WaPo: Gillibrand’s Cascade Of Misfired Employment Statistics

WaPo: Gillibrand’s Cascade Of Misfired Employment Statistics

Last month it was 2020 hopeful Senator Kamala Harris touting incorrect information on the economy and yesterday Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined in with her own spin on the unemployment rate. The WaPo Fact Checkers took notice. During remarks yesterday before the National Action Network, Gillibrand cited incorrect unemployment statistics for African American men and women and veterans.   The […]

November 15, 2018
WaPo: Gillibrand’s Cascade Of Misfired Employment Statistics

Last month it was 2020 hopeful Senator Kamala Harris touting incorrect information on the economy and yesterday Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined in with her own spin on the unemployment rate. The WaPo Fact Checkers took notice.

During remarks yesterday before the National Action Network, Gillibrand cited incorrect unemployment statistics for African American men and women and veterans.

 

The Washington Post noted the actual statistics:

“The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in October, the unemployment rate was 6.2 percent for African American men and 4.9 percent for African American women. … As for “young veterans,” BLS data that is not seasonally adjusted shows that for “Gulf War-era II veterans” ages 18 to 24, the unemployment rate in October was 12.6 percent.”

Gillibrand’s team said she misspoke but as The Post points out: “If you are trying to make the case that you can provide better economic stewardship, you need to get the numbers right first.”