As job numbers continue to worsen, Republicans are debuting a new mascot in their campaign against the Democrats' stimulus plan: Ellie Mae, a job-seeking bloodhound. In a web video released this morning by the office of House Minority Leader John Boehner, Ellie Mae goes on "the money trail" in search of jobs: from AIG headquarters, to Wisconsin and North Carolina.

"I'm John Boehner; this is Ellie Mae," the congressman says in the ad. "She hasn't found any stimulus jobs yet, and neither have the American people. It's time to stop run away spending in Washington and help small businesses get the economy running again. Hang in there, honey, we'll find 'em."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced this morning that 467,000 jobs were lost last month -- higher than projected -- and the unemployment rate ticked up some to 9.5 percent.

"This is a lighthearted web video, but the underlying point is no laughing matter," Boehner states in a press release. "At a time when Americans are looking to Washington for leadership, the trillion-dollar 'stimulus' isn't working."