White House says GDP ‘nothing to crow about’

The White House Wednesday emphasized that the economy’s 0.6 percent growth in the first  quarter's Gross Domestic Product represented a gain, even if it also reflects a sluggish economy.

{mosads}“This is nothing to crow about,” said Dana Perino, the White House press secretary, after the Commerce Department released first quarter statistics. “It is very slow growth, but it is growth nonetheless.”

Perino added that the White House “anticipated weak growth in the first [quarter] of 2008, and we are seeing that.”

“Point-six growth is not a robust number by any stretch of the imagination,” she said.

Perino spent much of the morning following up on Tuesday's presidential press conference that dealt with the struggling economy and the president's criticism of Congress for inaction on energy, farm and housing legislation.

“He didn't spend time blaming Congress for his poor approval ratings,” Perino said. “What he did was prod Congress to get something done.”

Also Wednesday, the White House warned Congress not to pass the Warner-Lieberman climate change bill, saying such a proposal would have a “devastating effects” on the economy, costing jobs and adding to already high energy costs.