By

Lindsey Boerma /

CBS News/ October 5, 2012, 1:45 PM

Obama on jobs report: We've "come too far to turn back now"

President Obama speaks at a campaign event at George Mason University, Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, in Fairfax, Va.

President Obama speaks at a campaign event at George Mason University, Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, in Fairfax, Va. / AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Celebrating a September jobs report that showed the lowest unemployment level since he took office, President Obama on Friday tried to make the case at a Fairfax, Va., rally that "this country has come too far to turn back now."

The Labor Department announced Friday that employers added 114,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent - a welcome gift for the president, up against newfound momentum from GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Positive news about Americans finding work could help to tip the scale in the incumbent's favor, something Mr. Obama half-joked about Friday.

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Obama on jobs report: We've come "too far to turn back now"

"For the 'undecideds' who are here," he said to laughter in the crowd, "as well as those who are watching today - I've said before, this is a choice not just between two candidates and two parties, but a choice between two fundamentally different visions for America. And today, I believe that as a nation, we are moving forward again. We're moving forward again."

While the president acknowledged there are still "too many of our friends and neighbors" looking for work, he argued, "they were struggling long before the crisis hit."

"Today's news certainly is not an excuse to try to talk down the economy to score a few political points," he continued after talking up the jobs numbers for a minute and a half. "It's a reminder that this country has come too far to turn back now."

Mr. Obama also continued to mock Romney's performance Wednesday at the first presidential debate - which pundits have largely awarded to the GOP nominee - calling his policy arguments an "extreme makeover" from his primary platform.

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Obama: Romney "fact-checked by his own campaign"

After Romney claimed in the debate that he'd cover preexisting conditions under his health care plan, the president said, "I explained, 'Well actually your plan doesn't do that.' And then his campaign has to come out and say, 'Actually, that's not true, our plan wouldn't do that.' So Gov. Romney was fact-checked by his own campaign. That's rough."

And though Romney on Thursday night called "completely wrong" a remark he made privately that 47 percent of Americans are dependent on government and consider themselves "victims," Mr. Obama didn't let up on the comments, saying Romney proved he is "willing to write off half the nation" before even taking office. He also kept up his ridicule of Romney's promise to cut federal funding to PBS as a way to bring down the deficit.

"For all you moms and kids out there, don't worry," Mr. Obama said, "somebody is finally getting tough on Big Bird... Elmo's gotta watch out too. Gov. Romney plans to let Wall Street run wild again, but he's going to bring down the hammer on Sesame Street."

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25 Comments Add a Comment
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MSAdvocate says:
"We've come too far to turn back now."
It's the destination you want to take us to that is the problem, Mr. President. I'm going to pass this time around. Romney/Ryan 2012
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walkthetalk says:
I have great hopes, for our President, I hopes he don't win again.
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concernedND says:
Do the people of this country take into account that maybe the reason for additional hiring could be the upcoming holiday season which they stated on the news that businesses would be adding a few hundred thousand jobs and hoping to keep some after the season. Show me were Obama is responsible for this or responsible for any job outside the failed stimulis.
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concernedND says:
For all of Obama's campaigning against Romney with reference to job creation and how he will not be involved with outsourcing and will keep jobs here at home is pretty ironic since Obama has accepted campaign donations from Bain capitol since he has ran for the senate. Also Obama and Michelle have invested a large sum of money in companies that could be considered the pioneers of outsourcing. Below is a link to website that has an piece on this with a link to the original article.

www.year-4-change.com
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24lomas says:
Obama has done nothing for the United States. The latest unemployment report, 7.8% is a joke. The real unemployment rate is over 10% because the new unemployment rate does not take into account people who have applied for welfare after giving up looking for work. So Obama and Solis from the Department of Labor think we are stupid. We are not. We want Obama out on 11 6 12.
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Sam2011 says:
We've "come too far to turn back now"...With "still" high unemployment, record food stamps, 16 trillion in national debt, record low GDP. I only NEED four more years to destroy the country! Vote for Obama! Yahoo!
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walkthetalk says:
"We have come too far to turn back now" Amelia Earhart, said the very same thing.
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Noval53 says:
We have gone too far, but the tide is changing. It's time for the media's president to go. Liberals need to gain some tolerance and end their hatred of Americans that don't agree with them. America is turning around to a much better direction.
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andie52 says:
Compare Obama's numbers to George W. Bush. In Bush's first term, the economy shed 913,000 private sector jobs! 913,000!
The only thing that saved Bush's first term from being a complete economic disaster, in terms of employment, was robust public sector growth: The economy added 900,000 government jobs.
One wonders: Without the massive growth in the public sector during Bush's first term, would he have been reelected?
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rksharma-2009 says:
Mr. President one advice for you. Show up for debates with fire in your belly. You can't allow your opponent to control the debate. It is your job to call him on his lies if the moderator is failing to do his/her job. TV audience matters. Being a nice guy does not pay off sometimes, and this is one of those times. You have worked hard to pull the country out of the hole, killed Osama, saved GM and Chrysler, brought the manufacturing jobs back, passed equal pay law, ended Iraq war and set up a pull out date from Afghanistan. There are so many accomplishments you have had that all know about. I forgot the health care law. So don't let your liar opponent to control these debates. We are all with you, but you also need to do your part.
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concernedND replies:
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Do a little research and see how Obama has lied. He states he is against companies like Bain Capitol, then why has he accepted money from them since was running for the senate. Also he talks about keeping jobs here at home and not outsourcing, Obama and his wife Michelle have invested money in companies that could be considered the pioneers of outsourcing. Do a little research about your candidate. Obama accuses Romney of being a liar!
Below is a link to a site with an article that contains a link to the original article.

www.year-4-change.com
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