The Evil Genius Keeps Them Guessing

Tom Maguire is having way too much fun with the Plame/Wilson/Novak/Rove/Cooper/Miller/Fitzgerald/arewesickofthiscrapyet that's been obsessing the bored press corps in DC this summer. First, he spent time playing with Josh Marshall's questions. Better yet, he broke down this morning's news from the left-wing dishrag that Novak might have been Rove's source...

So how did Libby and Rove learn that Wilson's wife was CIA and involved with his trip?

Both claim to have heard about if from reporters. But is this a carefully-spun leak to the press? Are they telling us that they *only* heard it from reporters, heard it first from reporters, or heard it from both reporters and others, such as other White House insiders? And if there is a more complete version, did they deliver it to the prosecutor?

In addition to the "we heard it from reporters" theory, we have liked the idea that the information in the INR memo ended up circulating a bit.

Or, as another possible source, David Corn (sorry, no link yet) noted that a former CIA officer was on the NSC, and might have known Ms. Plame.

Let's ask a question of journalistic ethics - if a reporter, in chatting with Karl Rove, mentioned the Plame angle, is there any rationale at all for the reporter to claim some sort of source confidentiality protection? I would assume not. I will further assume that, if Karl is telling the truth, then he has named a few reporters. Mr. Fitzgerald should have called them in for a chat. There is no need for a subpoena, since they have no legal basis to refuse, and will prefer to avoid the publicity.

In which case, there are reporters out there who know they have given testimony to Fitzgerald that would help Rove and Lewis, and are keeping quiet - not to protect a source, not to preserve confidentiality, but, I guess, because Fitzgerald asked them too.

This might even have made sense while the investigation was being ignored - Fitzgerald might have explained that he is trying to establish whether there was knowledge of Ms. Plame inside the White House prior to the reporters passing the news, and that he can't conduct a sensible investigation with reporters presenting a seemingly exculpatory but incomplete story to the public.

However, in the current revved-up atmosphere, I promise you - if the media is really just keeping quiet about their role in this, well, I can't imagine how I could respect our media less, but I will think of something.

This of course leaves the question of who was Novak's source... perhaps someone connected to Judith Miller?

The problem with this whole mess is that it's enjoying status as a partisan battle, instead of a serious criminal/ethcial investigation. I think it's reasonably clear that no violation of the law took place, if it is correct, as reported by USA Today, that Plame was no longer a covert operative by 1998. QandO has even more good stuff on the weirdness, while Vodkapundit probably has the position Democrats should take on the issue -- if they weren't so busy salivating over the prospect of getting Rove.

But when you can't win an election, you tend to fall for traps. Instapundit thinks some more evidence is emerging that Evil Genius may be playing the Dems and the press again. If so, it's time to admit he really is the Dark Lord and Master. Hell, he's probably responsible for the fact that the Democratic leaders are currently Reid, Pelosi and Dean, not to mention the Brad Pitt/Jennifer Aniston breakup. If I were the Democrats, I'd give up now.