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Obama plays down new job report

Right out of the gate tonight, we’ll be talking about the economy.
President Obama touring a Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio on Friday.
President Obama touring a Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio on Friday.

Right out of the gate tonight, we’ll be talking about the economy. A dismal new job report came out and it’s more meh than magnificent.

The Labor Department reported employers added only 54,000 new workers in May, the fewest in eight months and the unemployment rate rose to 9.1 percent, up from 9 percent. That's down from the average of 220,000 jobs the economy added in the past few months.

This is the latest sign the economy is slowing. Again. High gas and food prices cut into consumer spending and the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan hurt U.S. manufacturers.

Though, you wouldn’t know it as Obama put on a brave face while visiting a Chrysler plant in Ohio. He told a crowd of auto workers, "There are always going to be bumps on the road to recovery. We’re going to pass through some tough terrain." He danced around any mention the latest job report numbers.

In the show, we’ll get analysis from senior political editor for the Huffington Post, msnbc political analyst Howard Fineman and John Heilemann, National Affairs Editor of New York Magazine and author of Game Change.