WH 3% job growth projection=3.8m new jobs in 04 -- doesn't pass laugh test

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=8&u=/nm/20040219/ts_nm/bush_jobs_dc

White House Struggles to Halt Flap Over Jobs Report
By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday struggled anew to contain the fallout over an overly optimistic forecast that 2.6 million jobs will be created this year and some Republicans expressed concern about the damage being done to President Bush.The chairman of Bush's re-election campaign, Marc Racicot, continued a general Bush administration retreat by saying the forecast of 2.6 million jobs was only a "stated goal."

<snip>
In fact, the White House had implied that 3.8 million jobs would be created this year by projecting about 3 percent growth in the number of jobs in 2004. <snip>


Trying to use the forecast for political advantage, Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives sent Bush a letter urging him to "resolve the differences of opinion in your Cabinet and present the American people with a real estimate of the impact of your economic plan and the jobs it will create....We are eager for some reassurance that your economic projections and estimates are based in reality, not political fiction," said the letter, signed by House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and others.
<snip>

The controversial "Economic Report of the President," sent to the U.S. Congress on Feb. 9 and signed by Bush, is typically a mundane description of economic expectations.


The current edition, however, has now spawned two major headaches for Bush -- the other being that outsourcing of U.S. jobs to workers overseas may benefit the economy -- and thrown the famously on-message White House off stride.


Republicans complain that the flap is taking away from the positive news that the economy is now creating jobs, and say the Bush team is unable to convey that message properly, allowing Democrats to have a field day. <snip>

[onebigbadwulf]

1. After the 2.6 million in 2003 fiasco?

These guys are complete idiots.

[JoePizz]

2. I can buy even a 3.8 million job growth

...In China, Mexico, etc.

[lovedems]

3. That last paragraph is hilarious.

Those damned democrats keep getting in the way of all the positive economic news! This administration has now passed into the laughable. If these are the kind of responses we are to expect this election year, I predict dems won't only get the WH back, we can get the congress too!

[modrepub]

4. Let;s see

if anyone remembers this number in November.