Northern Colorado Gazette

President now changes tune, contradicts own statement

by Peter Grady –

Rep. Cory Gardner had some choice words for president Barack Obama over remarks he made that people in the private sector were doing just fine following news that unemployment had risen to 8.2 percent in May.

Speaking at a recent press conference, Obama lamented that the reason for the rise in the unemployment rate had nothing to do with a lack of jobs in the private sector, but instead it was government workers that were the ones hurting.

“The private sector is doing fine,” the president said.

“Where we’re seeing weaknesses in our economy have to do with state and local government. Oftentimes cuts initiated by, you know, Governors or mayors who are not getting the kind of help that they have in the past from the federal government and who don’t have the same kind of flexibility as the federal government in dealing with fewer revenues coming in.”

Gardner said the statement reflects a profound lack of perception for the struggles being faced by everyday Americans.

“I would be interested to hear the President’s definition of ‘doing fine,’” Gardner said. “Over 40 months of unemployment above 8 percent is the opposite of ‘doing fine,’ and for 23 million struggling Americans it is a slap in the face to see President Obama go on TV and brag about his record on job creation.”

The Republican National Committee issued a statement saying the president’s words were “’bound to be a surprise to the 23 million Americans who are struggling for work and the millions of families who have seen their incomes fall under the Obama economy.”

Last month the economy added a paltry 69,000 jobs causing the unemployment rate to increase to 8.2 percent. When one factors in those who have exhausted their benefits and are thus no longer counted as unemployed, the numbers are even higher.

Mitt Romney said Obama’s comment would “’go down in history as an extraordinary miscalculation and misunderstanding by a president who is out of touch.”

Following criticism over his statements, the president told reporters in the oval office that it is “absolutely clear” the economy is not fine.

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