From The Hotline for Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Where My Jobs At?

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009


Will today's dour jobs report provide one more hurdle for Dems on health care?

-- Though Wall Street was expecting better numbers, no one expects the jobs picture to improve dramatically. Pres. Obama's been saying for months that he expects unemployment to get worse before it gets better. And most economists, as well as Bernanke, expect it to hit 10% by 12/09. But just being prepared to get punched in the stomach doesn't mean it won't hurt.

-- Ronald Reagan was the last POTUS to see unemployment numbers like these and they took a big toll on his standing. By the time unemployment hit this point in '82, Reagan's approval ratings had been under 50% for eight months. Unemployment would continue to rise until Nov. '82 and stay above 10% for almost another year. Reagan's approval ratings never got above 50% until the end of '83.

-- A climbing unemployment rate also gives GOPers another opportunity to strike a big blow to a public option plan. In a statement this a.m., NRSC Chair Cornyn said the jobs report "reiterates our need to focus our efforts on job creation, not on spending massive amounts of borrowed money to create giant new entitlement programs."

-- Add this to a brewing debate about whether the Senate health bill raises taxes on the middle class, and GOPers have got the makings of a very powerful argument to take to the House/Senate floors ... and, perhaps, to voters in '10.

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