CNN applies jobs spin a little too hard
posted at 3:45 pm on March 10, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
The art of political spin demands that one apply enough to make the point, but not so much as to make it obvious. CNN needs to do a little better than their effort today at the Political Ticker. In reporting data that showed January joblessness increasing in 30 states, CNN put this headline on the article:
The previous month, joblessness had increased in 43 states. This, according to CNN, is good news, because … well … 30 isn’t as bad as 43. That’s certainly true, but when 60% of the states have unemployment increasing, that’s hardly a bright outlook. It might be slightly less bleak, but that’s not at all the same thing.
CNBC did a better job of framing this story, via CentristNet:
Unemployment rose in most states in January—even breaking records in several states, according to government data released Wednesday.
Joblessness in five states—California (12.5 percent), South Carolina (12.6 percent) , Florida (11.9 percent), Georgia (10.4 percent) and North Carolina (11.1 percent)—hit a record high. The District of Columbia, at 12.0 percent, also reached a record high.
In all, 30 states and the District of Columbia saw their rates increase in January over the previous month. Nine states reported a decrease and 11 states had no change in their unemployment, according to the Labor Department.
Fewer states showed an increase in their unemployment rate in January compared to December, when 43 states showed an increase in jobless rates.
Maybe CNN feels that record-breaking unemployment brightens their day, but I doubt most Americans would agree. And let’s not forget that unemployment is cumulative. Having fewer states losing jobs is not an improvement, but a slowdown of the rate of decline. That’s not good news, but just news that is less bad.
If the Bush White House attempted the kind of spin applied by CNN, responsible journalists would have blasted them for it. These days, the Obama administration doesn’t have to bother applying that spin as long as journalists do it for them.
Blowback
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Weren’t all 8 years under Bush a recession according to these people?
daesleeper on March 10, 2010 at 3:47 PM
Unexpectedly Unprecedented spin.
Chip on March 10, 2010 at 3:48 PM
The Lamestream Media constantly trash-talked the economy during the Bush administration. Now they’re hopelessly trying to sweet-talk it back to prosperity.
John the Libertarian on March 10, 2010 at 3:48 PM
And, as Nancy Pelosi has told us, letting the Bush tax cuts expire would not be a tax increase, it would just be the end of a tax decrease.
DaydreamBeliever on March 10, 2010 at 3:50 PM
Obama reports that unexpectedly, only 30 of the 57 states have rising unemployment!
search4truth on March 10, 2010 at 3:50 PM
Is this another one of those jobless recovery things?
Electrongod on March 10, 2010 at 3:50 PM
for the record, next month the census will add 100,000 jobs to the figures, that is the real baseline no matter what squeals of joy you here from the Democrats and their media partners.
rob verdi on March 10, 2010 at 3:50 PM
Just completely obvious bias.
WisCon on March 10, 2010 at 3:52 PM
Smells like…desperation.
Cylor on March 10, 2010 at 3:52 PM
Harry Reid school of economic reporting.
dont taze me bro on March 10, 2010 at 3:52 PM
Hey, check your math, dude!
30 is 53%
Of 57 states…
Haiku Guy on March 10, 2010 at 3:53 PM
CNN is covering for Obama/Democrats failure of the Stimulus to produce jobs. Sloppy reporting.
Are YOU better off now, than you were a year ago???
TN Mom on March 10, 2010 at 3:53 PM
Political Ticker is just a left-wing blog. They moderate comments to advance their own viewpoint… they’re no more credible as a news source than Daily Kos or Huffington Post.
malclave on March 10, 2010 at 3:53 PM
AKA “White House Stenographer”
Brat on March 10, 2010 at 3:53 PM
Carnac the Magnificent says, “Jobless Recovery”
Ed McMahon opens envelope and reads, “Name two words you will not hear the MSM utter together in 2010?”
WashJeff on March 10, 2010 at 3:54 PM
It’s an O’pression
J_Crater on March 10, 2010 at 3:54 PM
Doctor: (To the pianist) I have good news! You will only lose four of your fingers instead of all five!
shick on March 10, 2010 at 3:54 PM
Hey, here at CNN, the future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades!
pilamaye on March 10, 2010 at 3:55 PM
Isn’t the number estimated to be more like 750k +?
Itchee Dryback on March 10, 2010 at 3:57 PM
The “brightness” comes from the fact that they are still employed to report on it!
barnone on March 10, 2010 at 3:58 PM
CNN is spinning so hard, they’re going to drill themselves into the ground.
UltimateBob on March 10, 2010 at 3:59 PM
O/T:
Or speaking of jobs that need replacing,
The wacko left in the House are right now debating a resolution to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan within 30 days after the bill is passed by both the House and the Senate, AND Obama signs the bill.
Intoduced by the spaceman Dennis Kucinich
This is not only a waste of the people’s time, it’s just a platform for the Democrat anti-war left to play a tune for their nutbag constituents…..Republican Duncan Hunter is ripping these idiots a new one, (including Grason)
Rovin on March 10, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Let’s stick to the program.
It’s Funemployment !!!
BowHuntingTexas on March 10, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Not for long, the way their ratings are tanking.
UltimateBob on March 10, 2010 at 3:59 PM
The desperation emanating from the MSM to save the Boy King positively reeks.
wildcat84 on March 10, 2010 at 4:00 PM
99 weeks of FUN!
SouthernGent on March 10, 2010 at 4:00 PM
Idiots! If we’re to cut our losses in Afghanistan, that is hardly the way to do it. A timeframe of barely a month will lead to a modern version of the Bladensburg Races and leave a dangerous power vacuum.
