Decision 2012: Unemployment Rate Dips Below 8%, But Will It Impact Decision 2012?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced last week that the unemployment rate in September was 7.8 percent, the first time the rate fell below 8 percent since Barack Obama became president. The president heralded the news, but opponent Mitt Romney dismissed it.

Class discussion: How important is the unemployment rate in presidential elections? Find news reports on polls of how Americans feel about the economy. Are they optimistic or pessimistic? Does positive employment news tend to boost the economy? How or how not?