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"What about the American families or individuals who died or were injured, since the company knew about the problem?  Will you assume their medical costs, their funeral costs?" (C-SPAN)

That's just one of many tough questions congressional leaders asked Toyota President Akio Toyoda during a three-hour hearing.  Toyoda held it together during his testimony but got tearful speaking to Toyota employees in Washington afterwards.

"At the hearing, I was not alone.  You and your colleagues across America, around the world, were there with me." (CNN)

We're taking a look at why Congress hurled such heated questions with perspectives from FOX News, NPR, CNN, CBS News, and The Wall Street Journal.

On FOX News, anchor Neil Cavuto and Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar debate whether the questions were too tough.

Rep. Cuellar: "We have to move on and ask the fair questions because look..."

Cavuto: "Are they asking fair questions? Believe me, I'm not apologizing for Toyota. They screwed up royally on this, but it seems like this might be overkill."

Rep. Cuellar: "Again, every member's gotta ask their questions."

On NPR, an AFP reporter says the Japanese think Toyota is facing unfair scrutiny.

"I would say that there is mounting concern that Toyota is being extra criticized because it's not an American, not originally from America...there are some conservative Japanese newspapers that have repeated to remind the Japanese public that there may be a political motive behind this social event in the U.S., which is the mid-term election coming up in autumn."

On CNN, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour takes that one step further, saying Congress bullied Toyoda to support a domestic automaker.

"I think you also know that some of the people there, who are very involved in this, are very big promoters of the Detroit automobile companies, which are great companies that we buy lots of cars from in Mississippi, but the government is the biggest stockholder in General Motors." (CNN)

But a reporter on CBS Evening News says the contentious questions were justified.

"The grandson of Toyota's founder but now running an automaker that's recalled more cars than it's sold in one year, Toyoda got a taste of the anxiety and anger that's grown along with his cars' defects."

Still, a Wall Street Journal "Market Watch" reporter says Congress was more interested in pleasing audiences than getting to the truth.

"Who's behaving worse, is it Toyota or Congress? Because as usual in these situations, there's so much grandstanding. I really get the feeling that they really don't care about the truth or getting to the truth. They care about making the nightly news."

So what do you think?  What's behind Congress' interrogation strategy?

Writer: Courtney Cebula

Producer: Newsy Staff