Fire in the campaign hole: "September Job Growth Weaker Than Expected"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=580&e=1&u=/nm/20041008/bs_nm/economy_dc

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. businesses added 96,000 jobs to payrolls in September, the government reported on Friday, a weaker-than-expected total that was expected to sharpen a presidential debate later in the day over the economy's direction.

The Labor Department (news - web sites) report, showing the unemployment rate in September held steady at 5.4 percent, will provide fodder for the second debate between President Bush (news - web sites) and Democratic Presidential contender Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites). It was the final jobs report before the Nov. 2 presidential election with polls indicating that jobs are of paramount concern to voters.

The September job-creation total came in below Wall Street economists' forecasts for 148,000 new jobs. The department also revised down its estimate of August new jobs to 128,000 from 144,000 it reported a month ago.

Most jobs in September came in the services sector, while manufacturers shed 18,000 jobs last month after increased hiring in the two prior months.

[klook]

1. And the numbers don't include

those who've gotten discouraged and stopped looking for work.

See http://www.house.gov/scott/budget.handouts.4.web.0804.pdf for details on Bush's sorry economic performance.

[gcomeau]

2. "Most jobs in September came in the services sector,"

..."while manufacturers shed 18,000 jobs last month"

In other words... a lot of people lost good paying factory jobs but there's good news! Burger King is hiring!!!

-Grant