When President Bush took office in January, 2001 the unemployment rate was 4.2%.
After the jolt of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the highest the unemployment rate rose was 6.3% in June, 2003.
This rate seems remarkably low by todayÂ’s economic standards.
Then the economy calmed down and actually grew, dropping the unemployment rate to the mid 5% range, where it stayed for the next two years.
In fact, the rate was 5.4% in November, 2004 when Bush was reelected.
Really good news came in December, 2005 when the unemployment rate dipped to 4.9% and stayed in the 4% range straight through to November, 2007.
Then in December, 2007 it went to 5.0%, rose slowly and really shot up in August, 2008 to 6.1%. When the economy tanked, the rate blew right through the 6% range ending December, 2008 at 7.3%.
Rising still in January, 2009 when President Obama took office, the rate was 7.8%.