With all due respect, this was not merely a concession by the President. President Bush was criticized heavily for not supporting such a panel, and he knew that the public would see his opposition to the panel as an indication that he was either refusing to admit that there were intelligence failures going into Iraq (although it is quite evident that there were) or that he was simply trying to hide something from the public. It was a concession, but it was merely done for political purposes. Could you imagine the outcry of the Democrats if Bush opposed this panel. Why else do you think he gave in just a week later, right in the middle of the primary season? It was because he was under such sharp criticism from the Dems.

Your absolutely right that the President did not support this panel. This panel is more about politics than about the security of this nation. This was a concession by the president rather than a flip-flo. He certainly did not do this to gain votes in the general election.