Barack Boost: U.S. economy surprises with Sept. growth numbers

In what may be a boost for the reelection hopes of U.S. president Barack Obama, the American economy continues to grow. September figures released Friday show 114,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate fell below 8 percent, to 7.8 percent.

The U.S. Labor department also noted more jobs were created in both July and August than had first been estimated in their reports for those months. Under Obama, who inherited a economy that had lost some 2 million jobs in the three months prior to his taking office in January of 2009, the country has gained private sector jobs every month for the past 31 months. As the November 6 election looms, these numbers may prove a tonic for the American president, especially considering the number one criticism being leveled at him is his failure to get the unemployment figures below that 8 percent mark. Obama continues to lead in most polls but his numbers have taken a dive since Republican Mitt Romney's showing in the first presidential debate last Wednesday.