The facing-both-ways headline

God help the copy desk when unemployment increases during the Obama administration:

Unemployment Hits 9.7%, but Job Loss Slows in August
-- New York Times

U.S. Payroll Losses Slow, Unemployment Rises to 9.7%
-- Bloomberg

Job Losses Moderate, but Unemployment Rate Hits 9.7%
-- Wall Street Journal

The disastrous fact is that 9.7% of Americans are unemployed, and that the number increased again last month.

Yet this blunt truth cannot be allowed to stand alone, not with a Democrat in the White House. There must be some good news. And therefore the fact that the rate of increase in unemployment slowed slightly is promoted to equality with the 9.7% unemployment number.

What a disgusting performance.