PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA: “If We Don’t Act Swiftly And Boldly, We Could See A Much Deeper Economic Downturn That Could Lead To Double Digit Unemployment And The American Dream Slipping Further And Further Out Of Reach. That’s Why We Need An American Recovery And Reinvestment Plan that not only creates jobs in the short-term but spurs economic growth and competitiveness in the long-term. And this plan must be designed in a new way—we can’t just fall into the old Washington habit of throwing money at the problem.” (Barack Obama, Radio Address, 1/3/09)

•    OBAMA: “[I]f We Don't Act Immediately, Then Millions More Jobs Will Disappear; The National Unemployment Rates Will Approach Double Digits; more people will lose their homes and their health care.  And our nation will sink into a crisis that at some point is going to be that much tougher to reverse.  So we cannot afford to wait.  We can't wait and see and hope for the best.” (President Obama, Town Hall Meeting, Fort Myers, FL, 2/10/09)

•    OBAMA: “If Nothing Is Done … Unemployment Will Approach Double Digits.” “If nothing is done, this recession might linger for years. Our economy will lose 5 million more jobs. Unemployment will approach double digits. Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse. That's why I feel such a sense of urgency about the recovery plan before Congress.” (President Obama, Op-Ed, “The Action Americans Need,” The Washington Post, 2/5/09)

JARED BERNSTEIN & CHRISTINA ROMER: The “Unemployment Rate With … The Recovery Plan,” Would Not Exceed Eight Percent “With Recovery Plan.” (Christina Romer & Jared Bernstein, “The Job Impact Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Plan,” P.4, 1/9/09)

CHRISTINA ROMER: “If We Fail To Act, We Are Likely To Lose Millions More Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Could Reach Double Digits.” (“Obama Says Delay On Stimulus Bill ‘Inexcusable,’” Guardian, 2/6/09)

Q: “Do You Think We’ll See Unemployment Actually Get To 10 Percent?” LARRY SUMMERS: “I Don’t Think So, Bob. … Frankly What’s Important About The President’s Program Here Is That It Is Going To Contain What Would Otherwise Be Just A Vicious Cycle. … We’re Going To Stop That Vicious Cycle.” And we're going on contain this problem Q: “Do you think we'll see unemployment actually get to 10 percent?” LARRY SUMMERS: “I don't think so, Bob. I think while we're going to see substantial job losses, frankly what's important about the president's program here is that it is going to contain what would otherwise be just a vicious cycle. People spend less, therefore, others earn less, therefore, they spend less. We're going to stop that vicious cycle. And we're going on contain this problem. The president is going to do whatever it takes to achieve that objective.” (CBS’ “Face The Nation,” 1/18/09)

AUSTAN GOOLSBEE: “I Still Think It Is Vital That By The End Of The Year That We Try As Hard As We Can, Through Whatever Means That We Have -- And The President Has Tried To Do So -- To Keep The Unemployment Rate From Getting Into The Multiple Double-Digit Range.” GOOLSBEE: “I agree we've gotten some bad news on the labor market front, so that the -- trying to keep the unemployment rate in the 8 percent range -- we're already in the 8 percent range. I still think it is vital that by the end of the year that we try as hard as we can, through whatever means that we have -- and the president has tried to do so -- to keep the unemployment rate from getting into the multiple double-digit range that people were forecasting before that policy. Now, we have just passed...” Q: “So you're talking under 10 percent.” GOOLSBEE: “Ten, 11 percent people were forecasting -- what would happen without any policy intervention.” (Fox News’ “Fox News Sunday,” 3/15/09)

Q: “Will This Stimulus Plan Prevent Unemployment From Reaching 10 Percent, Do You Think?” DAVID AXELROD: “Well, That's Our Hope. …That’s What We’re Trying To Forestall.” Q: “Will this stimulus plan prevent unemployment from reaching 10 percent, do you think?” AXELROD: “Well, that's our hope. That's our hope. There's no doubt that without it that's what--that's where we were looking, double-digit unemployment. And that's what we're trying to forestall. We want to turn this thing around, and we think that this will, will happen. That's why the president had such a sense of urgency of acting now.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 2/15/09)

Q: “With This Stimulus Now Passed, Do You Believe That We Will Not Get To 10 Percent Unemployment?” ROBERT GIBBS: “You Know, The Economic Team Believes That This Bill Will Help Us Stay Away From Those Double-Digit Economic Unemployment Numbers.” Q: “Some have said that unemployment may actually get to 10 percent. With this stimulus now passed, do you believe that we will not get to 10 percent unemployment?” GIBBS: “You know, the economic team believes that this bill will help us stay away from those double-digit economic unemployment numbers. So we're certainly hopeful of that. Again you've seen, in just the last few months, the unemployment rate jump a lot each month. So we're certainly going to watch that as time goes on, to see and chart the progress of this economic recovery plan.” (CBS’ “Face The Nation,” 2/15/09)

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