Being The Bigger Man

President Obama has decided "Hey, if your clown car debate next Wednesday means that much to Orange Julius, I'll move my speech to next Thursday."

"The President is focused on the urgent need to create jobs and grow our economy, so he welcomes the opportunity to address a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday, September 8th and challenge our nation's leaders to start focusing 100% of their attention on doing whatever they can to help the American people," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.

The larger point still stands:

Boehner's rejection of Obama letter asking for a joint session of Congress next Wednesday marked the first time in history that a House Speaker publicly turned down the President's request. A senior Democratic aide had called Boehner's rejection of Obama's request "childish."

To recap, until President Obama came along, no President had ever been publicly turned down tor a request to speak to a joint session of Congress.  Indeed, GOP Sen. Jim DeMint was all set to block the Senate resolution to allow President Obama to speak next Wednesday.  No President has ever been threatened with such action.  No President has ever been shown such contempt and disrespect by the opposition party in Congress.  Never before now in America's history.

But Republicans insist they are mainstream in view, justified through precedent, and completely within normal operating boundaries.  And if you believe that, you're overlooking the other major first that President Obama represents, too.  You'd better believe that has everything to do with his treatment at the hands of the Republican party.

However, the President just takes the disrespect and soldiers on.  This nonsense is now occurring on a near-weekly basis, and yet he continues to govern the country as the President of all Americans. ..even the ones who view him with contempt and hatred born of ignorance and prejudice.  How he continues to handle such outright vitriol is a testament to his true character.

Not only that, but politically he looks like the adult, and the Republicans look like the petty, ignorant fools that they are.  Here's hoping Americans tune in next week just to spite the GOP.