OTOH, the left will always win that fight. The best way to deal with the political fallout will be to have honest Congressional hearings, with a chairman who's not afraid to cut off the demagogues in mid-rant.
I think the political calculus in play here is the 2006 mid-term elections. The hearings must be held soon, and if they're honest hearings it will cut the legs off this short-term bitching.
If the left attacks Bush in this they will destroy themselves.