Here’s the Scoop – “Delayed Jobs Data Shows Shaky Economy”

Podcast: Here’s the Scoop (NBC News)
Host: Yasmin Vossoughian
Air Date: December 16, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Yasmin Vossoughian digs into the newly released (and delayed) U.S. jobs data for October and November, putting a spotlight on unexpected economic turbulence and uncovering the real impact behind the numbers. Senior business correspondent Christine Romans joins to unpack why jobs are vanishing, the story behind government layoffs, and what it all means for American families. The episode also features an exclusive NBC News investigation into convictions for shaken baby syndrome potentially being overturned by new science, plus a roundup of top headlines from the U.S. and around the globe.

Segment 1: The Delayed Jobs Report – Numbers & Realities

With: Christine Romans, Senior Business Correspondent
[01:03–09:24]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Job Losses & Recoveries

  • October: The U.S. reported a loss of 105,000 jobs.
  • November: 64,000 jobs were added, only partially offsetting October’s losses.
  • The unemployment rate stands at 4.6%, the highest in four years.

• What's Causing Job Losses?

  • Massive cuts to federal jobs: 271,000 federal government workers have been let go since the start of 2025.
    • “That is the administration putting those people out of work on purpose… It is the strategy of the White House.”
      (Christine Romans, 02:20)
  • Deferred buyouts masked the immediate impact until now.

• Year-over-Year Trends

  • There are 1.4 million fewer jobs added in 2025 compared to 2024.
  • “2025 is running 1.4 million jobs shy of 2024 levels. So something is happening.”
    (Christine Romans, 02:55)

• Why Is This Happening? Administration Policies & The Economy

  • Rapid job creation in previous years was partly a COVID bounce-back.
  • Policy shifts under the second Trump administration—intentional government cuts, new tariffs, deregulation, and anticipated corporate tax cuts in 2026—have caused turbulence.
    • “We’re just in a huge first year of a new administration… a transition on purpose to reorder the American economy.”
      (Christine Romans, 04:33)

• Is 4.6% Unemployment “Bad”?

  • 4.6% is above the unusually low rates seen for years but not “alarming” on its own.
    • “4.6% is not a worrisome number on its own, but you watch how it's ticking up and wonder what’s happening under the hood.”
      (Christine Romans, 05:07)

• Wage Growth & Private Sector Focus

  • Private sector wage growth is 4.2%, outpacing inflation.
  • The administration focuses messaging on these gains: “That means we’re seeing the fastest private sector wage growth…in many, many years.”
    (Yasmin Vossoughian, 05:45, quoting the Vice President)
  • Discrepancy in perceptions: “There are numbers that tell one story and… sentiment that tells another. And those two things can be true at the same time.”
    (Christine Romans, 06:19)

• The Federal Reserve’s Strategy

  • Fed Chair Jerome Powell cut interest rates by a quarter point to support a softening labor market.
  • “He thinks these numbers have been overstating job creation and we really are having negative job creation.”
    (Christine Romans, 07:19)

• Holiday Spending & Consumer Behavior

  • Holiday season spending could break records in raw dollars—but higher prices mean people are buying less.
  • Lower-income groups cut back on groceries and entertainment, while higher-income spenders remain stable.

• Big Takeaway

  • “This is the softest patch we’ve seen in job creation in five or six years…we’re settling into this period where this is what the first year of the second Trump administration looks like…a remaking of the American economy.”
    (Christine Romans, 09:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the scale of government job losses:
  • “More than a quarter of a million people… every one of those federal government jobs is either a head of household or co-head of a household. So that is something significant to watch.”
    (Christine Romans, 02:25)
• On messaging vs. reality:
  • “You feel better than you think you do because you are seeing wage gains…numbers tell one story, sentiment tells another.”
    (Christine Romans, 06:17)

Segment 2: Exclusive Investigation – Shaken Baby Syndrome Convictions Under New Scrutiny

With: Dan Slepien, Senior Investigative Producer
[11:15–22:23]

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

• Case Study: Russell and Kay Mays

  • 2004 conviction: Russell Mays sentenced to life for the death of his five-week-old son, Alex; Kay received probation.
  • Baby Alex’s birth: Severely premature (born at 24 weeks), significant medical complications from day one.

