Personally, I think he just has some completely politically tone deaf people working for him. Ridiculous how this ports deal has blown up in his face.
I think the ports deal is a non-story, but the White House has been terrible about dealing with it. As a matter of fact, they are lousy in PR period. It doesn't help that the channels of mass media are for the most part allied against him, but even allowing for that the WH PR staff should be ashamed. And Bush should fire the lot of them.