I'm hoping the Republicans learned from it. The Bush administration was always slow to respond to attacks and too often let them go unanswered. He allowed the media to misinform the people.
Although this has a certain amount of nobility to it, in this day and age...sitting back , concentrating on doing the job you were elected to do, dealing with unspeakable reports of the state of affairs of the world--which we'll never know the full details of--and knowing you did the best you could and in your mind the right thing for that time, just doesn't cut it any more. You need to publicize your good deeds. Sad, so sad...but true.