Why Won't Obama Answer The Tough Questions?

“With unemployment at a five-month high and economic growth stalling, President Obama is nowhere to be found. He hasn’t met with his jobs council in six months and has ducked tough questions from the White House press corps. In these times of economic uncertainty, middle-class Americans deserve a president willing to provide honest answers to their questions.” – Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

It’s Been A Long Time Since President Obama’s Answered The Tough Questions:

President Obama Has Not Taken Questions From The White House Press Corps Since A June 19 Press Conference. (Press Conference, Los Cabos, Mexico, 6/19/12)

The White House Says President Obama Has “A Lot On His Plate” – For Instance, Ignoring His Jobs Council And The Press Corps In Favor Of Political Fundraisers And Golf Outings:

President Obama Has Not Met With His Jobs Council In Six Months Because He Has “Got A Lot On His Plate.” REPORTER: “So there’s no reason they [the Jobs Council] haven’t met publicly?” JAY CARNEY: “No, there’s no specific reason except the President’s obviously got a lot on his plate.” (White House Press Conference, Washington, D.C., 7/18/12)

Fundraising: Since June 19, President Obama has attended 34 campaign fundraisers. (National Journal’s “Daybook,” 8/6/12)

• Golf: Since June 19, President Obama has played 4 rounds of golf. (The New York Times, 8/4/12; Mark Knoller Twitter Feed, 7/29/12; CNN, 7/15/12; The Hill, 6/24/12)

It’s No Wonder President Obama Prefers Golf And Fundraisers – He Doesn’t Want To Answer Tough Questions About The Stalling Economy, Wasteful Spending, And Security Leaks:

In July, The Nation’s “Unemployment Rose To 8.3 Percent.” “Unemployment rose to 8.3 percent. Uneven hiring may hold back consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy, as a global slowdown and impending U.S. tax changes weigh on businesses. Job cuts at companies from Morgan Stanley (MS) to Cisco Systems (CSCO) Inc. mean unemployment may remain elevated, one reason the Federal Reserve this week said it is prepared to take new steps if needed to boost growth.” (Shobhana Chandra, “U.S. Payrolls Rise More Than Forecast; Unemployment 8.3%,” Bloomberg, 8/3/12)

“Economic Growth Pulled Back Further During The Second Quarter Of The Year As Consumer Spending Slowed…” “U.S. economic growth pulled back further during the second quarter of the year as consumer spending slowed--a reading that suggests domestic fiscal worries may becoming a more significant drag.” (Eric Morath and Sarah Portlock, “U.S. Growth Slows In 2nd Quarter,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/27/12)

• “The Slowest Growth In A Year Adds To Worries That The Economy Could Be Stalling Three Years After The Recession Ended.” (“Economic Growth Slowed To 1.5 Percent Rate In 2nd Quarter, Slowest In A Year,” The Associated Press, 7/27/12)

President Obama’s Chief Of Staff “May Have Disregarded Warnings” That The Administration’s Efforts “To Prop Up Solyndra Were Unwise And Possibly Illegal.” “White House chief of staff Jack Lew may have disregarded warnings from lower-level budget employees that the administration's efforts to prop up Solyndra were unwise and possibly illegal, The Washington Post is reporting based on an upcoming House Energy and Commerce Committee report. The Post's story says the report ‘suggests’ that Lew — in his previous role as director of the Office of Management and Budget — ‘let the refinancing move forward without intervening, even though some OMB analysts thought a refinancing plan that favored private investors might violate the law.’” (Bob King, “Solyndra Report May Implicate Lew, Washington Post Writes,” Politico, 8/2/12)

A Leading Senate Democrat Accused The Obama White House Of Leaking National Security Information. SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN: “I am aware of that, I think that’s a correct analysis. I think the White House has to understand that some of this is coming from its ranks. I don’t know specifically where, but I think they have to begin to understand that and do something about it. I mean, there’s one book they can read and they’ll see it very clearly.” (World Affairs Council, Washington, DC, 7/23/12)

A Congressional Investigation Found That President Obama’s GSA “Dumped Money” Into As Many As 77 Taxpayer-Funded Conferences. “Remember Jeff Neely, the government official photographed living it up in a hot tub at a Las Vegas conference? … Mica's committee is now looking into wasteful spending at as many as 77 other General Services Administration (GSA) conferences -- all uncovered in documents obtained by Fox News.  The documents, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, show the extent to which GSA dumped money into questionable conferences, sometimes with little or no record of spending.” (Doug McKelway, “Documents Show Dozens Of Questionable GSA Conferences, Millions In Bonuses,” Fox News, 7/31/12)

The Washington Post Reported That President Obama Directed “Millions Of Dollars” In Stimulus Money Into “The Hands Of Foreign Businesses.” “According to some critics, a galling example of the Obama administration fostering overseas work came as part the 2009 stimulus program. They point to millions of dollars meant to develop a domestic clean-energy industry that instead landed in the hands of foreign businesses.” (Tom Hamburger, et al, “Obama’s Record On Outsourcing Draws Criticism From The Left,” The Washington Post, 7/9/12)