Jobs Lie Fact Checkers

The Campaign That Cares About Fact Checkers Is Touting A Jobs Number That Those Same Fact Checkers Overwhelmingly Dispute

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro: In The Last Four Years, “We’ve Seen 4.5 Million New Jobs.” CASTRO: “Four years ago, America stood on the brink of a Depression. Despite incredible odds and united Republican opposition, our president took action. And now we’ve seen 4.5 million new jobs.'” (Julian Castro, Remarks At The Democrat National Convention, Charlotte, NC, 9/4/12)

Former Obama Chief Of Staff Rahm Emanuel Said We Have Added “4.5 Million Private-Sector Jobs In The Last 29 Months.” EMANUEL: “And today, our economy has gone from losing 800,000 jobs a month to adding 4.5 million private-sector jobs in the last 29 months.” (Rahm Emanuel, Remarks At The Democrat National Convention, Charlotte, NC, 9/4/12)

SLICING AND DICING THE UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS DOES NOT MAKE IT SOUND BETTER

The Washington Post’ s “The Fact Checker”: “Castro Takes A Debatable Talking Point From The Obama Campaign … And Makes It Ridiculous.” “Castro takes a debatable talking point from the Obama campaign-that 4.5 million private sector jobs have been created since February 2010 (a year after the president’s stimulus bill was passed into law) – and makes it ridiculous.” (Glenn Kessler, “Fact Checking The Opening Night Of The Democratic Convention,” The Washington Post‘s ” The Fact Checker ,” 9/5/12)

National Journal: “The Statement About Jobs Leaves Out Two Qualifiers: Castro Appears To Be Referring To Private-Sector Job Creation, Not Total Job Creation.”(Katy O’Donnell, Meghan McCarthy, and Sara Sorcher, “Fact-Checking The Democratic Speakers,”National Journal, 9/4/12)

• Castro’s Number Referred To Jobs Created Since February 2010, Not When Obama Took Office In January 2009. “He is also referring to the number of jobs created since Feb. 2010 when payrolls stopped shrinking – not to the total net job creation since President Obama took office in January 2009. Private-sector jobs grew about 4.5 million during that period, but that was partly offset by the loss of 543,000 government jobs, which meant net job creation for the economy as a whole was only about 4 million.” (Katy O’Donnell, Meghan McCarthy, and Sara Sorcher, “Fact-Checking The Democratic Speakers,” National Journal, 9/4/12)

CNN Fact Check: “There Are Still Fewer People Working Now Than When Obama Took Office At The Height Of The Recession.” “The figure of 4.5 million jobs is accurate if you look at the most favorable period and category for the administration. But overall, there are still fewer people working now than when Obama took office at the height of the recession.” (CNN Wire Staff, “CNN Fact Check: About Those 4.5 Million Jobs…” CNN, 9/5/12)

• CNN’s Erin Burnett: “If You Actually Look At Other Jobs, Including Government Jobs, The Picture Is Actually Much Worse. In Terms Of Net Loss We Are Still 1.1 Million Jobs In The Hole Under This Administration.” “The problem is, as we all know, there were many jobs lost. In fact, there were 5 million private sector jobs lost. So net jobs lost, private sector, 500,000. Now actually, again, private sector the crucial word, because if you actually look at other jobs, including government jobs, the picture is actually much worse. In terms of net loss we are still 1.1 million jobs in the hole under this administration.” (CNN’s America’s Choice: Democratic National Convention, 9/4/12)
• CNN’s Tom Foreman: “We’re Looking At Selective Numbers To Begin With, But When You Look At The Jobs We Got Back, It’s Important To Remember, Some Of The Jobs That Were Gained In This First Administration, Or The First Term Here, Were Temporary Jobs.” “Yeah, they’re not the same ones. We’re looking at selective numbers to begin with, but when you look at the jobs we got back, it’s important to remember, some of the jobs that were gained in this first administration, or the first term here, were temporary jobs. They were jobs that were spurred by stimulus money or maybe by census work, that sort of thing. They’re not jobs that lasted. They still counted as jobs. But more importantly, there have been surveys out there that have indicated that somewhere about 80% of the jobs that have been lost in this recession and afterward were middle- to high-wage jobs and about 60% of the jobs we’ve gained are low-wage jobs. So it’s not just that we lost jobs and got some jobs back, but the jobs we got back generally are not on par with the ones that we lost.” (CNN’s America’s Choice: Democratic National Convention, 9/4/12)

FactCheck.Org: Julian Castro Put A “Misleading Spin” On Jobs Data, As “Employment Is Still Below Where It Was When The President Took Office.” “Keynote speaker Castro also put a misleading spin on employment data. He claimed “we’ve seen 4.5 million new jobs” under President Obama. In fact, the nation has regained 4.5 million jobs that had been lost, but employment is still below where it was when the president took office.” (“Democratic Disinformation From Charlotte,” FactCheck.Org, 9/5/12)

