The opening line of the Times’s editorial today on the latest Obama bailout plan:

Someone should have told Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that the one thing to avoid at a time of uncertainty is raising more questions.

You think? And Geithner isn’t the one to blame. The One is the one to blame.

They continue (emphasis mine):

Mr. Geithner and the Obama team have not given enough detail on their approach to foster a productive debate. Nor have they explained why it is better than other ideas. For instance, why not focus the bulk of subsidies on homeowners rather than private investors in banks? The money would get funneled through the banks either way, but a larger public purpose may be served by focusing more on homeowners. Why does a public-private partnership to shore up crippled banks serve the public interest better than having the government restructure banks that would fail without government support?
The lead-balloon reception of Mr. Geithner’s plan is unfortunate because the success of the stimulus is intertwined with the success of the bank bailout. The administration has to figure out the details — and get back to the public with answers.

Unfortunate? Is that what the New York Times considers a nearly 400-point drop in the Dow and the corresponding hit to the net worth of many Americans? Bob Corker, from Geithner’s testiony on the Hill yesterday, was slightly stronger than the Times editorial board:

“We’ve been here for three hours and 23 minutes and have no discernible idea as to how we’re gonna solve this problem,” said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn, at this afternoon’s Senate Banking Committee hearing.
“I don’t think . . . I wouldn’t want to encourage you in that view,” replied Geithner.
“Well, we’ve been here for three hours and 23 minutes and I’ve been highly encouraged in that view, so I mean, we basically have some platitudes and again, I’m not being critical,” said Corker.
“No, but you are, senator,” Geithner argued.
“I’m not,” said Corker. “I’m observing, in essence. Last night — I would be critical about this — I would think that the White House and you all communicate and last night the president said you would be very clear and there would be specific plans.”
“And today we lost probably a trillion dollars in the market as people looked for those very clear and specific plans and instead heard guidelines and some platitudes. I mean, I haven’t heard today what your commitment is to solving the problem.”