Boehner Video Stars "Job-Sniffing Bloodhound" To Whack Obama

The loss of 467,000 jobs in June, driving the national unemployment rate to 9.5 percent, is unwelcome news for the Obama administration, which has spent half a year trying to turn the tide of the economic downfall. Already the president has conceded that 10 percent unemployment is likely in America's future. But the job front remains a particular vulnerability for this White House -- the one major chink in the Obama armor, far more politically delicate than the president's handling of foreign affairs or health care.

And so, it shouldn't come as a surprise that within minutes of their release, Obama's political opponents turned the porous June job numbers against him. Obviously anticipating the bad news, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) released a web video featuring a job-sniffing bloodhound named Ellie Mae asking: "Where are the jobs."

The clip, a Boehner aide says, is meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Narrated by Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga), it is based off a 1984 TV commercial by the Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

"This is a light-hearted web video, but the underlying point is no laughing matter," Boehner said in a statement. "At a time when Americans are looking to Washington for leadership, the trillion-dollar 'stimulus' isn't working. Americans were promised the stimulus would keep the unemployment rate from going above 8 percent. It's now skyrocketing above 9 percent. Where are the jobs?"

WATCH:

Obama's allies will point out that the foundation of this current wave of job loss is rooted in the policies of the Bush administration. Economic models hold that the stimulus spending by the administration won't take affect fully until months from now. But, six months into office, it is also a widely accepted that the White House now "owns" much of this economy. Even Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has insisted that the success of the administration's policies should be measured in the number of jobs created.

"A good starting point is looking at broad measures of economic performance, like jobs," Geithner said in a response to questions posed by Huffington Post readers.

The Treasury Secretary went on to note that "job losses in the month of May were at their lowest level since September 2008." That talking point, however, now seems inoperative as pace of job losses in June was nearly 50 percent greater than the month before.

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Comments

[sansainte]

The Republicans have been the party in charge for many years. Years when jobs were disappearing, Outsourcing. Leveraged Buy Outs. Trade agreements that lowered the pay scale and made it attractive for their fat cat friends to hire illegals to do the jobs "THAT AMERICANS WON'T DO!". Which is just plain stupid to say. Now after all of this Mr Boehner has suddenly come to life and noticed that there aren't any jobs around and expects that the Democratic President just isn't succeeding in the attempt to create any.. I still don't hear any suggestions as to what the Republican Party would do to help the President and the country. All I hear is negative nonsense. It strikes me that Mr Boehner did nothing to stop Mr Bush from spending us into bankruptcy. Nothing to stop Mr Bush from borrowing untold billions from China to exicute a needless war with Iraq. Nothing to stop the flow of illegal workers and the outsourcing of American jobs. Did we once hear that perhaps to help the government we should all buy a US SAVINGS BOND every payday? Invest in America to keep us strong? Toss out the tax cut for the rich? Change the trade agreements? Invest taxpayer dollars in the infrastructure of this nation? Tighten the borders or enforce immigration laws? Anything to help the majority of taxpayers for all of the Bush Years? Nothing to help for 8 years, but an economic miracle should happen in 5 months.

[anniebuddy]

For 8 years Republicans dug a huge hole that almost swallowed the US ... and now Boehner expects it to turn around in 5 months? The pathetic part is that there are people out there who believe this stuff ... Boehner probably probably being one of them.

Hmmm ... Maybe we should require a psychological evaluation in order to run for public office. There seems to be a lot of insanity running rampant in the GOP these days. Hope it's not contagious!

[thefooligan5]

The economic stimulus package was passed when the unemployment rate was already hovering around 8% - if you thought it would magically stop the economic collapse you're an idiot. Everyone and their dog (including Obama) has said that 10% unemployment seemed very likely at the very least. As much as the GOPs don't want to admit it, Obama inherited a mess and there is practically nothing to be done except wait for the market to runs it course and hit rock bottom before it starts to turn around. And besides, every notable economist says that the economy will make a turn around and start growing again even as jobs are still being lost. Unemployment is the last marker to switch for the best. I'm not at all surprised or blaming Obama for the current situation. No president would have been able to fix it short of having another world war 2 production drive.

[PhoenixGSU]

Atleast he didn't have the bloodhound chase a black-face actor with bags of money through the woods.

[listentome]

Please tell me that all republicans aren't this hokey!

[weatherwaxx]

No -- many are even worse.

[susanthe]

I guess this ad will work in the south - but in the northern part of the country where we don't seem to turn a 3 letter word into 3 syllables, it wouldn't play so well.

[marijam]

His face is the same color as the bloodhounds skin!

[weatherwaxx]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to see that. It's a lovely color ... for a dog!

[pugla46]

ANOTHER Republican with a dog trying to make political hay. I guess all Republicans fall into Nixon's mold. Afterall, it worked for him . . .

[Bcasey11]

any criticism to obama about excessive spending obama replies with "hey that other guy did it" so simple, that makes sense to me... spend away brAH!

[glitz]

Who needs a bloodhound? You and yours outsourced them.

[cloudmaker]

If anyone remembers Kramer on Seinfeld being pleased when Jerry was losing money in an investment,
they will understand Republicans. They are delighted about the unemployment, pleased as punch that
so many people are out of work. Nothing would make them unhappier than an economic upturn. Cheney,
was we know wants another 9-11-style attack. The Republicans are less savage than Cheney (who isn't)
but they would love to see Americans suffer more if it increased their political capital. America will go through tough times for awhile. We have a brilliant, kind-hearted and hard-working president. Stay with him because if anyone can do it, he can, and if anyone really cares about you, he does.

[tploomis]

This puts new meaning to the phrase "appealing to the base."

[thepoliticalcat]

Clearly, only one other person noticed, and was offended by, the use of a bloodhound (a dog commonly used to track runaway slaves in the South). The GOP stinks of racism and it isn't even trying to pretend to appeal to anyone or thing but a r. ac. is -t whi t. e. base.

[Joe Caps]

Everything is about race isn't it?

Bloodhounds are famous for their tracking abilities. The dog was searching for the jobs. Only a race-baiter would think there was any type of underlying message.

Get a grip.

[pons1595]

Are you conscious?

[weatherwaxx]

I think a lot more people noticed... but it's hardly remarkable from the GOP, is it?

[ObamanextPresident]

Sam, you are a brilliant journalist and a great panelist. But...what's up with this line?

"But, six months into office, it is also a widely accepted that the White House now "owns" much of this economy."

Widely accepted by WHO? The 21 percenters? How can the WH own it in SIX months? Please.

How can you write such undocumented, right wing drivel? Geithner said nothing of the sort.

[weatherwaxx]

Widely accepted by the chowderheads at faux news, I suppose. The White House owned the mess Bush left as soon as Cowboy George galloped out of town. Everything during Bush's term was Clinton's fault, everything after it is Obama's ... Georgie-Boy never takes responsibility for anything, and neither do the clowns in Congress who enabled him.

[talkitreal]

Maybe he should use that bloodhound to sniff out some Republican policies, since the Republicans have NONE!

[ObamanextPresident]

Great point!!!