WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — President Bush expressed restrained optimism about the economy Friday, saying new figures showing a strong boost in employment marked "the beginning of good news for job seekers."
"Things are beginning to brighten up for people looking for work, which is positive," Bush told an audience at a community college, where he touted federal job retraining efforts. "And therefore, we must make sure that people are trained for jobs that exist."
But on the whole, Bush refrained from reveling in the new data, which showed that the unemployment rate had dropped to 6% in October, its lowest rate since April, and that the economy had created 126,000 jobs.
One reason for the president's reticence, aides suggested, was his sensitivity to the particularly bad employment picture in this region of North Carolina, which has seen its largest industries -- textiles and tobacco -- lose thousands of jobs in recent years. The region's unemployment rate was 6.8% in the third quarter, significantly higher than the national rate.
A second reason for restraint was that the White House feels it would be imprudent for the president to tie his political fortunes to every upturn and downturn in the economic statistics. Such action would give his political opponents ammunition during the coming election year, especially if the economy takes a turn for the worse.
Bush chose to visit Forsyth Technical Community College on the day the unemployment figures were released to try to focus public attention on the role of worker retraining in job creation.
"The economy has obviously taken its toll on parts of North Carolina," Bush told the audience at the start of a partly scripted dialogue with displaced textile workers, educators and local business executives. "The manufacturing sector has been hit. The textile sector has been hit. People have lost work. And yet in other sectors of the economy here in North Carolina, [jobs] are growing. We've got to make sure we're able to match the skills and talent and drive of North Carolina citizens with the jobs of the future."
The president praised three students on the stage -- all former textile workers -- who are pursuing degrees in biotechnology and medical transcription as part of a $750,000 federal jobs retraining grant to the college. The students also receive assistance under the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which is part of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
