The Most Frugal President Since Bill Clinton.

Quote:  "We have reduced the growth of non-security discretionary spending every year since 2001." White House press office.

Figure of Speech:  leptologia (lep to LO gia), quibbling.

Bush says "we're well on the way" to cutting the deficit in half by 2009.  So why does the Congressional Budget Office predict that the deficit will increase by at least $1.36 trillion over the next decade?

Because the budget doesn’t count little extra things like war and tax cuts.  They're not included in "non-security discretional spending."

The White House is doing a masterful job of quibbling -- leptologia ("subtle argument") in Greek.  It's the art of misleading through the use of careful language.  Bush has carefully acquired a reputation as a plain-speaking guy -- a reputation that language snobs foster when they make fun of Bushisms.  But don't be fooled by the clumsy speech.  You're dealing with a master rhetorician.

Being a fan of artful obfuscation, Figaro loves this president.

Snappy Answer:  "And you've cut the amount of honest reporting from Washington by more than 50 percent."