“I Triple-Checked It”: Clinton Highlights Job Creation Gap Between Democrats and Republicans
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
At the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, former President Bill Clinton made a pointed remark about the notion that Republican presidents are better for the economy than their Democratic counterparts. Clinton drew attention to the record of job creation under presidents from both parties since the end of the Cold War, making a bold claim that quickly grabbed attention.
“You’re going to have a hard time believing this, but so help me, I triple-checked it,” Clinton asserted during his speech. “Since the end of the Cold War in 1989, America has created about 51 million new jobs. I swear I checked this three times. Even I couldn’t believe it. What’s the score? Democrats 50, Republicans one.”
This statement prompted Washington Post fact-checker Philip Bump to investigate Clinton’s claim. After thorough research, Bump found that the former president’s numbers were accurate.
“There have been six presidents since 1989, three from each party,” Bump explained. “Under the three Democrats — Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden — there was a cumulative increase of 50 million more people working between the starts of their terms and the ends. Under the three Republicans — George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump — the cumulative total was, in fact, only 1 million.”
While Bump confirmed the figures, he also noted that attributing job creation solely to the policies of the sitting president might be an oversimplification. Economic outcomes are often influenced by external factors beyond the control of any administration, making it difficult to credit one party’s policies for job growth or decline.
To offer a clearer comparison, Bump excluded the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely disrupted the economy and led to massive job losses. By focusing on the job growth during the pre-pandemic years of Donald Trump’s presidency and the subsequent recovery under Joe Biden, Bump highlighted a stark difference.
“In 2018 and 2019, under Trump, the country added 4.3 million jobs. In 2022 and 2023, under Biden, it added 7.5 million jobs,” Bump concluded. “You don’t have to be a sports whiz to see that seven puts you ahead of four, either.”
Clinton’s speech and Bump’s fact-check bring to light the ongoing debate about economic stewardship between the two major political parties. While external factors undeniably play a role, the job creation figures since 1989 appear to favor the Democrats, at least according to the numbers.
