Mark Knoller: Keeping The White House Honest

CBS radio correspondent Mark Knoller, a favorite around these parts (and an Office Hours guest) is getting his stipple picture due in the Wall St. Journal today.

Knoller, who in the last year has found a rather perfect niche on Twitter for his presidential facts and trivia (not to mention straight up reporting) has apparently been a well-known figure in the White House for many years for just these reasons. So much so that when there is a dispute between the White House and Knoller’s numbers the White House generally defers to Knoller. But here is my favorite part:

Mr. Knoller helped earn President George W. Bush his reputation for frequent trips outside Washington, counting that over two terms Mr. Bush made 77 trips to his ranch in Texas, spanning all or part of 490 days; spent 43 full or partial days at the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, and 487 full or partial days at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Md.

Mr. Bush, gripping Mr. Knoller for the obligatory photo at a holiday party one year, told the first lady, “Hey, Laura, this is the guy who counts it as a vacation day when we get to Texas on a Friday night.”

“No, Mr. President,” Mr. Knoller says he responded, “I would have noted that as a partial day.” A former Bush administration official confirms: “If Knoller said it, it’s true.”

These things add up, so to speak. If you’re not already doing so, follow Knoller on Twitter here.

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