Froomkin's Year in Review

A sampling of White House Briefing columns from 2005:

* January 10: A Tougher Press Corps?

Press coverage of President Bush's second term is shaping up to be distinctly more questioning than that of the first, as major media outlets are increasingly giving voice to skepticism about White House policies, methods and even motives.

* January 13: Once Again, No Regrets

On the same day that the White House conceded that its futile search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was, indeed, finally over, President Bush told Barbara Walters that the invasion of Iraq was "absolutely" worth it.

* January 27: Read My Lips: No New Policy

Capping six days of world-wide confusion, speculation and debate, President Bush weighed in yesterday with his own interpretation of his lofty but enigmatic second inaugural address.

In a hastily called news conference in the White House's basement, Bush essentially said nothing is new.

* February 4: Avoiding the Tough Questions

Good policy can withstand tough scrutiny. And a good politician can tolerate tough questioning.

President Bush is barnstorming through five states to try to drum up support for remaking Social Security, but instead of fleshing things out and confronting his critics, he is surrounding himself with hand-picked flatterers and adoring crowds.

It's quite the throwback to the fall campaign -- and of course that's not a coincidence. It worked last time.