I would also include the complete ascendancy of Rove during this time as part of the problem.
As far as Ms Rice, numerous people have told me there was a lot more to that story!
One of the big weakness of the the GWB Presidency was succession. While I would gladly accept Cheney as dictator for life, everyone realized he was simply too old and too ill to run for president. I have heard from several sources that the plan was for Condi to become Sec of State during the second term. After the mid term elections, Dick C would be too “sick” to continue and Ms Rice would become VP. This would set up the nightmare scenario for the democraps in 2008 when they would have to run against a woman, and and African American. Unfortunately the democraps succeeded in roughing up Ms Rice during her confirmation hearings, and she decided she was through with politics.
Even if that scenario had held, I still have some mixed feelings. Ms Rice is dead on conservative on some things (2nd amendment for one) but also has some other screw-ball notions. Of course, we are all going to have to hold our nose and vote for mittens, and she is virtually Rambo by comparison.
One thing is for sure - we ended up with a lame duck president AND a lame duck vice president. Nobody was running for anything, so nobody did anything to defend the administration. And that did make it easier for the democraps and zero to win.
You nailed it with the Rove ascension.
You will like this about Rove (and somewhat about Bush)
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/09/the_architect_has_no_clothes.html