More on the Economy

Comparing the Clinton (Best Economy Ever) and Bush (worst Economy since Great Depression) Oh wait...the numbers are better under Bush

Kevin :-)

Apparently, the Kerry camp has rolled out former Clinton economic advisor Gene Sperling to tell selected reporters how bad the economy is going. The only problem is, it's doing better than it was when his old boss was reelected in 1996.

Average monthly payroll growth Jan-May of the election year:
Clinton in 1996: 233k/month
Bush in 2004: 238k/month

Broadest measure of unemployment (U6) Average Jan-May:
Clinton in 1996 = 9.8%
Bush in 2004 = 9.7%

Number of manufacturing jobs created Jan-May:
Clinton in 1996 = -9k*
Bush in 2004 = 81k

* Note: over the final two years of President Clinton’s first term, the economy created just 67k net new manufacturing jobs.

Back in 1996, Sperling told the New York Times, "If they want to go head to head on the economic record, let's rock and roll."

New York Times Highlights Criticism of Economy by Sourcing 4 Dems and 2 Reps - Guess thats their view of Fair & Balanced

Take a look at who is quoted or cited as sources in the New York Times article about Kerry's attacks on the economy, and how voters agree more with his negative assessment than with the Bush team's focus on recent big growth: John Kerry; officials with the Democratic challenger's campaign; Gene Sperling;, economic adviser to President Bill Clinton and is now advising Kerry; Bush spokesman Steve Schmidt; Kerry again; Mark Mellman, the Kerry campaign's pollster; Kerry campaign officials; Kerry advisers; Mary Beth Cahill, Kerry's campaign manager; Tad Devine, a senior adviser to the Kerry campaign; Sperling again, Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans.

I guess Schmidt and Evans should just be glad there was any room in the story left for them, amongst all the "we're right where we want to be" lines from the Kerry folks.