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Bush Showcases Efforts to Create New Jobs

Aired September 01, 2003 - 13:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the job market and the economy are much on the president's mind today. Mr. Bush is in Ohio, where he addressed the International Operating Engineers Union.
Our Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House with the details. Hi, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, hi, Kyra.

President Bush is in Richfield, Ohio. That is where he is addressing union workers, essentially to highlight the economic agenda, but also to show the administration's effort in trying to create new jobs.

Now, as you know, administration officials recognize this is one of the most important issues to voters, particularly election 2004. They know this. As you had mentioned before, 9 million Americans out of work on Labor Day, that's 6.2 percent unemployment rate there.

The president really taking the opportunity this holiday to really highlight some of the positive economic indicators. He talked about the consumer spending that was up, as well as worker productivity has increased, as well as the economic growth, which has also increased, a solid 3.1 percent in the second quarter.

And the president also asked the American people to be patient. He said his tax cut plan, his benefits, will work. They will work eventually. But he says it's going to take some time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you more money in your pocket, means you're going to spend or save and invest. And when you spend and save or invest, somebody is going to produce a product for you to be able to spend your money on. When somebody produces a product, it's more likely somebody is going to be able to find a job. Tax relief was needed to stem the recession. They tell me it was a shallow recession. It was a shallow recession because of the tax relief.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: President Bush, back in town at Andrews Air Force Base, just touching down just moments ago. The president argued that it's not only going to create jobs, his economic agenda, but there are a number of things that have to happen. He said that Congress has to restrain its spending, that they have to also work on proposing and also approving these free trade agreements for countries overseas.

He also talked about a comprehensive energy bill, which he is urging Congress to pass immediately.

Now, there has been some criticism, Kyra, as you know. We have heard from Democrats and some economists, even the representative from that region the president traveled to earlier today, Congressman Brown, who quoted a statistic from the Bureau of Labor Statistics saying that 60 percent, a higher unemployment rate for Ohio residents than it was before President Bush took office.

It's those type of statistics that the president is going to have to deal with. And, of course, voters are going to be asking a lot of questions about this. The administration very much aware that this is a very sensitive and difficult issue for many Americans, but the president insisted that his economic agenda, his plan, ultimately is going to create some jobs, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 1, 2003 - 13:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the job market and the economy are much on the president's mind today. Mr. Bush is in Ohio, where he addressed the International Operating Engineers Union.
Our Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House with the details. Hi, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, hi, Kyra.

President Bush is in Richfield, Ohio. That is where he is addressing union workers, essentially to highlight the economic agenda, but also to show the administration's effort in trying to create new jobs.

Now, as you know, administration officials recognize this is one of the most important issues to voters, particularly election 2004. They know this. As you had mentioned before, 9 million Americans out of work on Labor Day, that's 6.2 percent unemployment rate there.

The president really taking the opportunity this holiday to really highlight some of the positive economic indicators. He talked about the consumer spending that was up, as well as worker productivity has increased, as well as the economic growth, which has also increased, a solid 3.1 percent in the second quarter.

And the president also asked the American people to be patient. He said his tax cut plan, his benefits, will work. They will work eventually. But he says it's going to take some time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you more money in your pocket, means you're going to spend or save and invest. And when you spend and save or invest, somebody is going to produce a product for you to be able to spend your money on. When somebody produces a product, it's more likely somebody is going to be able to find a job. Tax relief was needed to stem the recession. They tell me it was a shallow recession. It was a shallow recession because of the tax relief.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: President Bush, back in town at Andrews Air Force Base, just touching down just moments ago. The president argued that it's not only going to create jobs, his economic agenda, but there are a number of things that have to happen. He said that Congress has to restrain its spending, that they have to also work on proposing and also approving these free trade agreements for countries overseas.

He also talked about a comprehensive energy bill, which he is urging Congress to pass immediately.

Now, there has been some criticism, Kyra, as you know. We have heard from Democrats and some economists, even the representative from that region the president traveled to earlier today, Congressman Brown, who quoted a statistic from the Bureau of Labor Statistics saying that 60 percent, a higher unemployment rate for Ohio residents than it was before President Bush took office.

It's those type of statistics that the president is going to have to deal with. And, of course, voters are going to be asking a lot of questions about this. The administration very much aware that this is a very sensitive and difficult issue for many Americans, but the president insisted that his economic agenda, his plan, ultimately is going to create some jobs, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com