While Bush has adamantly defended the deal, the White House acknowledged that he did not know about it until recently.
"He became aware of it over the last several days," McClellan said. Asked if Bush did not know about it until it was a done deal, McClellan said, "That's correct."
I'm sure that was true. Normally decisions to approve a private business deal -- even affecting National Security -- are handled by Inter-Agency cabinet level groups, and not taken directly to the President. I suspect he found out personally and then asked everyone to justify themselves. That's why he didn't say anything until yesterday until he had personally vetted it.