This actually would be the best way for this to play out. Bush should announce that he will veto any CR that extends the drilling ban. Dems don’t want this battle during election season with the real possibility that the republicans could retake the house. Pelosi and Reid are already trying to find cover for those whose seats are in jeapardy. A veto thread would force all those dems to come out and state where the really stand on the ban. Just threatening to do it will keep the ban extension out of the continuing resolution. But the Prez won’t do it unless republican senators and congressmen put up a good fight.
Bush needs to put the country first on this. It is a national security issue. What does he have to lose. He is not going to be running for any public office again.