Obama on unemployment rate: 'That's progress'

MIAMI (AP) - Obama says the latest numbers show that the economy has added 1.5 million private-sector jobs in the last year...

TheGrio Staff

Mar 4, 2011

MIAMI (AP) — President Barack Obama says that a slight dip in the unemployment rate to 8.9 percent is a sign of continued progress but that keeping that momentum going is important to the economic recovery.

The government reported Friday that February’s jobless rate had fallen to a two-year low, down from 9 percent in January. Obama says the latest numbers show that the economy has added 1.5 million private-sector jobs in the last year and, in his words, “that’s progress.”

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The president commented during an appearance at a Miami high school, where he was discussing his education agenda.

The unemployment rate has been falling for three months, down from 9.8 percent in November.