Unemployment drops to 7.8%, labor force up.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

At least this puts the end to the 43 straights months of 8% unemployment line.

They'll keep using it, though.

[GMantis]

I think we can safely call this good news for Obama.

Key point -

You must be logged in to read this quote.

What debate?

Maybe mediocre jobs reports are good news in Europe, but America expects better.

Eh, look past the headline number - it's a pretty solid report.

It's a pretty solid report...if you're clinging to desperation.

Cheering over this is like cheering over a "C-" grade. Maybe that cuts it for some of you, but it does not cut it for most of America.

23 million people out of work. Millions more who can only find part-time work but want full-time work. This is unacceptable.

After many months of D's even a C- is an improvement.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

This is a good report, it shows increasing strength in the job market, and people should be pleased... apart from those who need more people out of work to aid their political ends...

[GMantis]

In September 2011, 202,000 jobs were created.
In September 2012, only 114,000 jobs were created.

Things are getting worse, not better.

From 35 million people on food stamps to 47 million people; 23 million people out of work with millions more who can only find part-time work. These figures will not change until we have a change in leadership, and a president who understands the gravity of the situation along with economics (the president is a great speaker, but he is completely clueless on issues involving numbers as evidenced by the first debate).

Trying to spin lower unemployment as things getting worse is quite daring, but I'm afraid that it's too much even for a master of spin like you.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The UE rate in Sept 2011 was 9.1% - now its 7.8% with increased participation and back where it was when he took office... in the midst of the greatest financial calamity seen in 75 years... backed the economic policy your guy wans to put in place again...

[NHI]

A good report, but no POTUS had been reelected since FDR with unemployment above 7.2%.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

A good report, but no POTUS had been reelected since FDR with unemployment above 7.2%.

Political rules exist until they don't any more...

[Franzl]

A good report, but no POTUS had been reelected since FDR with unemployment above 7.2%.

Political rules exist until they don't any more...

No black man has ever been elected President before.

[Wiz in Wis]

A good report, but no POTUS had been reelected since FDR with unemployment above 7.2%.

That's based on 8 data points (1948, 1956, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, and 2004.)

I'm not impressed with your statistic (especially considering FDR was reelected with unemployment at around 15% )

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

So Politico's spin is what I expected. I wonder what J. J.'s will be.

[Paul Kemp]

So Politico's spin is what I expected. I wonder what J. J.'s will be.

Politically, very good numbers for Obama.  The only "bad" thing was that the unemployment rate isn't below where it was at his start date, and no one was expecting it to be better.

Don't these revisions basically show that Q3 was pretty good, all things considered?

Probably that Q3 was unnecessary. 

[Torie]

I think we can safely call this good news for Obama.

Key point -

You must be logged in to read this quote.

What debate?

Maybe mediocre jobs reports are good news in Europe, but America expects better.

We need to get consistently on track with 200,000 to 250,000 jobs per month in order to finally get our employment situation back in order.

Romney can do it. Obama can't.

In the meantime, this development might have just as much importance as the debate. Folks don't really want to fire Obama unless they feel - unpleasant as it is - that the guy just has to go for their own well being and that of the nation. If they think the economy will keep moving out of the pits (I question that myself), then even if they don't think Mittens is a cold hearted robot with green eye shades, Obama has a path to victory.

Take you lumps as gracefully as your wet kisses is my best advice.

[Torie]

So Politico's spin is what I expected. I wonder what J. J.'s will be.

Maybe he will follow my approach. Cut your losses baby! 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Actually I now see his post that I missed. He didn't even try very hard, which is quite telling about what this news means.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

This has already received the standard 'this is biased/skewed/corrupt' right wing conspiracy accusation... The numbers are 'too good' apparently... yeah the right has formally gone off the deep end...

[ill ind]

  The whole unemployment numbers conspiracy thing makes me laugh.  My first politcal experience was working for a Democratic State Senate Campaign back in 1984.  Democrats as Mondale supporters were pretty vocal about how Reagen cooked the numbers, and that unemployment was actually much higher due to people leaving the workforce.  Republican Reagen supporters of course all pointed to the figures to show how great the economic recovery was.
  Fast forward 28 years and here we are again, only this time it is the Republicans crying conspiracy, and that the unemployment numbers are cooked while the Democrats are pointing to them saying that indeed the incumbent President is getting things done.
  Stay in politics long enough and you'll see both sides using the exact same argument at different times.  Be careful, your opponent's argument today may be your exact argument tomorrow!!

Ill_Ind

[BlueSwan]

  The whole unemployment numbers conspiracy thing makes me laugh.  My first politcal experience was working for a Democratic State Senate Campaign back in 1984.  Democrats as Mondale supporters were pretty vocal about how Reagen cooked the numbers, and that unemployment was actually much higher due to people leaving the workforce.  Republican Reagen supporters of course all pointed to the figures to show how great the economic recovery was.
  Fast forward 28 years and here we are again, only this time it is the Republicans crying conspiracy, and that the unemployment numbers are cooked while the Democrats are pointing to them saying that indeed the incumbent President is getting things done.
  Stay in politics long enough and you'll see both sides using the exact same argument at different times.  Be careful, your opponent's argument today may be your exact argument tomorrow!!

Ill_Ind

Very true and very sad. Exactly the same goes for the "skewed polls" debate. Dems claiming they were skewed in 2004, GOP'ers claiming they are skewed now. Pathetic.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

This just makes the unemployment numbers more likely to rise on the Friday right before the election.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Goodbye, Mitt.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

LOL Allen West: http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/10/west-jobs-numbers-were-cooked-137622.html?hp=l3_b1

[J. J.]

So Politico's spin is what I expected. I wonder what J. J.'s will be.

I already said it; it is probably the best news Obama could hope for in the circumstances.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Such devastating numbers....


























...for Romney, that is.

[Yank2133]

This just makes the unemployment numbers more likely to rise on the Friday right before the election.

No one cares about the last jobs report....hell this one isn't going to make much noise.

[Skill and Chance]

A good report, but no POTUS had been reelected since FDR with unemployment above 7.2%.

The problem with this statement is that Reagan didn't barely win with 7.2% unemployment.  He won in an absolute 59% to 41% blowout as you are well aware.  I think you would certainly agree that Reagan could have won narrowly with significantly higher unemployment.  The more appropriate question to ask is what unemployment rate would have turned 1984 into a 2004 style win for the incumbent.  That is the number Obama is playing against this time, and it is surely higher than 7.2%.

[J. J.]

This just makes the unemployment numbers more likely to rise on the Friday right before the election.

No one cares about the last jobs report....hell this one isn't going to make much noise.

A sizable portion will have voted by that point and most will have made up their minds.

I think this one could have some impact.  Biden can basically say, in the next debate, "See, this is working," well, sort of.