Picking up on your last point about people not buying this bit of Bush drivel, is that because his failures are so blatant and the consequences so clear that even if he weren't to blame, that it is just unavoidable for even the non clued up to notice?

I have another essay coming up and in my reading, I found the textbook arguing that the media doesn't actually have that much influence on how people vote in elections (hmmmm) but what is does do with some significance is set the agenda.  So it doesn't tell people what they should think about a topic but does tell them what they should be thinking about.  And in this world of designer politics, Governments then go jumping on the polls and focus groups to design their policies for the votes.  

What does the BBC have to gain here by saying "hey, Bush is alright!" and what could that translate into on domestic political issues, especially as we approach elections?