Democrats blame President Bush for jobs losses

The news was bleak by anyone's count. In August, the U.S. economy lost 84,000 jobs, pushing unemployment from 5.7% to 6.1% -- the highest rate in five years.

If that weren't enough, payroll employed has declined by 605,000 since January.

So it wasn't surprising that Democrats blamed the White House, citing President Bush's spending policies as Exhibit A in what ails the economy.

Leave it to Sen. Chuck Schumer (the other Democratic senator from New York) to find a silver lining. In a statement issued by the Joint Economic Committee he chairs, Schumer said:

If there is a bright spot in today's bleak jobs news, it is that we only have 4 jobs reports left before the Bush stewardship of this economy is finished.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Paul Sakuma  AP