How does the revised 6.1% unemployment figure affect each candidate?

[renie408]

I am thinking it works more for Obama and against McCain, but with McCain saying HE is the change guy, I am wondering if he can use this to gain ground.

[Stuart G]

1. Not likely, he doesn't give a damn about the unemployed......nt

[cali]

2. it's horrible news for individuals and the economy and John McCain

and yes, I think it helps Obama.

[bigscott]

3. cant see how it helps McSame

he does not want to make changes to the "fundamentally sound" economy

[renie408]

7. He also hasn't positioned himself well to address it. I think this is going to be a big factor

in the election. It is hard to be happy about unemployment, but I was worried that the economy would start to creep upward due to lower gas prices (which I am convinced are going to go lower right up until the election in an effort to help out McCain) and that we would lose the impetus in our economic argument. These numbers absolutely show that the past eight years have fucked this country up. I am wondering how McCain is going to dodge this.

[dennis4868]

4. I do not see how it can help...

John "90% of the time with Bush" McCain!

[Zynx]

5. This is devastating to McCain. Obama claimed the change mantle a long time ago.

McCain recently said the fundamentals of our economy are strong.

[BeyondGeography]

6. Oh please...it's deadly for the party in charge

[renie408]

8. That's what I was thinking. But I have gotten gunshy. Things I see as a slam dunk for Dems

somehow turn out either to not bother the 'other side' or to work in their favor. I have a hard time seeing how this could be turned to McCain's advantage, but stranger things have happened in the past eight years.

[BeyondGeography]

14. Any Dem who doesn't have the jitters is either too young or too uninformed to know better

The Republicans have proven they can manipulate voters and make, as Obama put it, "big elections about small things." When times are relatively good, we have been unable to displace them from the White House (we've lost seven of the last ten elections, fer chrissakes). But this is feeling a lot like 1992, and they've put a candidate out there who we can successfully portray as out of touch.

To that point, McCain's obsession with his biography last night was very heartening to see. If he understood that many Americans see this economy as their own Hanoi Hilton, I'd be a lot more concerned.

[Alter Ego]

9. Let's see--McCain supports Bush policies, which caused this spike

in unemployment.

I don't think this will do anything but hurt him and give Obama another weapon to add to his arsenal.

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. all about SIMPLE Messages. Bush = job losses. McCain = Bush.. repeat over and over. so, McCain =

job losses.

You can't be the change candidate when all you do is the same.

I think if Obama and Biden minimize the words and hammer in the key themes we will blow them away.

[renie408]

11. I think I am going to start making my own campaign buttons.

The local Michael's probably sells blank buttons and I can print my own phrases to go in them. "Bush=McCain=6.1% Unemployment will be one and I want one that says something like "Stop Insulting Pitbulls" with a picture of Sarah Palin on it, another that says "Sarah WHO?"...stuff like that. My son wants me to make some for him, too.

[SmokingJacket]

12. How the hell can it help McSame??

He doesn't give a shit about the unemployed, and doesn't even pretend to.

No one's fooled by his claim to be the CHANGE guy. Well, they might actually be WORSE than Bush, so yeah, that kind of change.

[davidpdx]

13. I think it will help Obama, but it isn't good news for those out there

looking for a job. If McCain wants change, he should retire and check into a old folks home.

[Onlooker]

15. John McCain was a POW n/t