(CNSNews.com) - When asked questions about the president’s upcoming speech on jobs and economic growth yesterday, White House Spokesperson Jay Carney claimed that only the most ‘fervent partisan’ would suggest the 8 million plus jobs lost in this recession were lost because of actions Barack Obama took.

The question was asked by CBS reporter Norah O'Donnell. The exchange appears in the official White House transcript of the press briefing:

Q -- Jay, the question is what is different in this new speech? What is going to be different?

MR. CARNEY: Well, you will see what the President proposes to enhance growth, enhance hiring, and you will judge then what's different about the new ideas that are contained within it as well as ideas that you've heard about. But I can't let the premise go uncommented on when you talk about the amount of job loss in the time since the President took -- was sworn into office. I don't think anybody except the most fervent partisan would suggest that the 8 million jobs lost because of this recession were lost because of actions that this President took. Those jobs were lost within the four months -- in the months prior to his swearing-in, his inauguration, and in the months thereafter.

Since this President’s economic policies had a chance to take effect there have been more than 2 million private sector jobs created. The economy has grown, albeit not at a pace that satisfies him or any of us here in the administration. And that’s just a matter of absolute record and fact -- indisputable...