Bush Pledges Help on U.S. Jobs

President Bush on Thursday pledged to find work for Americans whose jobs have gone overseas, as he declared that he remained worried about unemployment in general and the flow of jobs to other countries.

“There are still some people looking for work because of the recession. There are people looking for work because jobs have gone overseas,” Bush said. “We need to act to make sure there are more jobs at home.”

His comments came amid a tempest over remarks this week by N. Gregory Mankiw, chairman of Bush’s Council of Economic Advisors, who said the outsourcing of U.S. jobs was “just a new way of doing international trade” and part of a beneficial change in the economy that would enrich the United States over time.

Mankiw’s statement has drawn criticism from Republicans as well as Democrats.

Bush spoke at Central Dauphin High School here at an event to tout his economic agenda, which includes a job-training initiative anchored in the nation’s community colleges.

The president’s brief trip to this key campaign state underscored that job creation remains at the top of Bush’s agenda in this election year. During his presidency, more than 2 million jobs have disappeared.

Pennsylvania is the nation’s fifth-largest electoral prize, and Bush lost it in 2000 to Al Gore, 51% to 46%. Bush’s appearance Thursday marked his 25th visit to the Keystone State since he became president.

Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, issued a joint statement with Pennsylvania Treasurer Barbara Hafer criticizing Bush’s economic record, noting that 54,000 jobs in the state had been lost in the last three years.