The Department of Labor issued a weekly report Thursday morning that showed a significant decline in new claims for state unemployment benefits.  Wall Street had expected a meager decline of 1,000 claims, but instead the figures fell by 12,000, the largest drop in over a month. Added to the latest figures for new job creation, showing the addition of 201,000 private-sector jobs in August, the economy is delivering a substantial gift to President Obama and the Democratic National Convention.