The White House and Obama were quick to defend the numbers, saying -- as they have since taking office in 2008 -- the problems were inherited. The president attributes the sluggish growth over the past few months in part to gas prices and the European debt crisis. He also cast some blame on Congress for failing to pass his jobs proposal that includes income tax increases. His comments followed those of Alan Kruger, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, who gave a similar account. "Another month of disappointing job gains," said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio." It's pretty clear that the American people are hurting, small businesses continue to avert hiring any additional people, and it's clear that the policies that we've seen are not working. "It's more so now," he said. And both sides know it. "He's got five more" monthly unemployment reports, he said. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi joined Democrats in pointing out highlighting in the slow recovery, including 27 months of adding jobs. But she acknowledged more needs to be done and used the report, like Obama, to urge Congress to act, particularly on a transportation bill in conference committee. "With today's jobs report it is clear we have work to do," she said. It's clear one way we can help is to pass the (bipartisan) transportation bill. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer also targeted the GOP. "While the president and Democrats in Congress have been promoting a jobs-first agenda to provide certainty to American businesses and workers, Republicans continue to avoid addressing serious job creation in favor of ideological bills," said Hoyer, D-Md. The unemployment rate for April fell to 8.1 percent, from 8.2 percent. But it was not good news because the percentage change was really an indication that many Americans had stopped looking for work and were no longer being counted in the unemployment rolls. In addition, the 115,000 payroll jobs added was small compared to numbers earlier in the year. "I don't see how you get re-elected with numbers like those," Sabato said.