Why oh Why Can't we Have a Better Press?

And why am I not surprised to constant press badgerer Brad DeLong hasn't pointed this 'howler' out:

This is why the deficit jumped under the last two tax-cutting presidents (Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush) and fell under the last two tax-raising presidents (George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton).

Is Leonhardt serious? The deficit went up precipitiously during H.W.'s presidency. Draw whatever conclusions about economics you want, but let's not outright lie about the basic facts, okay?