"i respectfullyaddress a joint congress on thursday, september 8, 2011, in the house chamber at a time that works best for your schedule. john boehner doesn't mention it in his letter, but the real reason he doesn't want the president to speak next wednesday at 8:00 p.m., as the president requested, is that a republican presidential candidates debate is scheduled for exactly the same time. that debate, which will be sponsored by politico and nbc news, will be the first to include the new republican frontrunner, texas governor rick perry. technically, the president cannot address a joint session of congress whenever he feels like it. joint sessions may not even meet unless both chambers agree to a concurrent resolution and invite the president to speak. normally, a selection of the date and the time for a presidential address to a joint