Three Years Ago Today, Obama Wanted Responsibility For The Economy And Said, “Give It To Me”

THEN: In July 2009, Obama Took Responsibility For The Economy And Said “Give It To Me.” OBAMA: “Now, my administration has a job to do, as well, and that job is to get this economy back on its feet. That’s my job. And it’s a job I gladly accept. I love these folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say, well, this is Obama’s economy. That’s fine. Give it to me. My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and harp and gripe.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President On The American Graduation Initiative , Warren, MI, 7/14/09)

NOW: The Associated Press : “The President Can’t Tell Voters About A Grand Economic Comeback Story Because There Isn’t One To Tell.” (Ken Thomas, “Obama Doesn’t Emphasize Issues He Fought Hard For,” The Associated Press, 6/12/12)

• The Washington Post ‘s Fact Checker Said “Obama Is On Track To Have The Worst Jobs Record Of Any President In The Modern Era.” “Unless the economy turns around in the next 18 months, Obama is on track to have the worst jobs record of any president in the modern era. That would be an accurate statement.” (Glenn Kessler, “Rick Perry’s Claim That Obama Has ‘Killed More Jobs’ Than Any Other President,” The Washington Post’s “The Fact Checker” , 8/22/11)
• The Washington Post’ s Fact Checker: “The Worst Numbers On Record Occurred Under His [Obama's] Watch.” “The president said that policies from 2000 through 2008 produced the ‘most sluggish job growth we’ve ever seen.’ perhaps so, but the worst numbers on record occurred under his watch.” (Josh Hicks, “Obama’s Remarks On Worst Job Growth: Did He End It Or Should He Own It?” The Washington Post’s “Fact Checker,” 5/21/12)

   

• The Washington Post’ s Fact Checker: “Obama Comes In Either Last, Second-To-Last Or In The Bottom Half Among Presidents Since The Great Depression.” “But Obama comes in either last, second-to-last or in the bottom half among presidents since the great depression, depending on which way you look at the numbers.” (Josh Hicks, “Obama’s Remarks On Worst Job Growth: Did He End It Or Should He Own It?” The Washington Post’s “Fact Checker,” 5/21/12)

BY ANY MEASURE, AMERICANS ARE NOT BETTER OFF UNDER OBAMA’S ECONOMY

The June Jobs Report Was “Very Disappointing”

CNBC’s John Harwood: “That Makes The Second Quarter The Weakest Job Adding Quarter In Two Years, An Average Of 75,000 Jobs Added In The Second Quarter Of This Year.” CNBC’SJOHN HARWOOD: “Just 80,000 jobs added in the month of June, Michelle, 8.2% unemployment rate, unchanged, 12.7 million unemployed people, also unchanged, that makes the second quarter the weakest job adding quarter in two years, an average of 75,000 jobs added in the second quarter of this year, compared to 226,000 in the first quarter, hours worked up 0.1%, hourly wages up six cents an hour, labor force participation rate is unchanged at 63.8%, revisions for April and May, April was down 9,000, May was up 8,000, so on net just a 1,000-job change.” (CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” 7/6/12)

• Harwood: “A Very Disappointing Report For The Obama Administration And Of Course For The Country And People Who Are Unemployed.” “So guys, a very disappointing report for the Obama administration and of course for the country and people who are unemployed.” (CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” 7/6/12)

The Washington Post ‘s Neil Irwin: “Average Of 75k Jobs A Month Created Over Last 3 Months. Let’s Say It Like It Is: That Is Horrible Given 8.2% Unemployment.” (Neil Irwin, Twitter Feed, 7/6/12)

WaPo’ s Ezra Klein: “Below Expectations. Below The Number Needed To Keep Up With Population Growth. Bad.” (Ezra Klein, Twitter Feed, 7/6/12)

The Economy Is Stuck In The Doldrums

Since President Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 473,000 Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 7.8 Percent To 8.2 Percent. ( Bureau Of Labor Statistics , Accessed 7/6/12)

• Including 1,049,000 Construction Job, And 590,000 Manufacturing Jobs. ( Bureau Of Labor Statistics , Accessed 7/6/12)

The Unemployment Rate Has Remained Above Eight Percent For A Record 41 Straight Months. ( Bureau Of Labor Statistics , Accessed 7/6/12)

