Politics / Joe Walsh (politician) Tea Party Congressman to Skip Obama's Jobs Speech Joe Walsh of Illinois says he would just be a political 'prop' By John Johnson, Newser Staff Posted Sep 2, 2011 12:40 PM CDT Copied Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill., in a file photo. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) Hoping today's dismal employment report will ignite a bipartisan fight to create jobs? Yeah, good luck with that. Tea Party congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois says he is skipping President Obama's joint session of Congress because it will be a waste of time, reports the Chicago Tribune. "I don’t see the point of being a prop for another of the president’s speeches asking for more failed stimulus spending and more subsidies for his pet projects," the GOP freshman explained in a statement. At least he didn't call Obama an idiot again, as he did Wednesday night, notes the Northwest Herald. “How idiotic is this president?” he asked a GOP crowd. “I don’t want to be disrespectful, but he’s going to bring forth a jobs plan next week. Think about that for a minute. He’s been in office for three years. He’s destroyed job creation systematically for three years.” Click for more. (More Joe Walsh (politician) stories.) Report an error