In the press conference our president lamented that he "inherited a mess." Oh, really, poor baby? How would he have liked to inherit bank failures − Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers come to mind − and potential bank failures nationwide?

Or how about the possibility of our entire financial system collapsing? Or inheriting 200,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with no end of conflict in sight? Or the auto industry collapsing, if not for a prop-up by the federal government? Or the housing market collapsing? Or unemployment at 9.7 percent and an opposing party determined to make you a one-term president? 

Sorry the news media is so tough on you.

Joe Josephides

East Lyme