Tomorrow, Obama will hold his first full-fledged news conference in nearly a year!! Why would the President of the United States decline for an entire year to hold a full fledged news conference?

I am baffled as to why the President refuses to hold a news conference to inform the media and citizens of his aims and progress and to answer questions and refute criticism on his actions. Many believe that the only reason he is holding one now is because he is taking so much heat and declining ratings for his handling of the BP oil spill. I can only think that if George Bush had done this there would have been marching in the streets. What gives?