Posted: April 4, 2008 11:56 AM
Candidates React to Jobs Report, Stay on Economic Message
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Labor Department figures released Friday revealed U.S. employers cut more than 80,000 jobs in March, the highest payroll slash in five years. The report also said unemployment last month rose to 5.1 percent, bolstering fears of a U.S. recession.
In response to the report, Democratic presidential candidates joined the presumptive GOP nominee in expressing their concern for employers and workers across the country.
Democratic hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York said in a statement the news “adds to the mounting evidence that our economy is spiraling downward, and that hardworking families are paying the price.” Calling herself “Paulette Revere” for her call to action to salvage the economy, Clinton again emphasized that Americans “must stand ready for the government to purchase at risk mortgages.”
“We also need a second stimulus of at least $30 billion to help states and localities fight the foreclosure crisis in their communities,” she added.
A proposal for a second stimulus is also supported by Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama, who calls for more government regulation over subprime lenders.
On Friday, Obama blamed President Bush for failed economic policy and lumped Sen. John McCain in with the president’s economic views.
“It’s time to turn the page on a Bush-McCain approach that tells Americans who are struggling that ‘You’re on your own’ unless you have a lobbyist in Washington, because we’re not going to strengthen our economy unless we come together on behalf of our common prosperity,” he said in a statement, according to Reuters.
“Instead of tolerating decades of rising inequality, we need to grow the middle class by investing in millions of new green jobs and rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure,” the Illinois senator said.
McCain, who has taken a strict stance on irresponsible borrowing, called the report “a stark reminder” and said in a statement it is “imperative to restore the economic foundations for America’s families and small businesses.”
The Arizona senator also struck back at Democratic critics, saying the “American people cannot afford the Democrats and their economic leadership. Washington must not be an obstacle to economic growth and robust job creation.”
-- By , NewsHour with Jim Lehrer | Comments | Link
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It's often the case that whatever economic stragegy Clinton said, Obama would say the same thing again.
Does that mean he actually admires her strength on economy from the bottom of his heart? Or, did he just copy whatever he heard when he didn't have any solution available at the moment?
- I got the impression from the debates and news...