Bush never had a group out there responding to the nonsense. He basically thought they could not damage him, and maybe he will emerge as a great president with history (although I have my doubts), but his lack of response ruined the party. You cannot have a standard bearer at 30% approval rating. Of course, he could have vetoed a few things and pardoned some border agents that could have improved his image, but no...he signed pretty much everything they put in front of him and left the agents to rot.
As a lifelong Republican I hope I never see another f*ing chickensh*t Bush on the ballot.