• “Moreover, If You Include All Jobs – Including The Hard-Hit Government Job Sector – There Remains A Net Decrease Of 316,000 Jobs Since The Start Of Obama’s Presidency.” (“Democratic Disinformation From Charlotte,”FactCheck.Org, 9/5/12)

The New York Times: The Claim That The Nation Has Added 4.5 Million Jobs “Does Not Tell The Whole Story Of The Labor Market Under President Obama.” “One of the more frequently cited statistics at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday was the claim that the United States has added 4.5 million private-sector jobs since the beginning of 2010 – but the figure does not tell the whole story of the labor market under President Obama.” (Michael Cooper and Kitty Bennett, “A Closer Look At Jobs Claims,” The New York Times’ “The Caucus,” 9/5/12)

• “Starting The Jobs Count In January 2009, The Month Mr. Obama Took Office, Shows That The Nation Now Has Only 332,000 More Private-Sector Jobs Now.” “The nation does have 4.5 million more private-sector jobs than it did in January 2010. But by then, Mr. Obama had already been in office for a year. Starting the jobs count in January 2009, the month Mr. Obama took office, shows that the nation now has only 332,000 more private-sector jobs now. Figuring out when to start the count is not easy. Mr. Obama did not take office until Jan. 20, 2009, and his policies did not have time to take effect for months. But when evaluating claims about jobs creation, it is worth looking at when the starting point is.” (Michael Cooper and Kitty Bennett, “A Closer Look At Jobs Claims,” The New York Times’ ” The Caucus,” 9/5/12)
• “And Note: The Democrats Are Only Talking About Private-Sector Jobs. States, Cities And Localities Have Cut Hundreds Of Thousands Of Public Sector Jobs In Recent Years To Balance Their Budgets.” (Michael Cooper and Kitty Bennett, “A Closer Look At Jobs Claims,” The New York Times’ ” The Caucus,” 9/5/12)
• There Are Fewer Jobs Now Than There Were In January 2009. “Counting all jobs – private and public sector – there are slightly fewer jobs now than there were in January 2009, or slightly more jobs now than there were in February 2009, Mr. Obama’s first full month in office.” (Michael Cooper and Kitty Bennett, “A Closer Look At Jobs Claims,”The New York Times’ ” The Caucus,” 9/5/12)

Yahoo News: “There Are Actually 400,000 Fewer People Working Today Than In January 2009.” “However, CNN fact-checked that claim and found it to be ‘not the whole picture.’ Instead, CNN found that there has been a net increase of just 300,000 non-farm payroll jobs since Obama took office. And if you count government jobs, there are actually 400,000 fewer people working today than in January 2009.” (Eric Pfeiffer, “Fact Check: 4.5 Million New Jobs Created Under Obama,” Yahoo News’ ” The Ticket,” 9/5/12)

• The Democrats’ Number Refers To “Jobs Created After The Economy Bottomed Out In January 2010, One Year After Obama Took Office.” “When Democrats use the 4.5 million jobs number, they’re referring to jobs created after the economy bottomed out in January 2010, one year after Obama took office. That time frame excludes the worst job losses, which took place in 2009, and which many Democrats argue were the result of Bush policies. There are actually 400,000 fewer people working today than in January 2009.” (Eric Pfeiffer, “Fact Check: 4.5 Million New Jobs Created Under Obama,” Yahoo News’ “The Ticket,” 9/5/12)

• “Obama’s Job Growth Percentages Trail Far Behind Those Of Some Other Recent Presidents…Even Jimmy Carter.” “However, Obama’s job growth percentages trail far behind those of some other recent presidents, including Bill Clinton (+2.60 percent and +1.60 percent), Ronald Reagan (+1.75 percent and +2.53 percent) and even Jimmy Carter (+2.30 percent).” (Eric Pfeiffer, “Fact Check: 4.5 Million New Jobs Created Under Obama,” Yahoo News’ ” The Ticket,” 9/5/12)

CNBC: “During The Whole Of Mr. Obama’s Presidency, Private Sector Job Growth Has Been Less Robust, At 1,057,000.” “By one measure, private sector jobs created since January, 2010 – after the Obama stimulus had taken full effect – Castro’s number is correct. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says from February, 2010 through July of this year, the private sector added 4,544,000 jobs. But during the whole of Mr. Obama’s presidency, private sector job growth has been less robust, at 1,057,000.” (Scott Cohn, “Fact Checking The Democrats’ Math,” CNBC, 9/5/12)

• “And Figure In Government Jobs Which Have Steadily Declined, And The Economy Has Added Just 408,000 Jobs In The Obama Years . “ (Scott Cohn, “Fact Checking The Democrats’ Math,” CNBC, 9/5/12)