In State of the Union Invite, Boehner Still Looking for 'Common Ground' With Obama
The speaker has often repeated similar language in this formality.
House Speaker John Boehner has been seeking common ground with President Obama for several years, at least according to his State of the Union invitations.
For the third year of his tenure as speaker, Boehner has included language calling for "common ground" with the president in his official invitation to the White House.
The invitation is just a formality, announcing the date of the address. But Boehner's continued written pleas for mutual understanding seem to suggest that he's either still looking for it, or maybe that it doesn't exist. This year, both politicians have seen the floor fall out from under them.
The only time that Boehner did not include the "common ground" language was for last year's State of the Union, perhaps because 2012 was a general-election year.
Here are the three invitations from Boehner (emphasis ours):
As we round out the first session of the 113th Congress, we look ahead to the new year and with it the annual tradition of the president's State of the Union address. In the coming year, Americans expect Washington to focus on their priorities and to look for common ground in addressing the challenging facing our country. In that spirit, we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to your response.
Our nation continues to face immense challenges, and the American people expect us to work together in the new year to find meaningful solutions. This will require a willingness to seek common ground as well as presidential leadership. For that reason, the Congress and the Nation would welcome an opportunity to hear your plan and specific solutions for addressing America's great challenges. Therefore, it is my privilege to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on February 12, 2013 in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building.
A new Congress provides us a renewed opportunity to find common ground and address the priorities of the American people. Our actions must be driven by their desire for freedom, economic recovery, and fiscal sensibility, as well as a need to rebuild the broken bonds of trust between the people and their government.
Recent events have reminded us of the imperfect nature of our representative democracy, but also how much we cherish the ideal that our government exists to serve the people. Even in the wake of tragedy, we must never waiver from our obligation to carry out their will and provide solutions to keep moving our nation forward.
As many great challenges lie ahead for our nation, we welcome an opportunity to hear your proposals. Therefore, I am honored to invite you to offer an address on the State of the Union on January 25, 2011, before a Joint Session of Congress.
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to your response.