The value of left-wing media outlets

Ezra writes:

Sam Stein of the Huffington Post was called on to ask a question at last night's press briefing. And then Barack Obama dodged it! Just like he would with a print reporter! [...] Stein's question was relatively confrontational. "Today," he said, "Sen. Patrick Leahy announced that he wants to set up a truth and reconciliation committee to investigate the misdeeds of the Bush administration. He said that, before you turn the page, you have to read the page first. Do you agree with such a proposal? And are you willing to rule out right here and now any prosecution of Bush administration officials?" It was confrontational from the left rather than from the center

and Steve Benen adds:

Last week, during the Senate debate, [Senator Ben] Nelson made four appearances in four days on Fox News and Fox Business. The questions were predictable, and presupposed that Republican talking points were right. Nelson clearly struggled in the Maddow interview, though, in part because he faced substantive questions from a progressive perspective, and in part because he's not used to substantive questions from a progressive perspective.

Exactly.   Pressure from the Left is almost completely absent from the media world and, as a result, from the Beltway conventional wisdom.   It's a small encouragement to see a few voices emerge.  More like this, please.