The way I see it, NeoCondi Rice struck out at the plate when she

testified before the 9-11 Commission.

Iraq took an enourmous turn-for-the-worse so Rove decided Bush needed to stage a preess conference and make a hit-it-out-of-the-park
home run to counter his losing campaign. (make no mistake about it, bush's campaign is losing.)
They used the Media Seating Chart so Bush would call upon the Rove puppets and it still back-fired.

At best, Bush hit a single Tuesday night. But, on the Q&A session, I think he got caught trying to steal 2nd and was put out. He falters mightily when he strays (even for 3 or 4 words) from Rove's script and he undid any positive he may have achieved in his speech.

So, with the Administration's two highly public attempts at plugging the leak in the dam, Bush Co. has failed completely.
Do I see this correctly?

I don't see how he can come out on top, It is like a domino display that has been toppled inadvertently, you can't stop it once it starts, it must run it's course.

Bush can't lie his way out of this.

is just another one of the cunning ladies of the evening in the Bush ministration.

For him to have hit a single, they would have had to throw a pitch near the plate.

They let him take over with a 20 minute lead-in.

And then, they caught him, after he thought that the pitcher wasn't watching as he strolled towards second.