Bush Backs Off Job Creation Promise

Criticized for laying out an implausible goal aimed at the presidential election, U.S. President George W. Bush stepped back from his promise to create 2.6 million new jobs by the end of the year.

In the annual economic report to the Congress ten days ago, Bush expected 2.6 million jobs to be created this year.

On the same day, however, Treasury Secretary John Snow and Commerce Secretary Don Evans said they disagreed with the prospect.

Sen. John Kerry, a front-runner for the Democratic presidential candidacy, criticized that even Bush’s advisors don’t believe the number. “No one but Bush buys the forecast,” Kerry said.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said that the President is more focused on job creation than economic forecasts. Bush said “I’m neither a statistician nor a prophet,” McClellan added.

On the same day, the president didn’t mention job creation, only saying, “I think the economy will grow and be stronger.”

No more than 366,000 jobs have been generated in the U.S. over the past six months since last August.

Jin Lee leej@donga.com