Economic analysts anticipated that the Department of Labor would report a seventh consecutive month of solid job gains. They were wrong. According to figures released Friday, African-American employment held at 11.4 percent, while the national unemployment rate fell slightly from 6.2 percent to 6.1 percent.

The economy added a disappointing 142,000 jobs in August, the lowest number this year. ADP in its monthly report on employment trends predicted that the economy added 204,000 new jobs down from the 209,000 in July and significantly lower than the 288,000 jobs added in June.

“After another monthly jobs report far below expectations, we find ourselves asking yet again, ‘Is this really the best we can do?’ And the answer, unfortunately, is that until Democrats stop pushing an anti-growth agenda, we can’t expect job creation to get much better,” said Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Jason Furman, who chairs the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, acknowledged that the jobs report could have been better but argued that overall the economy is still moving in the right direction.

"To continue to support the progress our economy has made, the president will act wherever he can to create good jobs, facilitate investments in American infrastructure and manufacturing, and make sure that hard work pays off with higher wages," he said, noting that "long-term unemployment has fallen rapidly over the past year but remains well above its pre-recession average."

Follow Joyce Jones on Twitter: @BETpolitichick.

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