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Bush: Addition of Jobs Shows 'Policies Are Working'
Friday, April 2, 2004
What the media establishment won't tell you: Facts Show Increase of Jobs Under Bush
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Hammered by Democrats for months about a near-jobless economic recovery, President Bush on Friday basked in the news of a big jump in hiring last month, citing it as evidence that his ``policies are working'' as he heads into a tough re-election battle.
Bush, who got an advance peek Thursday night of the government report showing widespread new hiring, told a friendly audience on a college campus in this battleground state: ``This economy is strong. It is getting stronger.''
His visit to Marshall University followed a Labor Department report that jobs grew by 308,000 in March, the fastest clip in four years, even though the overall unemployment rate inched up to 5.7 percent from 5.6 percent.
It was welcome news to an administration whose handling of the economy and the war on terrorism has been slammed by Democrats and other critics.
Democrat rival John Kerry, who has made the loss of more than 2 million jobs on Bush's watch a central campaign theme, greeted the report with a qualified statement: ``After three years of punishing job losses, the one-month job creation announced today is welcome news for American workers.
``I hope it continues,'' Kerry added. ``But for too many families, living through the worst job recovery since the Great Depression has been, and continues to be, far too painful.''
Bush drew a loud round of applause when he announced the jobs figures.
``You can understand why I'm optimistic when I cite these statistics because I remember what we have been through,'' he said.
``The policies are working,'' added Bush. ``There's more we need to do.''
Read and Find Out
Across the street several hundred protesters stood in a cold rain, some of them carrying Kerry signs. One sign read, ``Where are the jobs?''
In 2000, Bush won the state over Al Gore by 6 percentage points, in part on a pledge to help protect steelworkers. Bush followed through by imposing tariffs on imported steel in 2002, but he angered the same group in late 2003 when he withdrew them in the face of European Union's threats to retaliate against other U.S. products.
After leading a discussion on job retraining, Bush flew to Greensboro, Ga., for a private session with big campaign donors. Bush has raised some $170 million for his re-election campaign.
Clearly in a good mood after the jobs report, Bush flashed a broad smile and a thumbs-up sign as he boarded his helicopter at the White House. In Huntington, he bantered almost giddily with participants on stage, promising one student to write a personal recommendation for her and telling Rocky McCoy, the manager of a career center: ``I appreciate you, Rock. I'm going to call you Rock.''
``You can call me anything you want,'' responded McCoy.
To Bryan Johnson, a computer network engineer who left a low-paying restaurant for job retraining, Bush said, ``Anyone ever call you 'Red?'''
Johnson, with a full head of red hair, told the president: ``Yes. I can't figure out why.''
``I'll be the funny guy,'' Bush replied.
The jobs report holds great political significance for Bush as he seeks a second term, especially in swing industrial states such as West Virginia that have been particularly hard hit by job losses.
Though Democrats hold a 2-to-1 edge in the state in voter registration, the president and Kerry are tied among likely voters, according to a recent poll by American Research Group of Manchester, N.H.
Bush noted that the state's unemployment rate had fallen a full percentage point since last July, to 5.4 percent in February.
Still, more than 20,000 West Virginians have lost their jobs since Bush became president, Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., wrote in the Charleston Gazette. ``Fewer jobs at home. No pension protection. No health care plan. Gambling the future of Social Security and Medicare,'' Byrd wrote.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan called the jobs report ``a powerful confirmation that our economy is growing stronger.''
Bush did not mention Kerry by name - this part of the trip was paid for by taxpayers, not his re-election campaign - but clearly had him in mind when he voiced opposition to those seeking to roll back his tax cuts, which he claimed were partly responsible for the new jobs. Kerry has proposed rolling back tax cuts for those making over $200,000 a year.
Bush issued a warning to those responsible for the gruesome deaths earlier this week in Iraq of four U.S. contractors, whose burned corpses were dragged through the streets of Fallujah, west of Baghdad.
``They want us to retreat,'' Bush said. ``They're trying to shake our will. We never will be intimidated by thugs and assassins. ... This country will stay the course and get the job done.''
