The August job market report is out, and the numbers are mixed: while the number of new jobs increased to 144,000 (and June and July got 59,000 total tacked on), the report is still lackluster, not quite achieving the modest expectations of 150,000–which, if you’ll recall, is the break-even point for job numbers keeping up with population growth.

This is a break for Bush in that it breaks the steady fall in numbers seen over the past four months, and gives him something to say is positive–but it is still anemic, and far, far behind even his most conservative (no pun intended) job predictions to date. At this rate, Bush will still be right down there at the bottom of the jobs heap with Herbert Hoover–having lost a net total of 1 million jobs and having most new jobs be minimum-wage is certainly nothing to crow about. But Bush will find a way. The question is, will the people buy it, or will they notice that they are far worse off today than they were four years ago?

Bush & Co. have an answer for that last one, too–they’re still blaming Clinton. Sorry guys, but there’s only so far you can stretch that one.