Informed Speculation

If Bob Woodward is the Grinch That Stole Fitzmas (and he is), Viveca Novak is surely his right-hand (wo)man. Novak, who becomes yet another journalist casualty of the Fitzgerald investigation (she’s been placed on leave of absence by TIME), provides the airtight alibi that exonerates Karl Rove, now that it is plain that Fitzgerald’s investigation is one of perjury and not ‘outing’ a CIA asset:

Toward the end of one of our meetings, I remember Luskin looking at me and saying something to the effect of “Karl doesn’t have a Cooper problem. He was not a source for Matt.” I responded instinctively, thinking he was trying to spin me, and said something like, “Are you sure about that? That’s not what I hear around TIME.” He looked surprised and very serious. “There’s nothing in the phone logs,” he said. In the course of the investigation, the logs of all Rove’s calls around the July 2003 time period–when two stories, including Matt’s, were published mentioning that Plame was Wilson’s wife–had been combed, and Luskin was telling me there were no references to Matt. (Cooper called via the White House switchboard, which may be why there is no record.)

I was taken aback that he seemed so surprised. I had been pushing back against what I thought was his attempt to lead me astray. I hadn’t believed that I was disclosing anything he didn’t already know. Maybe this was a feint. Maybe his client was lying to him. But at any rate, I immediately felt uncomfortable. I hadn’t intended to tip Luskin off to anything. I was supposed to be the information gatherer. It’s true that reporters and sources often trade information, but that’s not what this was about. If I could have a do-over, I would have kept my mouth shut; since I didn’t, I wish I had told my bureau chief about the exchange. Luskin walked me to my car and said something like, “Thank you. This is important.” Fitzgerald wanted to know when this conversation occurred. At that point I had found calendar entries showing that Luskin and I had met in January and in May. Since I couldn’t remember exactly how the conversation had developed, I wasn’t sure. I guessed it was more likely May.

As always, much, much more from the MinuteMan, who reports that the lefties are still holding on to hope (example: Jeralyn Merritt of TalkLeft: “I’ll stand on my prior predictions. The best Karl Rove can hope for is a false statement charge. He’s not getting a pass, and Viveca only helps him avoid a perjury and possibly an obstruction charge”), but it’s a fading one, I suspect…

Hilariously, here’s the NY Times headline: Lawyer Knew That Rove Was A Source. Oh, yeah, that’s the most important thing about this revelation, not that it exonerates Rove!…