Under the Bush administration, what does 4.4% unemployment mean to the NY Times?

In U.S., mixed signals on jobs

NEW YORK: Job growth in the United States slackened last month, but the labor market was fairly strong, with wages rising, according to statistics the Labor Department released Friday.

The jobs report for October showed that the unemployment rate dropped to 4.4 percent, a five-year low, even though businesses added just 92,000 nonfarm jobs. Economists say that at least 150,000 new jobs are needed every month to keep up with population growth.

Coming four days before Congressional elections, the statistics offer fuel for both sides of the political debate about the health of the economy.

And how did the New York Times cover the unemployment reports during the Clinton Administration?

Unemployment Rises (With an Asterisk)
April 4, 1998, Saturday
By SYLVIA NASAR (NYT); Business/Financial Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Labor Department reports unemployment rate rose to 4.7 percent in March from 4.6 percent in previous month; says economy added no new jobs; reports payrolls edged down by 36,000 jobs; warns that report is somewhat suspect; says dip in jobs may reflect abnormal weather patterns of last few months more than actual change in labor market;

January 10, 1998, Saturday
By LOUIS UCHITELLE (NYT); Business/Financial Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Nation’s employers added 370,000 new jobs to their payrolls in Dec 1997, as economy continues to grow; Labor Department says employment reached record levels at year’s end; puts job growth for year at 3.2 million, coupled with low unemployment rate of only 4.9 percent on average for all of 1997–lowest level since 1973s on employment and unemployment

U.S. JOBLESS RATE DECLINES TO 4.7%, LOWEST SINCE 1973
November 8, 1997, Saturday
By ROBERT D. HERSHEY JR. (NYT); Business/Financial Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Labor Department reports unemployment rate fell to 4.7 percent, Oct, lowest rate since 1973; reports average hourly wage rose 6 cents, to $12.41;

December 6, 1997, Saturday
By ROBERT D. HERSHEY JR. (NYT); Business/Financial Desk
DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - US economy shows surprising strength in November, creating 404,000 new jobs, cutting unemployment rate to 24-year low of 4.6 percent

U.S. JOBLESS RATE DECLINES TO 4.8%, LOWEST SINCE 1973
By ROBERT D. HERSHEY JR. (NYT); Business/Financial Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Labor Dept reports that nation’s unemployment rate fell further in May to 4.8 percent, its lowest level since 1973, as Americans enjoyed an economy that has lately produced remarkable combination of low joblessness and low inflation

U.S. Reports Solid Jobs Market, Pointing to a Stronger Economy
April 5, 1997, Saturday
By ROBERT D. HERSHEY JR. (NYT); Business/Financial Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - US unemployment rate edges down to 5.2 percent in March–matching its lowest level in eight years–as reinvigorated economy continues to produce bountiful labor market for legions of Americans;

JOB REPORT SHOWS UNEXPECTED VIGOR FOR U.S. ECONOMY
January 11, 1997, Saturday
By ROBERT D. HERSHEY JR. (NYT); Business/Financial Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - US creates 262,000 jobs in December, and hourly pay rises by 6 cents, providing powerful new evidence that the economy is gathering fresh momentum and raising specter of higher inflation and of a decision by Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to counter it; unemployment remains unchanged at 5.3 percent for the month; ”

U.S. JOBLESS RATE FOR JUNE AT 5.3%; LOWEST IN 6 YEARS
July 6, 1996, Saturday
By ROBERT D. HERSHEY JR. (NYT); Business/Financial Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - The nation’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.3 percent in June, its lowest point in six years, as signs of inflation appeared suddenly to mount, Labor Department figures showed today. The fall in the unemployment rate was three-tenths of a percentage point, from 5.6 percent in May.