Today on the 2:00 pm segment of CNN Newsroom, anchor Randi Kaye spoke with CNN political producer Shannon Travis about criticism directed at President Barack Obama:
TRAVIS: Yes, really, really quickly, billionaire Steve Wynn, you've seen his resorts all over Las Vegas. He's blasting President Obama. I'm going to read this quote from a call, an earnings call yesterday. Quote, "I'm saying it bluntly that this administration is the greatest wet blanket to business and progress and job creation in my lifetime". Those are from Steve Wynn.
We know there are a lot of businesses who have been on a hiring streak, Randi, but this is what Steve Wynn, billionaire real estate mogul in Las Vegas thinks about the Obama administration.
What hiring streak is Travis talking about? CNN Money.com reported last week that initial unemployment claims remained above the 400,000 mark for the 14th straight week. The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted in its June, 2011 report that there are now 14.1 million Americans out of work. The same agency pegged that number at 11.6 for January, 2009, the month Barack Obama took office.
According to a U.S. Chamber of Congress analysis last week, only 19 percent of small-business executives expect to add to their payrolls in the next year. Twelve percent plan on cutting jobs while 62 percent said they're not planning on hiring.
Some in the mainstream media still want to protect Obama, even if it puts whatever little credibility they have left at stake. The more than 14 million Americans who still can't find work after Obama's $800 billion stimulus would love for CNN to identify those many businesses that are on a hiring streak.
