"Was there a covert operation against the president? "
This is the sort of question that if you are asking it you have answered it.
This President may only have himself to blame. Instead of coming in with a new broom he left in place far too many people in fad too many depts. loyal to ideas and ideologies other than his own.
It is not a bad idea for an new exeutive to sweep clean prepatory to leading. After all who CAN he lead if he has enemies to his goals and interests in the ranks?
I don't think you can blame Bush here. Like at State, the CIA anti-Bush bureaucrats are probably civil servants, not political appointees, well entrenched in their jobs. Even if Bush had had time before 9/11 to pinpoint them, he couldn't have done much about them.
Dems have spent the last 5 years convincing themselves that Republicans are so evil, it justifies breaking any rules of civility if one can bring them down. Dems inside State/CIA were likely drinking from the same cup. ANYTHING GOES if it harms Bush and his warmongering agenda...and keeps the focus off why the CIA missed 9/11.
I agree that the Senate should investigate...and hire Joe DiGeneva as counsel to the investigating committee!