July 15, 2005
Plame Miller Novak Rove Wilson Corn
Yesterday I speculated (and it is just that, speculation) that Valerie Plame Wilson was a source for Judith Miller on WMD. Lot's of people have speculated that Judith Miller was the source and the possible start of "everybody knew" Valerie Plame Wilson worked for the CIA. Today Cliff May speculates that Joe Wilson was the source for Valerie Plame Wilson being covert agent for the CIA in an article for David Corn - which amazingly enough Corn confirms. If you think the Wilson's hypotheticals weren't a confirmation, remember that Joe Wilson wasn't speculating, he knew. Simply working for the CIA isn't classified information. Being a covert agent is. (That's the covert part.)
So now we know who actually outed Valerie Plame Wilson as a covert CIA operative - her husband, Joe Wilson. Not Bob Novak, not Karl Rove, but Joe Wilson. Novak didn't have access to her status as a covert agent, nor did he identify her as such. Karl Rove didn't have access to her status as a covert agent, let alone her name until a reporter told him, nor did he identify her as such. Joe Wilson knew her status as a (prior) covert agent, and he did identify her as such.
