Obama, Romney offer different interpretation of September jobs report

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Associated Press

Story Created: Fri Oct 5, 2012 5:06 PM

Story Updated: Fri Oct 5, 2012 5:06 PM

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - Both President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are using today's jobs report to bolster their campaign arguments.

The news that the nation's unemployment rate fell below 8 percent for the first time in nearly four years comes as a boost to the president, who called it a sign that the economy is "moving forward again." Cheers erupted from the crowd at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., when Obama noted that the jobless rate is now at its lowest level since he became president.
Obama says the report shows that the country has made too much progress to turn back to the policies that he says led the nation into an economic crisis.
Romney says with more than 12 million people still out of work, the country continues to struggle through "tough times" and he says president Obama's policies have failed to help. He says 7.8 percent unemployment is "not what a real recovery looks like."