens, the president CANNOT speak on Tuesday.  That gives the Republicans a solid 24 hours to prepare for each of their zingers.  No Tues.  Gotta be Wed or Thurs.  GOTTA!)

Prez likes LOST fans more than America!

Obama announced the date of his long-awaited "jobs" speech...  and it's the same as the upcoming Republican debate.  When LOST fans freaked out that the SOTU might interrupt the final season premier, the WH worked around it.  Incredible.

Furthermore, it will not be a speech he gives to America.  He will be delivering a speech to Congress, and the event will be televised.  Says Obama:

"As I have traveled across our country this summer and spoken with our fellow Americans, I have heard a consistent message: Washington needs to put aside politics and start making decisions based on what is best for our country and not what is best for each of our parties in order to grow the economy and create jobs....  We must answer this call."

Mr. Obama, you said that wrong.  I'll fix it for you.

"As I have traveled to three Midwest towns (and vacationed at Martha's Vineyard) this summer and spoken with prearranged Midwestern audiences and 'corporate jet owners' in Massachusetts, I have heard myself giving a consistent message, in which I try to dodge responsibility for my failed presidency by blaming the bipartisan climate that my politicking created.  My butt in the presidential throne is the most important thing for this country, so I hope that my reminding Congress and the country that the two sides of the aisle hate each other will somehow shadow the fact that I have created this situation.  When I made the decision to put my non-jobs jobs speech (that is about jobs rather than giving a plan for jobs) atop the Republican debate, I wasn't thinking in a bipartisan manner.  Not one bit.  I was thinking about how Republicans are jerks who won't let me bankrupt the country into a fundamental transformation, so it's okay to schedule a speech that messes with them, 'cos it's only messsing with the Republicans.  I mean, I don't really WANT to mess up Rick Perry's debate debute (especially because Rick Perry will be soooo easy to beat, HAHAHA), nor do I want to mess up TV and stuff.  But the main people who get fucked here are Republicans.  And who cares about them?  I have to focus on BIPARTISAN stuff, like forcing more regulations on likely Republican voters.  And also, when is the second September Republican debate?  'Cos I think I'll have another not-jobs jobs speech to give around that time, too..."

CNN Republican debates -- And, the winner is:

Yoinked from HotAir's comments about the New Hampshire debates tonight:

click to enlarge