White House Backs Off Job-Growth Forecast

yahoo news ^ | 2-18-04 | TERENCE HUNT

[Walkin Man]

White House Backs Off Job-Growth Forecast

By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON - The White House backed away Wednesday from its own prediction that the economy will add 2.6 million new jobs before the end of this year, saying the forecast was the work of number-crunchers and that President Bush (news - web sites) was not a statistician.

Bush, himself, stopped short of echoing the prediction.

"I think the economy's growing, and I think it's going to get stronger," said Bush, the nation's first MBA president. He said he was pleased that 366,000 new jobs have been added since August. "But I'm mindful there are still people looking for work, and we've got to continue building on the progress we've made so far."

The administration's refusal to back its own jobs estimate brought criticism from John Kerry (news - web sites), the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination.

"Now George Bush is saying he's going to create 2.6 million jobs this year alone - and his advisors are saying, 'What, you didn't actually believe that, did you?' Apparently George Bush is the only person left in the country who actually believes the far-fetched promises he's peddling," Kerry said in a statement.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan, asked repeatedly about the forecast, declined to embrace the prediction which was contained in the annual economic report of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Unemployment and the slow pace of job creation are political liabilities for Bush as he heads into a battle for re-election. Despite strong economic growth, the nation has lost about 2.2 million jobs since he became president.

The jobs forecast was the second economic flap in recent days for the White House. Last week, Bush was forced to distance himself from White House economist N. Gregory Mankiw's assertion that the loss of U.S. jobs overseas has long-term benefits for the U.S. economy.

Asked about the 2.6 million jobs forecast, McClellan said, "The president is interested in actual jobs being created rather than economic modeling."

He quoted Bush as saying, "I'm not a statistician. I'm not a predictor."

"We are interested in reality," McClellan said

He said the annual economic report was based on data from about three months ago. Since then, Bush has said that things are improving.

The issue arose at the White House after Treasury Secretary John W. Snow and Commerce Secretary Don Evans declined to endorse the jobs prediction and said it was based on economic assumptions that have an inherent margin of error. They spoke during a tour through Oregon and Washington to promote the president's economic agenda.

"The number-crunchers will do their job. The president's job is to make sure we're creating as robust an environment as possible for job-creation," McClellan said. "That's where his focus is."

"This is economic modeling. ... some have said it would be lower," he said.

"The president has said he is not a statistician. He is most concerned about whether people are hurting and able to find jobs," McClellan said.

"The economy is moving in the right direction ... but there is more to do," he said.

[Walkin Man]

The administration's refusal to back its own jobs estimate...

Oh this looks real good.../sarcasm

[smith288]

Its a forecast... He should support it or say "forecasts are predictions...If I could be 100% in my predictions, I would be in the horse racing business".

[My Favorite Headache]

[oceanview]

this was bound to happen. if you recall the thread when this first came out, many of us were screaming that is was insane to set a water mark which could not be met, and then always have the Dems and the media yelling about "below forecast job creation". its unreal that the first release of this even happened, it shows that Rove is not doing his job reviewing these kinds of press releases.

[Walkin Man]

Yeah I though it was nuts too.

Who is running the President's reelection campaign, Rove or the Keystone Cops??

[oceanview]

we could run it better with a live FR thread then the white house. they don't even have the "war room" concept that in an election year, all press releases like this must be vetted for political impact.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I figured it out. Hillary has Rove's FBI files.

[Moonman62]

"I think the economy's growing, and I think it's going to get stronger," said Bush, the nation's first MBA president. He said he was pleased that 366,000 new jobs have been added since August. "But I'm mindful there are still people looking for work, and we've got to continue building on the progress we've made so far."

GWB wouldn't be in this bind if he had concentrated on cutting regulations rather than growing government, and had he simplified the tax code rather than giving the IRS a big budget increase.

[Fyscat]

What about Neil or Geddy?

[Mo1]

'What, you didn't actually believe that, did you?' Apparently George Bush is the only person left in the country who actually believes the far-fetched promises he's peddling," Kerry said in a statement.

Hey Senator Kerry .. as a member of Congress what have YOU done to help create jobs???

[Rutles4Ever]

This is UNACCEPTABLE. What in the hell is going on? The first order of business is a focused message. What the hell is the message of the Bush campaign? W needs to pick an issue and run with it. Right now it's, "it was reasonable to assume there were WMD in Iraq", and "we're creating millions of jobs -- wait, no."

I hate to say this, but we're an ADD nation. I'm going to predict that the first candidate who comes up with a focused platform wins this race. Instead of going on the offensive over Kerry's flip-flop on Vietnam, he needs to attack his governing philosophy: taxes, social liberalism, and mealy-mouthed support for the War on Terror.

We agree that Kerry is nothing short of a traito for what he did after Vietnam. The problem is, the swing votes don't care. They will latch onto the image of a "dishonest" George W. Bush before they disqualify Kerry for opposing the most unpopular war in U.S. History.

Get to the issues and talk about the fabric of a nation that has risen up to defeat terror here and abroad. If ever there were a time for a Reagan-esque campaign, it's now. C'mon George! Don't follow in your father's footsteps!

[Lazamataz]

One termer.

[Lazamataz]

This is UNACCEPTABLE. What in the hell is going on? The first order of business is a focused message. What the hell is the message of the Bush campaign? W needs to pick an issue and run with it.

I'm honestly getting the feeling he doesn't care if he wins or loses.

[Nataku X]

hmmmmmmmm

[Sprite518]

Bush will be a one term President like his father if he does not address this issues. The Democrats will rip him apart.

[KantianBurke]

There was a previous thread which noted that the old fogies are abandoning Bush because of his free pills plan! Perhaps its FINALLY time Dubya acted and promised some conservative positions?

[Rutles4Ever]

I hate to say it, myself, but given the enormous strain of prosecuting the war in Iraq, preceeded by 9/11 and the scramble to prevent other terrorist attacks, one has to wonder if he's burned out. Here he's got an enormous boost in GDP, the market's are in a bull cycle, and unemployment is coming down -- and their trapped in a swamp of issues that shouldn't be in play for an incumbent.

Let it also be said, that this election is extremely important to Tony Blair as well. He's been lumped into the "where are the WMD?" media-lynching, too, and if the general population of America decides they cannot re-elect Bush because they're misled into thinking he "lied", Blair will be steam-rolled out of 10 Downing shortly thereafter.

Furthermore, with the gay marriage issue in play, Bush is missing a silver-platter opportunity to display his midwestern values and take a stand that resonates with the public. If he comes our CLEARLY and says, "I am going to make this issue a priority -- the fabric of society depends upon it, and I will ask Congress to convene " Kerry will be forced to take a stand one way or another. It's a no lose issue. He'll reinvigorate the social conservative base and cause the swing vote (which is likely against gay marriage) to reflect on whether they want a President that defends or seeks to disassemble such an important institution...

</rant>

[tomahawk]

It appears that Pres. Bush is surrounded by incompetent people.

That's what happens when you surround yourself with old buddies, yes men, people with "connections", etc.

[familyofman]

If they can't backup or support what they put in the budget they just sent to Congress - where are they going from here? Have they ever heard of image & truthfulness? This is getting worse all the time. Sorry guys - the budget we sent you is nothing but horse dung!!!
And, we're supposed to feel good about the economy when W says it's doing well? He doesn't even beleive what he puts in writing. Not a good scenario.