From the first Jolt of July:
Recovery Bummer
I think we had a clarifying moment at the beginning of the month. The latest report was really disappointing — not that we’ve really had any great ones during Obama’s presidency — but a year and a half after the stimulus passed, creating only 13,000 new private sector jobs in a month — 260 new private sector jobs per state — stinks pretty badly. When a president gets bad news, on an issue that is highest on the public’s mind, he can either acknowledge the setback and pledge to reexamine his approach, to see why they aren’t producing the desired results . . . or he can spin it.
Guess which move he made? “While we recognize that our recovery is still in its early stages and that there are going to be ups and downs in the months ahead — things never go completely in a smooth line — this report is a sign that our economy is getting stronger by the day.”
Oh, horsepuckey. When Obama offers an assessment like that, so contradictory to what everyone is actually seeing, it’s like he’s not even trying anymore. It’s as if the speech is a pre-written Mad Lib, with the jobs numbers just meant to be added at the last minute. Based on this, if they create one new private sector job in a month, we’re still moving in the right direction. Keep in mind that since the month Obama was elected, the economy has lost 4.4 million jobs.
I went back and found this golden quote from a February 2008 Democratic debate: “Our economy is increasingly in shambles. And the families of Texas and all across America are feeling the brunt of that failing economy.” Well, that “failing economy” had a national unemployment rate of 4.8 percent. Captain Kickass’ first term will probably never see as many Americans employed as what he labeled a “failing economy.” If that was shambles, what is this? . . .
The Washington Post’s Greg Sargent, perhaps in an effort to make us all miss Dave Weigel, offers this assessment of the President denouncing John Boehner’s metaphor for three paragraphs: “It’s another sign that the White House is shifting hard into full election mode — and a preview of what’s to come.”
Wait, when was this White House out of full election mode? During the campaign rallies for health care? During the quail-egg-and-caviar fundraisers?
Oh, by the way, Friday’s jobs numbers are expected look even worse.