Obama backs off on speech timing, returning Sept. 7 spotlight to Simi GOP debate.

Byline: Mike Harris

Sept. 01--In a retreat after an hours-long test of wills Wednesday, President Barack Obama agreed to deliver an address on jobs and the economy to a joint session of Congress on Sept. 8, yielding to House Speaker John Boehner, who had balked at Obama's request for a Sept. 7 speech.

It was a close call for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, as the original plans for the speech coincided with next week's Republican presidential debate at the Simi Valley site.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday it was purely "coincidental" that the president had asked to address the Senate and the House of Representatives jointly Sept. …