Obama: Jobs Numbers Are Sign Of Economy's Strength
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- President Barack Obama says unemployment numbers released Friday indicate the economy is showing signs of strength.
The unemployment rate fell to a two-year low of 8.8 percent in March, capping the strongest two months of hiring since the recession began. The rate has fallen a full percentage point over the past four months, the sharpest drop since 1983.
Obama says there is still work to be done. He says even as he deals with crises around the world, the U.S. economy is his first priority. Obama spoke at a shipping facility in Maryland.
The 2.5 million jobs economists expect to be created over the rest of this year will be only a small portion of the 7.5 million wiped out during the recession.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
