GRADING BUSH ON THE CURVE

The New York Times quotes Newt Gingrich's words from a story in The New Yorker:

President Bush has presided over a Republican Party in "collapse," and Karl Rove's strategy in the 2004 presidential election was "maniacally dumb" for focusing so heavily on the conservative base....

That harsh assessment of the president and his chief political adviser is being offered ... by former Representative Newt Gingrich....

The White House response? Here it is, in part:

Dana Perino, deputy White House press secretary, disputed Mr. Gingrich's assessment.

"It was President Bush who in 2004 got 25 percent more votes than in 2000," Ms. Perino said....

Really -- 25% more votes? Well, actually, no -- not quite.

Bush's vote total in 2000 was 50,456,062. In 2004 it was 62,039,073. That's not a 25% increase -- it's (reads calculator) a 22.95662% increase.

If it were anything over 24.5%, I'd say fine -- round it up to 25%. But 22.95662%? That rounds to 23% -- not 25%.

Can't this administration be honest about anything?