Rick Santelli: 'Big, Big Miss!' On September Jobs Report
Derogatory Labeling
How They Deceive You
Propaganda
Uses personal insults and one-sided framing to dismiss job report criticism without data or counter-sources.
Main Device
Derogatory Labeling
Applies mocking nicknames like 'Chipmunk face Hassett' and Tea Party ties to discredit voices rather than refute their claims.
Archetype
Establishment economic defender
Protects institutional narratives around Fed policy and official data while attacking populist or Trump-aligned skeptics.
Deploys ad hominem nicknames and selective sourcing to portray Santelli's critique as fringe without engaging BLS data or alternative analysts.
Writer's Worldview
“Establishment economic defender”
3 findings
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Narrative Analysis
The article reports Rick Santelli's critique of the September jobs report with reasonable fidelity to his quoted remarks but weakens the piece by inserting personal attacks and unsubstantiated editorial framing.
Key Findings
- Personal attacks substitute for analysis. The article labels Santelli as "one of the creators of the Tea Party craze" and refers to Kevin Hassett as "Chipmunk face Hassett." These descriptors target individuals rather than engaging the specific data points Santelli raised about the 29,000 jobs figure, the 60,000 two-month downward revision, and the 0.1 percent hourly earnings gain.
- Blending of quote and commentary. After presenting Santelli's numbers, the text states without attribution or evidence: "The Fed actually likes bad job creation so they don't have to raise rates, but the country and Trump's ego hate it." This moves from reported speech to the author's interpretation without separating the two.
- Selective sourcing. The piece relies on Santelli's segment plus the author's assertions. It offers no link to the Bureau of Labor Statistics release, no counter-analysis from other economists, and no raw data tables that would let readers assess the claims independently.
"A bit of a disappointment, expecting $90,000 comes in at $29,000, and we see revisions," Santelli said.
The article correctly captures that sequence of figures.
What the Article Does Well
It accurately transcribes Santelli's month-over-month wage comparison and his note that the 0.1 percent gain matched the lightest reading of the prior year. Readers receive the core data points without distortion.
Source and Outlet Context
Crooks and Liars operates as an explicitly progressive site that aggregates and comments on conservative media figures. Its editorial approach favors direct critique of Republican-aligned commentators, which explains the tone but does not alter the factual accuracy of the quoted material.
Bottom Line
The article succeeds at conveying Santelli's negative assessment of the jobs print yet undercuts its own utility by prioritizing personal framing over additional data or competing expert views. Readers interested in the economic substance would need to consult the primary BLS release or other analysts to form a fuller picture.
Further Reading
Neutral Rewrite
Here's how this article reads with loaded language removed and missing context included.
CNBC Analyst Rick Santelli Reviews September Jobs Report Figures
CNBC analyst Rick Santelli reviewed the September employment report on the network, focusing on job creation totals and wage data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He described the results as falling short of forecasts.
"A bit of a disappointment, expecting $90,000 comes in at $29,000, and we see revisions," Santelli said. "Two-month revision down $60,000, $29,000 will be the lightest since July when it was $21,000."
Santelli also addressed average hourly earnings on a month-over-month basis. "Average hourly earnings, now if we take it on a month-over-month basis, this is a big miss, big, big miss. We're expecting up three-tenths. Our last look was up three-tenths. This comes in up one-tenth, and up one-tenth would actually be the lightest of the year at equal decline of last year. Find a smaller number, you're back in April of last year."
The report showed net job gains of 29,000 for the month after downward revisions to prior months totaling 60,000. Average hourly earnings rose 0.1 percent, below the 0.3 percent increase that had been projected. Santelli noted that the Federal Reserve has at times viewed slower job growth as consistent with its approach to interest rate policy.
Economic adviser Kevin Hassett presented a different assessment of the same data during an appearance on Fox News, emphasizing positive elements in the figures. Santelli stated that sustained underperformance in monthly job totals would not align with a period of strong expansion. He added that isolated stronger reports have at times been highlighted by administration officials as evidence of broader improvement. Santelli further observed that the central bank may favor conditions that reduce pressure for rate increases.
Investigation Log · 20 steps
Starting investigation...
Investigating Crooks and Liars
Searching for "September 2026 jobs report numbers US BLS"
Verify the specific job creation and wage figures mentioned in the article.
Searching for "Rick Santelli comments on September jobs report 2026"
Confirm if Santelli made these statements and context.
Emotional Manipulation
Describes Rick Santelli as "one of the creators of the Tea Party craze" and Kevin Hassett as "Chipmunk face Hassett"
These are snarl words and personal attacks that frame sources as unserious or ridiculous rather than engaging their economic analysis on merits.
Framing
Presents Santelli's factual critique of the jobs report, then immediately editorializes that "the Fed actually likes bad job creation" and attacks Trump/Hassett without evidence or counter-data.
Blends reported quote with unsubstantiated opinion, creating impression that Santelli's numbers support anti-Trump narrative.
Source Credibility
Cites only Santelli's negative take and then dismisses positive spins without quoting or linking to BLS data or other analysts.
Creates one-sided impression by selective sourcing.
Writing analysis narrative
Writing verdict summary
Writing neutral rewrite
Investigation complete. Preparing report...
Analysis narrative ready
Neutral rewrite ready
**Investigation complete.** The article from Crooks and Liars exhibits moderate partisan framing through derogatory labeling and selective presentation of Santelli's comments. Key findings: personal attacks ("Tea Party craze," "Chipmunk face Hassett") discredit sources rather than address data; editorial insertions blend opinion with reported quotes; and the piece relies on one analyst without BLS verification or counter-views. Propaganda grade: **D**. Main device: Derogatory Labeling. Archetype: Establishment economic defender.
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