The Hill News

Contenders in the Republican presidential field criticized President Obama on Friday and called for bold action in response to the news that the unemployment rate dropped to 9 percent in October. 

In October the economy added 80,000, pushing the unemployment rate down to 9 percent. 

In response, Mitt Romney said that the jobs numbers are proof that President Obama doesn't deserve reelection. 

"President Obama’s reckless spending and trillion dollar deficits are hurting this economy and stifling job growth," Romney said in a statement. "Today’s employment report is a reminder that America continues to face a jobs crisis of historic proportions. At this rate, it will take years to get back the jobs that have been lost under President Obama. October marked the thirty-third consecutive month that the unemployment rate has been above 8%. It is time to once again unleash the tremendous economic potential of the American people, but that can’t h! appen until President Obama is defeated."

Jon Huntsman's campaign said that the jobs report meant that President Obama has failed on job creation. 

"Another stagnant jobs report tells us what we already knew, President Obama has failed us on the most important issue of the day: creating jobs," Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller said in a statement. "Jon Huntsman has proposed the most pro-growth plan to turn our economy around and he has the record to back it up, taking Utah to first in the nation in job growth. 'Solutions' shows that the critics agree. 

Miller also criticized Romney and Rick Perry for being "timid" with their proposals to improve the economy.

"While Rick Perry and Mitt Romney are timid, Jon Huntsman is offering the bold solutions Americans need," Miller sad.

Newt Gingrich said that Obama has done nothing to improve the economy and only added "burdensome" regulations. 

"During his time in office, President Obama has done not! hing but add uncertainty to the U.S. economy," Gingrich said i! n a stat ement. "Constantly threatening tax increases, imposing burdensome requirements and regulations and insisting on using class warfare to turn Americans against each other."

While the unemployment rate did drop, the 80,000 jobs fell short of expectations. Economists projected that the economy would add somewhere between 95,000 and 125,000 private sector jobs in October.