GOP Jumps on Dismal Jobs Report

A president’s employment problem is the opposition’s cannon fodder during election season, and Friday’s bad news on employment is giving the GOP some opportunities to lob a few more hits at the Democrats during the lead-in to this fall’s midterm elections. –KA

Reuters via Google News:

The report was a disappointment for Obama and fellow Democrats, who are anxious for glimmers of economic hope before Congress faces voters in five months, but they argued it showed a continued recovery even if more ups and downs lie ahead.

The May report found hiring by private employers slowed sharply and came in lower than analysts expected, although temporary census hiring pushed payrolls higher and dropped the unemployment rate to 9.7 percent from 9.9 percent.

“The underlying fact is that 9.7 percent unemployment is unacceptable by any standard. No amount of spin will resolve the fact that the president’s policies have been a colossal failure when it comes to creating jobs,” said Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

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