• Congressional Budget Office: Unemployment Has Remained Above Eight Percent For The Longest Stretch Since The Great Depression. “The rate of unemployment in the United States has exceeded 8 percent since February 2009, making the past three years the longest stretch of high unemployment in this country since the Great Depression.” (“Understanding And Responding To Persistently High Unemployment,” Congressional Budget Office, 2/16/12)

Since Obama Took Office, The Average Duration Of Unemployment Has More Than Doubled From 19.8 Weeks To 39.9 Weeks. ( Bureau Of Labor Statistics , Accessed 7/6/12)

There Are Currently 821,000 Unemployed Workers That Have Given Up Looking For Work. ( Bureau Of Labor Statistics , Accessed 7/6/12)

The Real Unemployment Rate, Including Those That Are Working Part-Time Due To Economic Reasons, Is 14.9 Percent. ( Bureau Of Labor Statistics , Accessed 7/6/12)

There Are Currently 12.7 Million Unemployed Workers. ( Bureau Of Labor Statistics , Accessed 7/6/12)

There Are Currently 8.2 Million Workers Working Part-Time For Economic Reasons. ( Bureau Of Labor Statistics , Accessed 7/6/12)

AFTER ALMOST FOUR YEARS OF FAILURE, OBAMA HAS NO RECORD TO RUN ON

Obama Said He Was Responsible And That The Buck Stops With Him

Obama: “As President Of The United States, It’s Pretty Clear To Me That I’m Responsible For Folks Who Are Working In The Federal Government And You Know, Harry Truman Said The Buck Stops With You.” OBAMA: “Well, here’s what I know, we were just talking about responsibility and as president of the United States, it’s pretty clear to me that I’m responsible for folks who are working in the federal government and you know, Harry Truman said the buck stops with you.” (“President Obama Says Romney Should Answer Bain Capital Questions,”WJLA, 7/13/12)

• Obama: “One Of The Things You Learn Is, You Are Ultimately Responsible For The Conduct Of Your Operations…” OBAMA: “Ultimately Mr. Romney, I think, is going to have to answer those questions, because if he aspires to being president one of the things you learn is, you are ultimately responsible for the conduct of your operations, but again that’s probably a question that he’s going to have to answer and I think that’s a legitimate part of the campaign.” (“President Obama Says Romney Should Answer Bain Capital Questions,” WJLA, 7/13/12)

Yet Obama Has A Litany Of Excuses For His Own Economic Failures

ABC News’ Rick Klein: “The President Need To Do More Than Blame His Predecessor …” “ But the danger in the comment is that it undercuts the president’s effort to connect with skittish voters on the key issue of the election. The president needs to do more than blame his predecessor for inherited economic conditions; his challenge is to convey a sense of momentum around his policies for job growth.” (Rick Klein, “‘World News’ Political Insight: President Obama’s Rough Stretch Exposes Weak Spots,” ABC News , 6/10/12)

• CNN’s Gloria Borger: “It Is A Leadership Question. They Don’t Want A President Who Whines About What A Terrible Situation He’s In And Woe Is Me. They Want Somebody Who Can Lead Us Out Of It.” (CNN’s “John King USA,” 6/14/12)

Obama Says “We’re Still Facing Some Headwinds, Like The Situation In Europe Right Now, Which Is Having An Impact On Our Economy.” OBAMA: “Now, we all know how difficult these past few years have been for the country. Iowa has actually done a little better than some other states, but it’s still been tough. And after the worst recession of our lifetimes, it’s going to take some time for the economy to fully recover — more time than a lot of us would like. And we’re still facing some headwinds, like the situation in Europe right now, which is having an impact on our economy.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President On Energy , Newton, IA, 5/24/12)

Obama Blames Gas Prices And European Uncertainty For The Economy’s Poor Recovery. “President Barack Obama said on Friday the U.S. economy was still fighting its way back to full health and was not yet growing or creating jobs fast enough, blaming high gasoline prices and headwinds from Europe’s economic crisis for the lag.” (Alister Bull, “Obama Blames Europe, Energy Prices For Slow U.S. Job Growth,” Reuters, 6/1/12)

• Obama: “Our Economy Is Still Facing Some Serious Headwinds.” “‘Just like at this time last year, our economy is still facing some serious headwinds,’ he said. Obama said gas prices were ‘hitting peoples’ wallets pretty hard’ despite falling from recent peaks and described euro zone troubles as ‘starting to cast a shadow’ over the United States.” (Alister Bull, “Obama Blames Europe, Energy Prices For Slow U.S. Job Growth,” Reuters, 6/1/12)