Good news for Ted Strickland?!?!?!

Not so much.

Today, the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services released data on unemployment in Ohio.

The headline in the papers over the weekend will read, "Unemployment down to 10.8%."

Unfortunately for Ohio, this number comes with a HUUUUUGGGEEE caveat.

"A decrease in Ohio's labor force was a primary factor in drop of the August unemployment rate," ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin said. "The unemployment rate declined as the number of service-providing and goods-producing jobs decreased and fewer Ohioans were actively seeking work."

Uh-oh.

So there are less jobs available, and more Ohioans that have given up looking for jobs in the state.

Ugh. Great job, Gov.

Now, from a political perspective, Dems will still say the decrease in the rate is good news for Ted Strickland. Well, if all you consider is the weekend news cycle, I'd agree.

But take off the Strickland-colored sunglasses(DJ Note: I do NOT want to imagine what those must look like) and consider some of the fun stats using the 10.8% unemployment rate that could be used in commercials hammering the Governor.

• Ohio's unemployment rate is a full 11% higher than the national rate.
• Unemployment under Strickland has more than doubled.
• 321,000 more Ohioans are without work since Strickland took office.
• 641,000 Ohioans are out of work.
• Under Strickland's watch, more than 1 in 10 Ohioans are out of work.

All are effective ways of describing Ohio's job crisis under the Governor's watch.

And that's bad news for Ted Strickland.