Friday, October 5, 2012

Obama's October Christmas gift: Unemployment drops to 7.8%

After a horrendous and dreadfully flat debate performance by President Obama -- Al Gore suggested it was because of the Denver mile high altitude (he loves Global Climate explanations) -- the president was buoyed by a far better than expected September Jobs Report: unemployment dropped to 7.8% -- lowest level in the Obama presidency.

And this was a substantive improvement because the unemployment drop was not a result of discouraged people dropping out of the job market:


The unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent in September, the Labor Department said Friday, from 8.1 percent in July, its lowest since January 2009. It is a surprising show of improvement in a job market that had seemed listless in recent months. Unlike in August, the number improved for the right reason: not because people gave up looking for jobs, but because far more people reported having one. source

Likewise, an ebullient Obama re-emerged out-of-his debate funk with a pep to his step:

Obama touted the report during a campaign event in Northern Virginia. “This morning we found out the unemployment rate has fallen to the lowest level since I took office. More Americans entered the work force, more people are getting jobs,” the president said during a rally at George Mason University. “Now, every month reminds us we’ve still got too many of our friends and neighbors looking for work, too many middle-class families struggling to pay the bills.” read more

Now back to the debate

I did not watch the debate live -- I saw highlights or should I say low-lights -- but I was very much concerned pre-debate on how Obama was going to perform for the following reasons:


  • He has a very demanding day job -- President of the USA -- Romney's day job is one dimensional: become President; hence his debate practice can take place without World Crisis distractions.

  • President Obama, great orator, is not a great debater. As I told someone close to me: Obama has a tendency to be dismissive and testy in this forum. Recall a 2008 primary debate with Hillary Clinton when looking down at his notes, Obama stated: You're likable enough Hillary.

  • Plain old fashion rust: Romney is in better debate shape. After debate battling in the GOP primary for almost a year, Romney has honed his debate chops. Conversely, the president has not debated in over 4 years.
More on Gore

On the surface, I am sure many people will laugh at Al Gore's theory on how altitude may have effected Obama's debate performance. Many on the right will point out how wacky Al Gore can be. They will say, remember him stating: "I took the initiative in creating the internet"

But here's Mr. Gore's theory:

Still, Gore does not think Obama should be to blame for his lackluster debate. He thinks it may have been the altitude.

During a post-debate analysis on Current TV, Gore went out on a limb and questioned if Denver's environment had something to do with the president's flop.
“I’m going to say something controversial here,” Gore started, “Obama arrived in Denver at 2 p.m. today, just a few hours before the debate started. Romney did his debate prep in Denver. When you go to 5,000 feet, and you only have a few hours to adjust. I don't know... Maybe."
Current TV host Cenk Uygur interjected saying he came in from Los Angeles and was able to just guzzle some coffee, but comedian John Fugelsang did not think Gore's theory was that far-fetched.
"It's really different. The first time I ever did stand-up in Denver I had the same exact effect," Fugelsang said. "I flew in that day and when your lungs aren't acclimated to that kind of air, yeah, it makes you drawn, it makes you off. The president had an off night."
Altitude sickness is a proven illness. source

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