Last Call

What is it about Republicans doubling down the bet with a lousy hand showing?

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) still want transparency. But forget about that invitation to a televised bipartisan health care summit that Republicans shied away from after months of calling for more transparency and a seat at the table. The real issue, it would seem, is now more transparency on jobs.

The two Republican leaders wrote a letter to House Democratic leadership today, challenging them to a televised debate on jobs creation "in the interest of complete transparency."

You may remember Boehner as the lawmaker who fretted that President Obama's televised Feb. 25 health care reform summit might be some kind of "set-up" -- after he'd demanded just that kind of transparency.

Cantor had also suggested that Republicans would bail on Obama's televised bipartisan health care meeting if certain demands weren't met. He later relented and said he'd "absolutely" attend.

Regardless, Republican leaders would like cameras around for a jobs talk, too. In their letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) today, Boehner and Cantor asked that Democrats follow the President's precedent "and agree to participate in an open meeting focused on job creation and economic growth."

Yeah, Orange Julius and Kid Nasty here really want to get spanked on jobs when Obama's stopped the massive bleeding Bush started?  They want to debate if the stimulus saved jobs with Obama on live TV?  And they really, really want to bring up transparency after the last administration's unprecedented secrecy and legal legerdemain when Obama will stomp them on "And how many stimulus project ribbon cuttings have you been to, Mr. Boehner?"  Orange Julius has no problem announcing grants for firefighters at fire stations all over his district through a grant program from FEMA that got funding restored after being cut by the Republicans through...you got it!  The Stimulus Bill that Orange Julius and all the Republicans voted against!

Sure.  You boys go right ahead.  Take on Obama live on TV on jobs and the stimulus package.  I want to see roadblock coverage of him kicking your ass in HD.