Sunday shows: It’s the economy

Two days after the Labor Department released employment numbers that Democrats applauded, jobs and the economy will take a front seat on this Sunday’s talk show circuit.

Political observers are keeping an even closer eye on the economy with fall’s midterm elections fast approaching.

{mosads}Democrats are seeking to benefit from the announcement that the economy created 162,000 jobs in March, the largest one-month jump in three years.

The party faces a difficult election season in the fall, as President Barack Obama admitted at a Thursday fundraiser in Boston, but it hopes to stem its losses by pivoting to a jobs agenda in Congress after it passed healthcare reform legislation last month.

But Republicans counter that the jobs report contained a litany of bad news and shows that economic measures Obama has signed, namely the stimulus bill, have not lived up to billing. Republicans cite the 9.7 percent unemployment rate and growing long-term unemployment as evidence that Democratic policies aren’t creating enough jobs to get the economy going again.

Three members of President Barack Obama’s team will appear on the Sunday show circuit to give their take on the latest numbers and the administration’s agenda moving forward.

National Economic Council Director Larry Summers will do double duty, appearing on ABC’s “This Week” and CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Council of Economic Advisers Chairwoman Christina Romer will also appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“This Week” will also host former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. The longtime Fed chairman once favored aggressive free-market policies, but changed some of his views after the financial collapse of 2008 that many accused him of helping engender.

Another politician who changed his views, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), will appear on “Fox News Sunday.” Specter changed party affiliations from Republican to Democrat last year, saying that he felt uncomfortable as a centrist in the party and because he thought it would be impossible to win reelection as a Republican in 2010.

But with political observers predicting Democrats to lose seats in Congress, Specter’s reelection could serve as a high-profile test case. He will face former Rep. Pat Toomey (R) in the fall, whom he defeated in a 2004 primary contest.

Two members of the congressional Republican leadership will also appear on the shows. “Fox News Sunday” will host Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and House Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

Expect Kyl to be asked about a package of stalled unemployment benefits that the Senate failed to pass before it broke for Easter. Democrats have blamed Republicans for stalling the bill, saying that by objecting to its passage, they are depriving benefits to people in need.

But Republicans contest that Democrats should find dedicated funding for the short-term extensions in the face of the high budget deficits.

McCarthy criticized the Democrats’ legislative agenda in the GOP’s weekly address and will likely advance many of those claims on Fox.

But the economy won’t be the only thing public officials discuss this Sunday.

Two weighty matters in the arena of foreign affairs, the Afghanistan war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, tugged at the Obama administration last month.

Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan last weekend, visiting with President Hamid Karzai, U.S. and Afghan officials as well as members of the military. The U.S. government has called on the Afghans to hasten the pace of progress there in terms of beating back al-Qaeda and the Taliban and cleaning up corruption.

But this week, Karzai criticized the international community for being too heavy-handed with the war-torn nation.

To discuss the topic, Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and House Homeland Security Committee member Jane Harman (D-Calif.) will appear on “Meet the Press.”

Joining them will be Bush administration Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren will also appear on “State of the Union.”