Dark-Star on March 10, 2010 at 4:01 PM
Itchee Dryback,
It might 750,000 for the entire census, I read the other day 100,000 for March which is likely part of the 750,000 in total.
rob verdi on March 10, 2010 at 4:03 PM
“Brightens”? The only thing bright out here in Cali is the IQ of those people who have fled this cesspool of liberalism and defecit spending.
jbh45 on March 10, 2010 at 4:04 PM
Glad you brought that up. A quick Lexis-Nexis search returned over 300 results with articles from US news wires in all years of the Bush Administration.
3% growth in GDP was called a recession under Bush.
daesleeper on March 10, 2010 at 4:06 PM
“We lost 200,000 men at Kursk!”
“That’s great, we lost 300,000 at Stalingrad.”
Bishop on March 10, 2010 at 4:06 PM
“The 12th derivative of unemployment has reached zero!! Prosperity!” — CNN
neurosculptor on March 10, 2010 at 4:07 PM
Unemployment recovery not yet taking hold.
That would be the nice treatment for Bush.
tomas on March 10, 2010 at 4:07 PM
+10
WitchDoctor on March 10, 2010 at 4:09 PM
“CNN – Spearheading the Obama Television Network!”
Just wait until they factor in all those census taker hires…Then you’ll see the numbers go up!! For a week.
GoldenEagle4444 on March 10, 2010 at 4:10 PM
jbh45 on March 10, 2010 at 4:04 PM
.
Geesh, the fleeing Californins have already poisoned Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. How much land do you people need ya greedy basterds? Puuuuhhhleeeze STAY there and fix it!
Cordially,
.
The rest of teh United States
Simonsez on March 10, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Employment in the county I live was today pegged up at 14.1% for February.
tarpon on March 10, 2010 at 4:12 PM
CNN — morally bankrupt and strangers to the truth, which I’m pretty sure qualifies them for a gubmint bailout.
A$$clowns.
CantCureStupid on March 10, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Been hearing that too – and aside from the sraight forward lunacy of this “tactic” – 2 things jump out at me:
1) any and all “foreign policy” cred Bambi is living on… will die.
2) Add 25-50k of unemployed folks to the roster.
I would laugh at the Dem cannibalism, if lives werent at stake.
Odie1941 on March 10, 2010 at 4:13 PM
750k more. Nearly that many already in temp positions already. These are temp positions.
dogsoldier on March 10, 2010 at 4:15 PM
I like to call it “Marxist Math”.
Buy Danish on March 10, 2010 at 4:17 PM
Thanks, jbh45, after 30 years in CA, I fled to my home state of Texas. Something I’ve wanted to do for years anyway.
cartooner on March 10, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Nobody should be surprised by the pitifully obvious pro-Obama bias evidenced by MSM outlets like CNN, MSNBC, ABC, AP, etc. Their hagiographic coverage of Obama was a big part of what got this unqualified Marxist fool elected. They know that if (when) he goes down, they go with him. They’ll continue to spin like tops for their Chosen One.
AZCoyote on March 10, 2010 at 4:20 PM
CNN has no shame and doesn’t even try to be subtle . . . they are simply a hard core left wing electronic rag that shamelessly shills for Obama.
rplat on March 10, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Guess they figure the unemployed either can no longer afford cable or if they heard this “report” will suddenly be convinced that they are actually not unemployed.
Dr. ZhivBlago on March 10, 2010 at 4:25 PM
rose-colored shades!
j_galt on March 10, 2010 at 4:34 PM
You forgot NV, OR, WA, and NM. The businesses are fleeing Cali in droves and narturally, people follow job growth. Are you saying these other states don’t want profitable, job-producing businesses?
jbh45 on March 10, 2010 at 4:35 PM
I’d be in San Antonio right now if I could only convince my wife to leave….
jbh45 on March 10, 2010 at 4:36 PM
Dr. Goebbels is looking up at CNN and smiling in approval.
Del Dolemonte on March 10, 2010 at 4:44 PM
In other news, the chocolate ration has been increased for the second quarter in a row.
–Winston
iurockhead on March 10, 2010 at 4:47 PM
I.e., so long as they dwell in Obama’s pants. One day they’ll run out of air and may they suffocate, each and every one of them.
Schadenfreude on March 10, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Average unemployment rate during GWB: 5.5%
Average during Dear Liar: close to 10%
Yet the media thinks Obama is doing a super duper job.
Liberalism is a mental disease.
angryed on March 10, 2010 at 5:07 PM
OW, OW, OW, OW!!!!!!
Fighton03 on March 10, 2010 at 5:37 PM
Also from CNN:
Half the states are under the average? Shocker!
Wait… actually isn’t that expected with a random distribution on a mathematical set? I mean, statistically speaking that should be the most likely outcome right?
Naah, I’m sure it’s worth reporting, and probably a really good sign.
gekkobear on March 10, 2010 at 5:53 PM
Just a simple question: When a person bleeds to death, what happens first? Death or the end of the bleeeding?
Followup question: Does the bleeding slow down anywhere in there?
TubbyHubby on March 10, 2010 at 6:09 PM
During the Bush years when unemployment was very low it was largely bad news in the biased media because the jobs were “McJobs” not worthy of their attention.
Now we have massive unemployment month after month it’s good news in the press. And the press can’t figure out why virtually no one trusts them.
RJL on March 11, 2010 at 1:21 PM