You must understand .. in President Bush's position, he cannot afford to make such a mistake as dressing down or embarrassing someone in public. It's not only bad taste, it does more damage to Bush than to anyone else.
And .. if you're so sure Bush was lauding Tenant, you should read the transcript of Bush's speech to the Clintons when their official portraits were unveiled. If you really read what Bush said - knowing what we know about Clinton - it was all one great nuance - or diplo speak - exactly what the liberals said Bush was not capable of doing.
While all the liberals thought Bush was praising Clinton - I was laughing and laughing because the supposed great diplomats didn't catch on. It was too funny.
So .. I've said all that to explain that if you go back and read what Bush said to Tenant - I think you might be surprised to find out it was not the applause you thought it was.
I agree with your view that the President must stay above the fray from these attacks.
But, the public needs to see what the MSM is failing to show them, that what we are in the midst today is due in part to the lack of action taken by the Clinton Administration. While I do not think that the President need do it himself, his subordinates should take charge in this instance.
He said those things as he was reinstalling him into that position at a big ceremony-- AFTER 911 had happened. (Forgive me, I can't remember what the specific event was.)
He had the opportunity to get a new CIA director at the time. (Thank God for Goss, BTW) But he kept Tenet in there for four more years.
Please don't try to excuse these mistakes. What about, as an example, Kennedy and his big, stupid education bill a few years back? Naive is the kindest way I can characterize Bush's approach to these kinds of things. Others are not so forgiving, and I don't necesssarily disagree with them.