The real numbers come out next Friday.

[kentuck]

The last unemployment numbers before the election. No one believes that anyone would try to manipulate these numbers in any way, not the corporate community, not the Romney campaign, and not the Obama campaign. But these numbers are going to be very important. They could mean the difference between who wins and who loses the election on the coming Tuesday.

The Obama campaign would be wise to really promote the GDP numbers that came out today. They could take out some of the sting if the unemployment numbers are not what are expected. Just my opinion.

[BootinUp]

1. Based on the recent trend

they should kick ass.

[kentuck]

2. I have my fingers crossed...

That it will drop to about 7.3% or lower.

[sadbear]

3. No, you'll get the predictable response (maybe not from the Romney campaign itself)

If the numbers are good for the President, then they were manipulated AGAIN.
If the numbers are bad, then they're accurate and it's directly because of the President's economic policies.

[WeekendWarrior]

4. NOBODY is going to pay attention to the numbers on Friday

Nobody except the diehards who have already made up their minds about this election.

People don't vote based on numbers. They vote based on emotion, and what's going on in their own lives. Numbers mean nothing to a guy who still doesn't have a job, and he isn't paying any attention to them. The only number he's looking at is his bank account.

But if he has a sense that things will get better—based on his gut, not numbers—he will vote for Obama. If not, he will vote the other way.