(h/t Atrios)
The job numbers look terrible. The US just hit the highest number of jobless claims in over six years - 455,000 jobless claims. Of course, these are the people who make claims. Many don't bother.

From CNBC:

The Labor Department reported Thursday that new applications filed for unemployment insurance rose by a seasonally adjusted 7,000 to 455,000 for the week ending Aug. 2. The increase left claims at their highest level since late March 2002.

Jobs are being lost in manufacturing (see Slinkerwink's diary on why Obama should hit McCain hard on the Ohio DHL story), and in retail as well:

Newsweek has just put up a Richard Wolffe story on Senator Obama that does a great job outlining Senator Obama's campaign strategy, the theme of which is respect, empower, include:

In the final three days in Iowa, Obama operatives made 150,000 phone calls to potential supporters. The campaign gave canvassers strict printed instructions telling them how to engage with voters as they went door to door drumming up support. "While canvassing for the campaign, you are acting as a representative of Senator Obama," the sheet read. "It's absolutely imperative that at all times we remain respectful, polite and overly nice to the people we encounter." Obama's Iowa staff painted a motto on the wall of the state's campaign headquarters. It sounded like something more suited to the side of a small-town police car: RESPECT, EMPOWER, INCLUDE.

It is a feature, not a bug, that Obama does not appear to loathe the other candidates or other Americans unfortunate enough to be a part of the current-day Republican party. It's a strategy and centering focus. I think this has some important lessons for all of us at the dKos Community:

This could be very big for Democrats -- a special election is being held to replace the position vacated with the untimely death of JoAnn Davis (R, VA-1, a "Republican stronghold"). About five republicans are running for the November 10th run-off. Finally we have a Democrat running, and he looks good--recently he was featured in the local paper as a hero for receiving a bronze star for starting a literacy project for Iraqis. He's an Iraq War vet, an award-winning elementary school teacher, and a proud Democrat!

Here's more from Raising Kaine, and the press release below the fold: