So, what is Bush’s take on the CIA destroying the torture tapes?

BUSH: You know, you’re trying to get me to prejudge the outcome of this inquiry, and let’s wait and see what happens. Let’s wait and see what the facts are.

This should come as no surprise. He’s done it countless times before. Remember how he couldn’t comment on various ongoing investigations, but wanted everyone to just wait and see how the investigations turned out? Like the Valerie Plame investigation, for example? He just delayed and blocked and evaded until few enough people cared strongly enough, then swept it under the rug. Bush’s quote here demonstrates his intent to do exactly the same thing here.

Easy prediction: Congress will ask for documents, the White House will refuse, an investigation will begin, it will be stonewalled by the administration… and after we “wait,” as Bush urges, we will “see” nothing–but most of the public will have forgotten about this scandal, or else consider it “resolved” or not relevant because it’s old news. And/or, there will be three new scandals in the headlines in a month, and this one will get lost on the background noise like dozens of other scandals, any one of which would have caused serious damage to any other administration.

For the time being, however, the Bush administration knows a proven strategy when they see one: delay until people forget or just don’t care. And mention national security and 9/11 and terrorism a lot. That always works.