Quick Hit:

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo faced backlash after admitting unfamiliarity with a major revision to job numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dismissing concerns as "misinformation" from former President Donald Trump.

Key Details:

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised its job numbers, revealing 818,000 fewer jobs were created than initially reported.
• Raimondo dismissed concerns about the revisions, attributing them to misinformation from Trump.
• Social media users and conservative commentators criticized Raimondo's unawareness and dismissal of the report.

Diving Deeper:

According to the NY Post, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo sparked controversy after admitting she was "not familiar" with a significant revision to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) job numbers during an ABC News interview on Wednesday. The BLS revised its previous job creation figures, revealing that 818,000 fewer jobs were created than initially reported, a revelation that has serious implications for the Biden administration's economic narrative.

During the interview, ABC News correspondent Kayna Whitworth asked Raimondo for her thoughts on the revised job numbers, referencing former President Donald Trump's remarks at a rally in North Carolina where he accused the administration of inflating job figures. Trump stated, "The administration padded the numbers with an extra — listen to this one — 818,000 jobs that don’t exist."

Raimondo dismissed the concern, suggesting it was another instance of Trump spreading misinformation. "No. When I hear that, first of all, I don’t believe it because I’ve never heard Donald Trump say anything truthful," she responded. When Whitworth clarified that the data came from the BLS, Raimondo admitted, "I’m not familiar with that," despite the report being released earlier that day.

The admission drew immediate criticism on social media. National Review's Charles Cooke expressed disbelief that the Secretary of Commerce would be unaware of such a significant economic report. Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich suggested that the administration's attempts to manage the economy were beginning to unravel, while conservative commentator Ned Ryun criticized the competence of the current administration, stating, "Holy hell. We are governed by idiots."

The backlash underscores concerns over the administration's handling of the economy, particularly as Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, continues to face scrutiny over her economic policies. Raimondo's focus on promoting Harris’ "pro-business" economic vision during the interview did little to assuage concerns about the administration's economic stewardship.