When Bush first took office way back in 2001, the Dow Jones was at 10,587.59 (Clinton, by the by, took office with the Dow at 3,241.95). Today at noon, during the final moment of Dubya's presidency, the Dow was at 8,128.14, marking the first time since Carter that a president left office with the Dow lower than when he entered.
Of course, it's debatable how much the president is responsible for the stock market, but so far, Obama isn't doing so good. Since he took the oath, the Dow has plunged another 82 points, and as of this posting has fallen a total of 216 points today.
Some money men are blaming Obama for not laying out any new ideas in his adrdess. Like what exactly? No one really knows.
"Hey,
America. Fire up your back-yard steel ovens and get ready for our
unrealistic crop quotas that every commune-like district will have to
meet!"
It was probably asking too much for a huge surge today,
but it would be nice to have some sort of faint specter of economic
recovery.
