GOP BAD WITH NUMBERS

Specifically, the number of American casulaties in Iraq, (from Crooks & Liars):

Asked by a moderator how many US soldiers had died in Iraq this month, Republican incumbent Geoff Davis answered "17". The actual number is 71.

Of course, this is nothing new for them:

Wolfowitz is Numerically Challeged
by Les Payne
Published on Sunday, May 2, 2004 by the Long Island, NY Newsday

The chief architect of the U.S. war in Iraq did not know - and showed no sign that he cared - how many U.S. soldiers have been killed implementing his blueprint since the invasion was launched in March 2003.

"It's approximately 500 of which - I can get the exact numbers - approximately 350 are combat deaths," said Paul Wolfowitz, the deputy secretary of defense. It was no trick question. Wolfowitz the Architect was testifying about the cost of the war Thursday before the House Appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) asked the key cost question.

The Architect's figures, not surprisingly, were low-balled. Before the invasion, Wolfowitz woefully underestimated the war cost in dollars to U.S. taxpayers. The number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, as of Friday, is 738, according to the Pentagon and news reports - not 500. Instead of "approximately 350" killed in combat, 524 had been killed when Wolfowitz appeared before the committee.