Ezra Klein: Doing the math on Obama's deficits
The campaign trail can be a lonely place, so Mitt Romney frequently invites friends to accompany him. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is an occasional companion. So is Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. But more often, Romney brings a large clock.
Romneys people made it themselves. It has two giant flat-screen televisions pushed side by side. Its surrounded by a green foam sign. And its hooked to two computers feeding it a live count of Americas rising debt burden, which stands well above $15 trillion. The clock represents President Obamas economic failures. Its there so Romney can point to it and tell the crowd that if hes elected, hell do a better job slowing down that clock. But if youre a deficit-obsessed voter, the clock doesnt answer the key question: How much has Obama added to the debt, anyway?
There are two answers: more than $4 trillion, or about $983 billion. The first answer is simple and wrong. The second answer is more complicated but a lot closer to being right.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/ezra-klein-doing-the-math-on-obamas-deficits/2012/01/31/gIQAnRs7fQ_story.html