GraniteGrok

I used to wonder why Bush wouldn't do more press conferences - how about defending yourself and your issues? Be careful for what you wish for - I now wish Obama would turn it down a few notches.  

One thing is sure - the MSM press certainly handles the different Presidential pressers far differently.  The image coming to mind is that the journalists brought very sharp knives to Bush's and certainly scored cuts.  Now, it seems to be clown time and nothing but softballs (with the exception of Jake Tapper who, in comparison with his colleagues, seems like a genius).  Why not?  After all, in the words of Obama:

Most of you supported me.  All of you voted for me

While said as a "joke" at the White House press dinner, I took it more as an inside truth than as a joke.

To help the feckless press out, Keith Hennessey has a few questions (actually, very good ones) that the press ought to consider (a few here, emphasis mine):

Economy

3. Do you maintain your promise not to allow taxes to be raised on people earning less than $250,000 per year?  Will you insist that health care legislation conform with this commitment?

4. Chrysler and GM have exited bankruptcy.  Are U.S. taxpayers done subsidizing these firms?  What is your exit strategy from taxpayers owning much of GM and Chrysler?

5. You proposed spending money from the TARP to prevent foreclosures, help small businesses, and to buy toxic assets from banks.  In June CBO said they had found no evidence that any money has been spent for any of these programs.  How many foreclosures have been prevented, how many small businesses have received loans from, and how many toxic assets have been purchased?

Health care

8. You have said transparency is a top priority.  Yet you are calling on Congress to pass a trillion-plus dollar spending bill before CBO has had time to estimate its full effects.  In addition, your Administration is delaying release of the new economic projections and deficit estimates until after Congress votes on this massive new spending bill.  Will you commit now that you will not ask Members of Congress to vote on this massive new spending commitment until your Administration has met its legal obligation to provide an updated economic forecast and deficit projection, and until CBO has provided Congress with transparent and complete analysis of the bill?

10. In a February 2008 debate with then-Senator Clinton you opposed an individual mandate to buy health insurance.  In that debate you said, “In some cases, there are people who are paying fines and still can’t afford it, so now they’re worse off than they were.  They don’t have health insurance and they’re paying a fine.  In order for you to force people to get health insurance, you’ve got to have a very harsh penalty.”  Now you are supporting a bill that would force people to buy health insurance, and that CBO says would still result in eight million people not having health insurance and paying higher taxes.  How do you explain to those eight million uninsured people why you now support the mandate and “very harsh penalty” they would have to face, and which you opposed during the campaign?

13. Most members of Congress who oppose these health care bills argue they have a better way of reforming health care, such as the Ryan-Coburn bill.  Why is it fair to accuse them of defending the status quo?  Can you name a Member of Congress who has explicitly argued for the status quo, rather than just arguing against your preferred alternative?

Energy & Climate change

15. The Indian government told Secretary Clinton that India will not agree to limit its carbon emissions.  The Chinese have sent the same signal.  Are you willing to sign a new climate agreement that does not contain binding commitments by China or India to reduce or slow the growth of their emissions?

16. Does it make sense for the U.S. to impose higher energy costs on American workers and manufacturers if the two largest developing economies are unwilling to slow their emissions growth?  Won’t that just disadvantage American workers with little reduction in future global temperatures?

Trade

20. At the G20 and G8 Summits you joined other leaders in renouncing protectionism and committed to concluding the Doha Round of global trade talks.  What steps are you taking to roll back protectionist measures the U.S. has taken, such as Buy America, and what concrete steps are you taking to advance the Doha Round?

I hope questions like these (and the others) are asked - the answers would be "interesting".