Research Briefing

Top Obama Adviser David Axelrod Waves Off Concerns About High Unemployment, Calling It A “Meaningless Discussion”

OBAMA ADVISER DAVID AXELROD DISMISSED TALK ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

Obama Adviser David Axelrod Said Talk About 9.1% Unemployment Rate Is A “Meaningless Discussion.” “‘One monthly job figures are more robust than expected and everybody goes tearing up the one direction, and the next month they're not as good and they go in the other,’ Axelrod said, referring to the negative reaction that greeted news of May's anemic jobs growth. ‘For the average person this is a meaningless discussion, what is meaningful is what they experience in their own lives.’” (Sam Stein, “David Axelrod Downplays Bad Jobs News, Says Austan Goolsbee To Play Big Reelection Role,” The Huffington Post, 6/8/11)

BUT CHRONIC UNEMPLOYMENT IS NOT A MEANINGLESS ISSUE FOR AMERICANS

45 Percent Of Americans Call Unemployment “Extremely Important” To Their Vote In Next Year’s Election, 51 Percent Say The Same About The Economy. (CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll, 1015 A, MoE 3%, 6/3-7/11)

• 81 Percent Of Americans Say The Current Economic Condition Is Poor. (CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll, 1015 A, MoE 3%, 6/3-7/11)

Jobless Claims “Unexpectedly Rose” Up To 427,000. “U.S. initial jobless claims unexpectedly rose last week, a sign that the labor market is struggling to gain traction. Jobless claims increased by 1,000 to 427,000 in the week ended June 4, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington.” (Bob Willis, “Initial Jobless Claims Climb In U.S.,” Bloomberg, 6/9/11)

In May, The Nation Only Gained 54,000 Jobs, The Lowest Amount In Eight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov, Accessed 6/3/11)

The Average Duration Of Unemployment Increased To A Record 39.7 Weeks. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov, Accessed 6/3/11)

The Unemployment Rate Increased From 9.0 Percent To 9.1 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov, Accessed 6/3/11)