I don't think Marse Robert really grasped the " Ground Truth" of the war even in his own TAOR. He was all about Virginia, from start to finish the " Big Picture " did not matter to him, only Virginia.
What would you rather have him do? Do you think he should have brought his army West to relive Vicksburg, leaving the Army of the Potomac in his rear to capture Richmond and as much of the East Coast as they want until they came up on Bragg's rear, then combined against him with Rosecrans? Then Meade and Rosecrans uniting against Lee at Vicksburg?
First of all, really, Lee was an army commander. For at least most of the war, after he was Davis' military secretary and advisor. What in his role as army commander would have justified him in involving himself in the West? First, he would need intelligence reports from that theater, which would have to be directed out of channels from Richmond. Next, he would have to be devising strategy for the west, while he has the Army of the Potomac in his front maneuvering on Richmond.
What exactly does it look like with Lee not being "all about Virginia?"
Not to mention he did decide, in effect, to put Johnston in command in the West in 1864, which is certainly "outside of Virginia." And he did write a letter to Davis in late 1863 giving some advice on the Western Theatrer.
Simply put, Lee did not have the authority or jurisdiction to lead operations or strategy outside of Virginia. And the fact that he appointed Johnston, essentially, is contribution enough.
Davis likewise did not make any provisions, as far as I know, for handing Lee a share in the West before taking his recommendation on Johnston. So what exactly was Lee to do?
I find it remarkable that I've never seen Meade criticized for only thinking of Virginia, or Pennsylvania, or Grant only focusing on Vicksburg, Forts Henry and Donelson, or Chattanooga. Grant was fortunate in this regard, because his superiors kept moving him around. Whereas Lee was "pinned," as it were, to his home state.