Don't count on the latest round of good economic news to have much of an impact on the elections. There are very few undecided voters left and these minor changes aren't likely to change anyone's mind.
But it's still worth noting that the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the country
gained 171,000 jobs and that unemployment inched up to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent. Both numbers are good. Unemployment only edged up because so many jobless Americans became confident enough to look for work again.
President Barack Obama can rightly brag about improved economic numbers in recent months. Consumer confidence is up. There are more jobs. Gas prices are down. The economy is modestly expanding.
Consumer confidence has bounced to a four-year high and the
Dow Jones Industrial Average recently hit an all-time high. Clearly, the economy is faring well under his leadership.