US President Barack Obama has agreed to unveil new jobs proposals in an address to Congress on September 8th. Obama delayed the speech by a day, bowing to pressure from Republicans who objected to the original date set for his high-profile speech.

Obama's long-awaited proposals could set the agenda in Washington for the coming months. But his preferred date of September 7th did not sit well with the opposition party. Republican presidential candidates are scheduled to hold a televised debate on the same evening, at the same time.

Thus began a new round of conflict between the Democratic president and Republicans in Congress. The White House says the timing of the Republican debate and Obama's proposed speech was a coincidence. But Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner asked Obama to come on Thursday instead of Wednesday, and the White House agreed.