Add Sen. David Vitter to the list of Capitol Hill Republicans taking a powder on Barack Obama’s “jobs” speech tonight.

It’s not really a protest of Obama, though if Nancy Pelosi couldn’t handle the idea that Republicans won’t cut into the Saints-Packers game with a response to the speech that woman’s head will blow off about this.

From Fox News…

Louisiana Senator David Vitter (R) has decided to forgo President Obama’s Thursday night speech, and instead will host an New Orleans Saints party for family and friends.

Appearing on Power Play Live with Chris Stirewalt, Vitter called the President’s address “more political speech that substantive” and said, “I have a Saints party…and I am absolutely going to be there for the big game, kick-off of the Saints and the whole NFL.”

The New Orleans Saints travel to Green Bay to take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Packers in Thursday night’s NFL season-opener at 830pm EDT, the President is scheduled to speak at 7pm EDT.

The Louisiana lawmaker acknowledged he would keep an eye on the President from his home, but added, “As a fanatic, I have my priorities.”

There’s video as well…

(Link in case the embed doesn’t load).

Vitter also got into an analysis of the speech itself, saying Obama’s 2009 stimulus created a whole lot more debt than new jobs, and said of tonight’s rollout “I’m not looking for dropping more taxpayer dollars out of helicopters, and I’m not looking for a lot of temporary measures.” Vitter said permanent pro-growth tax reform, which he said will lead to higher overall tax revenues as the economy expands, the removal of regulations which kill jobs and an aggressive domestic energy policy are the three legs of what he would consider to be a worthwhile economic policy.

He also said he’ll be watching the GOP debate Thursday to see Rick Perry’s debut to the nation, calling himself a pretty typical conservative voter and saying he’s looking for the most effective conservative who can get elected.