Obama to Speak to Congress on Mardi Gras

President Barack Obama will address a joint session of Congress on Feb. 24, Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday.

Gibbs, from the pool report aboard Air Force One:

Senator Harry Reid and Speaker Pelosi — Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi were at the White House this morning, and formally invited the President to speak to a joint session of Congress on February 24th. So that invitation has been offered and accepted. So the President will speak to Congress in a joint session — I believe that’s Fat Tuesday, February 24th — (laughter) — much to my chagrin and what I would normally would have wanted to do that night. But you’ll hear the President instead.