Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
The Republicans aren't officially responding to President Barack Obama's jobs speech tonight. They don't need to. Their unofficial responses are doing more than enough.
I'm not used to Republicans handling things this well. First you had Speaker of the House John Boehner calmly but firmly letting President Barack Obama know that his attempt to big step the Republican debate last night wouldn't be a good idea.
Sen. Jim DeMint is skipping the debate so that he can meet with officials from Boeing and tour the new Dreamliner facility in North Charleston. What's more, he'd said:
"Frankly, we've had enough speeches from the President", said DeMint in a press release. "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."
Sen. David Vitter won't be making it on account of the New Orleans Saints game. On Twitter, Rep. Joe Walsh said "Instead of being a prop of another one of the President's speeches, next Thursday I will fly home to IL to talk to real job creators." Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia is hosting a town hall to talk to constituents tonight. It's not just Republicans in Congress, either. WTMJ-TV, an NBC affiliate in Wisconsin is airing pre-game coverage of the Green Bay Packers' season opener instead of Obama's speech.
But the best Res Ipsa Loquitor move of all time, Rep. Marsha Blackburn invited Henry Juszkiewicz, CEO of Gibson Guitars, to be her special guest for the address tonight. She said:
"Gibson Guitar is at the heart of this jobs debate, and is an example of exactly why President Obama has it wrong when it comes to getting our economy back on track. Maybe if the President spent more time finding real solutions to empowering small business owners and less time hindering businesses like Gibson, we'd see more new jobs being created ... Big government doesn't create jobs, small businesses like Gibson Guitar do."
And then she dropped the microphone and walked off the stage. Just kidding. Gibson is an iconic American company that has created American jobs with an all-American product. That Obama sent armed federal agents to raid the company over nothing speaks volumes about what's wrong with big government bureaucracy in this country today. Kudos to Marsha Blackburn for this move.
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Dec '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
Is it my imagination or is the right marginalizing the president and treating him as a lame duck before we've even had the first primary vote? We've reached a strange variation on the boy who cried wolf story.
Jan '11
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
Garry Trudeau once said that only in America could a person be considered arrogant for not promoting himself. Nancy Pelosi was outraged yesterday that the Republicans weren't going to respond. How dare they not contradict us!
Instead, I think Boehner wisely anticipated that Obama was going to push his speech up until a minute or two before the NFL kickoff time, at which point no one was going to be listening anyway. If Obama was going to squeeze the GOP against the football start, Boehner saw that coming and avoided the trap.
Now, any impatience with political speeches before the game will all be directed at the Democrats. They're stuck.
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
At this stage, there is no point in dignifying the remarks of the Great Teleprompt-Reader with a formal response. The proper response to No-Drama Obama is No Drama.
In my judgment, John Boehner and his team have not missed a beat in their handling of Barack Obama. I have long thought that only the Republicans could save his Presidency, and much to my surprise, to date, they have done nothing foolish.
We still need a standard-bearer, however. The author of Romneycare -- and its proponent to this day -- will not do. Governor Perry might. Let's hope that he does better in the next debate.
Sep '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
I note in passing the use by Mollie of Latin in her post.
Aug '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
Marsha Blackburn is my Representative. The Gibson story is a big deal here in Music City. I think her taking the Gibson CEO along to the speech sends a strong message to the President.
I said this in another thread - and repeat it here: So - the Feds have the manpower and resources to stop the importation of illegal wood, but not illegal immigrants?
Dec '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
I've always thought myself a Fender guy, but I'm starting to contemplate Gibson for my next guitar. (It probably doesn't hurt that I have two dual humbucking Ibanezes from each attempt to buy a strat...)
Dec '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
These is perfect. I am sick and tired of arguing with people based on vague talking points and unsubstantiated deals and offers. If there aren't specifics in writing I am really beyond caring at this point. If the President has an actual Bill I will pay attention, until then its just more hot air.
Aug '11
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
This could be very bad for the DOJ:
"One of the major twists in the story? Juskiewicz is on the record as saying the DOJ told him that if they outsourced labor, there wouldn't be any issue:
CHRIS DANIEL: Mr. Juszkiewicz, did an agent of the US government suggest to you that your problems would go away if you used Madagascar labor instead of American labor?
HENRY JUSZKIEWICZ: They actually wrote that in a pleading.
CHRIS DANIEL: Excuse me?
HENRY JUSKIEWICZ: They actually wrote that it a pleading.
CHRIS DANIEL: That your problems would go away if you used Madagascar labor instead of our labor?
HENRY JUSKIEWICZ: Yes"
Sep '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
I don't even play guitar and I'm tempted to buy one because of this fiasco.
Aug '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
You know what would have been a great response? The Republicans should have just sent someone out to say, "Rather than rebut this president in words, we thought we'd let a Gibson guitar do the talking. The President's administration is attempting to shut Gibson down because it's trying to use American labor instead of foreign labor. That really says all you need to know about this administration's commitment to jobs. And now, let's celebrate American manufacturing, Gibson style."
Then simply have someone like Slash come out with his Les Paul and wail out a version of Hendrix's Star Spangled Banner cover. Fade to black.
Feb '11
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
The lack of response is absolute Aikido, beautiful.
Sep '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
Then simply have someone like Slash come out with his Les Paul
I've always thought it should be Boehner doing a riff with a smoldering cigarette in his mouth.
Oct '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
Didn't Coolidge say something along the lines of "You cannot get in trouble for the speech you do not make." Laconic indeed but given the recent polls and the decreasing trends for both parties, why not let the president continue his garrulity alone?
Jun '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
Pseudo: Passing? I didn't even know your were ill; and you sounded so vibrant on the live feed last night. Bless you, and the fact that you would mention your love for Latin in one of your last posts.
Sep '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
Too bad Speaker Boener can't savor this moment with a glass of whiskey and a cigar from his seat in the House tonight. Beautifully played. I think Dan's idea would have been a suitable alternative, with the added advantage of YouTube immortality.
BTW, I, too, mourn the passing of Pseudodionysius. How poignant that he spent his last hours with us on Ricochet.
Jan '11
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
tabula rasa
Pseudo: Passing? I didn't even know your were ill; and you sounded so vibrant on the live feed last night. Bless you, and the fact that you would mention your love for Latin in one of your last posts. ·
Don't take this the wrong way. tab, but do you always email the dead?
I've heard heaven was a great place, but I wasn't much expecting it to have internet connectivity.
Dec '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
This is the equivalent of Bill Clinton's "The President Is Relevant" moment. The fact that the Republicans aren't even deigning to give him a pat on the head afterward shows that President Dunsel -- excuse me, President Obama -- has fallen so that he's not only beneath contempt, he's almost beneath notice.
Dec '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
KC Mulville
Don't take this the wrong way. tab, but do you always email the dead?
I've heard heaven was a great place, but I wasn't much expecting it to have internet connectivity.
I was going to say that without Internet connectivity, it wouldn't be Heaven.
Then I realized that Internet connectivity might be a feature of the Other Place.
May '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
I will only speculate that if John Ashcroft's Justice Department had raided Gibson, It would have been front-page news coast-to-coast for weeks and weeks and weeks, and roundly condemned by all the right people. Now, much like "Operation Fast and Furious", it's "Gibson who?"
Dec '10
Re: Forgoing Official Response to Jobs Speech, GOP Answer Is Plenty Loud
I think the GOP should just buy a 15 second ad and post this image and the caption: "Are You Ready For Some Football?!"