• Medical & Legal Errors

  • Hospital mistake: Alex was documented as a full-term, healthy baby (he was not).
    • “That was just the beginning of a domino effect…”
      (Dan Slepien, 14:25)
  • Diagnosis based on the ‘shaken baby syndrome triad’: Swollen brain, bleeding around the brain, and bleeding behind the eyes.
  • Assumption at the time (late 1990s–early 2000s): These injuries = abuse; little room for alternative medical explanations.
    • “It meant one thing and only one thing, and that was child abuse.”
      (Dan Slepien, 14:48)

• Changing Science

  • Even Dr. Norman Guthkelch, who coined “shaken baby syndrome,” later recanted as science evolved.
  • Other causes: Strokes, seizures, accidental trauma, or congenital medical issues can mimic abuse symptoms.

• Case Reopened & Exoneration Blocked

  • Nashville’s Conviction Review Unit (in the same DA’s office that prosecuted the Mazes) re-examined the case with new expert input, finding the parents innocent.
  • New medical review: No evidence Alex was abused; natural causes likely.
    • “The baby was not shaken. This was a natural death.”
      (Dan Slepien, summarizing medical examiner, 19:25)
  • Judge Stephen Dozier denied vacating the Mazes’ convictions, even with new scientific testimony.

• Medical Examiner Recants

  • Original medical examiner, Dr. Bruce Levy, recanted his testimony and affirmed it was a misdiagnosis.
    • “I said it was a homicide. I was wrong. I would not testify to that. I believe Alex Mays died of natural causes.”
      (Dan Slepien quoting Dr. Levy, 20:25)

• What’s Next for Russell and Kay Mays

  • Appeals to the Tennessee Supreme Court are underway.
  • Legal obstacles remain, especially for Russell, despite recanted testimony and modern science.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On science and justice:
  • “The point is—it’s not when they get it right, it’s when they get it wrong.”
    (Dan Slepien, 15:44)
• Reflection from Dr. Levy:
  • “I could have played a role in…this horrific mistake.”
    (Dr. Bruce Levy via Dan Slepien, 20:56)
• On the broader problem:
  • “The big story here is really not criminal court. It’s family court, where the burden is lower…to take a child away…than it would be to convict someone beyond a reasonable doubt.”
    (Dan Slepien, 17:39)

Segment 3: Headlines Roundup

[22:26–26:46]

Top Stories

• Murder Charges in Hollywood

  • Nick Reiner, son of director Rob Reiner, charged with the murder of Rob and Michelle Singer Reiner.
  • Details: Two counts of first-degree murder, special circumstances, potentially facing life without parole or death penalty.

• ISIS-Linked Mass Shooting in Australia

  • Hanukkah celebration attack; father and son suspects; possible ISIS ties and recent travel to the Philippines.
  • Jewish groups in Australia and U.S. ramp up security.

• U.S. Military Strikes

  • Ongoing strikes on suspected drug boats in the eastern Pacific; call for release of unedited military video remains controversial.

• Trump Sues BBC

  • President Trump files a $10 billion lawsuit alleging the BBC doctored his January 6 speech in a documentary.

• White House Chief of Staff Pushes Back

  • Susie Wiles disputes a Vanity Fair profile quoting her on presidential “retribution.”
  • White House stands by her loyalty and service.

• Heartwarming Story: Real Wedding After 50 Years

  • Indiana couple Bruce and Becky Mayer legally weds after discovering their initial 1975 marriage was never official.
    • “It was just a really wonderful experience…one of the very best days of my life.”
      (Becky Mayer, 26:46)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Jobs Data & Economy Overview: 01:03–09:24
• Shaken Baby Syndrome Investigation: 11:15–22:23
• Headlines Roundup: 22:26–26:46

Tone & Style

• The conversation is brisk, direct, and at times urgent—balancing deep dives into economic complexity with relatable, everyday implications for listeners.
• Yasmin Vossoughian’s approach is inquisitive and persistent; Christine Romans delivers clear-eyed analysis with measured concern; Dan Slepien’s reportage is compassionate but soberly critical on failures in science and justice.
• Quotable moments are candid, often reflecting humility and concern from veteran journalists.

For Listeners Who Missed It…

This episode delivers sharp analysis of sobering jobs numbers, revealing impacts beneath the headlines and contextualizing a significant economic transition under new federal policies. The exclusive investigation into shaken baby syndrome convictions is eye-opening, illustrating how forensic misjudgments can devastate families even decades later. The swift headline blitz ensures listeners are caught up on major domestic and international happenings before signing off.