Well, yes, of course. But claiming that GW is anything like a "shrewd politician" holds very little water with me. From what I've seen and heard from him, he's not exactly Albert's successor.
No, I don't think it is Bush, it's the administration and all the people under him, telling him what to do, advising, and basically keeping his ass, somehow, from touching the frying pan. He hovers above it, surely, and has gotten quite close, but no skin to burning hot oil contact yet. Thanks, in no small part, to his supporting cast.