Maybe it didn't technically "work" but it certainly helped damage the president severely. Compared to all the press coverage this has gotten for the last three years, the present mea culpa's will last about 2 minutes.
This is just one of many many attacks the left has made upon the Bush presidency that have taken their toll. Unfortunately, it looks like to me it really did "work" in that respect. We'll find out for certain in November.
You're correct in that it did "work" in damaging a sitting President. What didn't work was that it did not lead to Rove being discredited, jailed, or charged with a crime, or Bush being impeached - which was the ultimate goal.
Rush was talking about this and said the reason Hardball's idiot would not apologize .. was because IT DID WORK!