A Round-Up of GOP Members Sitting Out Obama’s Speech to Congress

A handful of Republicans will be sitting out President Barack Obama's address to a joint session of Congress Thursday evening, including Reps. Joe Walsh, Paul Broun and Ron Paul, as well as Sen. Jim DeMint and possibly Marco Rubio.

Walsh was the first to announce he would not be attending Obama's address, instead saying he will hold a forum on job creation in his Illinois district.

"He's demeaned the very notion of a joint session of Congress," Walsh told Fox News. "This is a campaign speech and I just don't want to be a prop."

Broun, of Georgia, said instead of attending he will watch the speech from his office and live tweet it to his followers -- the same thing he did during the State of the Union in January.

"I believe very firmly this is going to be just another political speech,” Broun said on Fox and Friends. "I think it’s better for me to sit in the office and watch it on TV where I can communicate with my constituents."

DeMint also decried the political nature of Obama's address.

"I can't listen to another political speech from this president," the South Carolina senator said. "If he had a jobs plan it would be written down, he would send it over to us. You would have it, I would have it, and we would be discussing it today but that's not how this president operates."

Louisiana Sen. David Vitter had said flatly he would be hosting a Saints-Packers NFL party in place of sitting in the House Chamber, but said Thursday he was forced to change his plans after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scheduled a vote for after the speech.

"I have a Saints party... and I am absolutely going to be there for the big game, kickoff of the Saints and the whole NFL," Vitter said Wednesday.

After Reid scheduled the vote, Vitter wrote on Twitter: "Typical Harry Reid. He's now schdld votes that should’ve been this morn 4 right b4 & right AFTER prez's speech. Pens me in 2 have 2 stay."

There's also a chance Rubio won't attend, but for personal reasons, not political. According to Yahoo News, The Florida senator's mother has recently fallen ill, and his spokesman said his schedule is "fluid."