Posted at: 10/05/2012 9:33 PM
Updated at: 10/05/2012 10:13 PM
By: Dietrich Nissen

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Nation Unemployment Dips Below 8 Percent

(ABC 6 News) -- For the first time in nearly four years, the national unemployment rate dropped below 8 percent. Friday's job report comes just a couple days after the first presidential debate and political analysts say it could affect peoples’ decision in November’s election.

However people ABC 6 News spoke with say any good news on the job-front is welcome, but may not be enough. Many credited President Obama but believe job growth is too slow, and say the country needs a leader who can put job creation first.

"I still think it's up way too high," says Becky Schmieding. She says 7.8 percent unemployment is far from where America needs to be.

"To get down to what's basically full unemployment you got to go down to 4 percent…so you're still almost double what you need to be to have everyone employed," says Schmieding. The nation added 114,000 jobs in September. Analysts believe it's because of a significant increase in hiring.

"It definitely seems like a big drop to me," says Zechariah Novinger. He was happy with the news but doesn't believe the president's making a real difference.

"I don't think either of them are going to really do anything substantial for us," says Novinger.

"[Governor Mitt] Romney could say up until today, unemployment has been above 8 percent," says political analyst, Chad Israelson.

"The unemployment rate, as you know, to this year has come down very, very slowly, but it's come down nonetheless. The reason it's come down this year is primarily due to the fact that more and more people have just stopped looking for work," said Romney to a crowd in Virginia.

After critics agreed Romney won Wednesday night's debate, political analysts say the president needs to capitalize on this recent unemployment news.

"For Obama, what he's going to be able to say now is, see my policies have had enough time to take hold," says Israelson.

"More Americans entered the workforce. More people are getting jobs," said President Obama on Friday. "Today's news certainly is not an excuse to try to talk down the economy to score a few political points. It's a reminder that this country has come too far to turn back now."

With millions still unemployed, most voters we spoke with remain far from being sold on either candidate's presidency.