© 2004 Associated Press.
What the media establishment won't tell you: Facts Show Increase of Jobs Under Bush
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Hammered by Democrats for months about a near-jobless economic recovery, President Bush on Friday basked in the news of a big jump in hiring last month, citing it as evidence that his ``policies are working'' as he heads into a tough re-election battle.
Bush, who got an advance peek Thursday night of the government report showing widespread new hiring, told a friendly audience on a college campus in this battleground state: ``This economy is strong. It is getting stronger.''
His visit to Marshall University followed a Labor Department report that jobs grew by 308,000 in March, the fastest clip in four years, even though the overall unemployment rate inched up to 5.7 percent from 5.6 percent.
It was welcome news to an administration whose handling of the economy and the war on terrorism has been slammed by Democrats and other critics.
Democrat rival John Kerry, who has made the loss of more than 2 million jobs on Bush's watch a central campaign theme, greeted the report with a qualified statement: ``After three years of punishing job losses, the one-month job creation announced today is welcome news for American workers.
``I hope it continues,'' Kerry added. ``But for too many families, living through the worst job recovery since the Great Depression has been, and continues to be, far too painful.''
Bush drew a loud round of applause when he announced the jobs figures.
``You can understand why I'm optimistic when I cite these statistics because I remember what we have been through,'' he said.
``The policies are working,'' added Bush. ``There's more we need to do.''
Read and Find Out
Across the street several hundred protesters stood in a cold rain, some of them carrying Kerry signs. One sign read, ``Where are the jobs?''
In 2000, Bush won the state over Al Gore by 6 percentage points, in part on a pledge to help protect steelworkers. Bush followed through by imposing tariffs on imported steel in 2002, but he angered the same group in late 2003 when he withdrew them in the face of European Union's threats to retaliate against other U.S. products.
After leading a discussion on job retraining, Bush flew to Greensboro, Ga., for a private session with big campaign donors. Bush has raised some $170 million for his re-election campaign.
Clearly in a good mood after the jobs report, Bush flashed a broad smile and a thumbs-up sign as he boarded his helicopter at the White House. In Huntington, he bantered almost giddily with participants on stage, promising one student to write a personal recommendation for her and telling Rocky McCoy, the manager of a career center: ``I appreciate you, Rock. I'm going to call you Rock.''
``You can call me anything you want,'' responded McCoy.
To Bryan Johnson, a computer network engineer who left a low-paying restaurant for job retraining, Bush said, ``Anyone ever call you 'Red?'''
Johnson, with a full head of red hair, told the president: ``Yes. I can't figure out why.''
``I'll be the funny guy,'' Bush replied.
The jobs report holds great political significance for Bush as he seeks a second term, especially in swing industrial states such as West Virginia that have been particularly hard hit by job losses.
Though Democrats hold a 2-to-1 edge in the state in voter registration, the president and Kerry are tied among likely voters, according to a recent poll by American Research Group of Manchester, N.H.
Bush noted that the state's unemployment rate had fallen a full percentage point since last July, to 5.4 percent in February.
Still, more than 20,000 West Virginians have lost their jobs since Bush became president, Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., wrote in the Charleston Gazette. ``Fewer jobs at home. No pension protection. No health care plan. Gambling the future of Social Security and Medicare,'' Byrd wrote.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan called the jobs report ``a powerful confirmation that our economy is growing stronger.''
Bush did not mention Kerry by name - this part of the trip was paid for by taxpayers, not his re-election campaign - but clearly had him in mind when he voiced opposition to those seeking to roll back his tax cuts, which he claimed were partly responsible for the new jobs. Kerry has proposed rolling back tax cuts for those making over $200,000 a year.
Bush issued a warning to those responsible for the gruesome deaths earlier this week in Iraq of four U.S. contractors, whose burned corpses were dragged through the streets of Fallujah, west of Baghdad.
``They want us to retreat,'' Bush said. ``They're trying to shake our will. We never will be intimidated by thugs and assassins. ... This country will stay the course and get the job done.''
© 2004 Associated Press.
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