U.S. unemployment remained stuck at 8.2 percent as only 80,000 jobs were added in June. But President Barack Obama assures the country the figures represent a “step in the right direction.”

The unemployment statistic that takes into account Americans who want full-time work but can find only part-time work rose from 14.8 percent to 14.9 percent.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly

The Guardian:

The figures are a disappointment for the White House, confirming a slowdown in the economy after an improvement in jobs in the first quarter. The economy has now experienced the worst quarter for jobs growth in two years, leaving Obama facing the prospect of having to defy history: no president has won re-election with unemployment above 8% since the Great Depression.

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