WASHINGTON (AP) - In a campaign where the economy is very much at the forefront, President Barack Obama has to like the unemployment report that came out today.
It finds the jobless rate falling to 8.3 percent, after the economy added 243,000 jobs in January. There was increased hiring across the economy, and up and down the pay scale. There were 50,000 new manufacturing jobs, and 70,000 in the high-salary professional services industry.
Obama says the U.S. economy is growing stronger and the economic recovery is speeding up. But he cautioned the public that the unemployment rate may still go up and down in the coming months. He also says there are too many Americans looking for work.
His potential GOP challengers are saying today's unemployment numbers aren't good enough. Mitt Romney says, "We can do better." He says Obama's policies "have prevented a true economic recovery."
