Novak was about to be confronted with "Who's Who"-- Sun-Times reports

[wndycty]

From today's Chicago Sun-Times:

-snip-
A federal investigation led by Chicago's U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald ensued. Novak has repeatedly refused to comment on his role, or say whether he testified before the grand jury. Two other reporters involved fought not to reveal their sources, and Judith Miller of the New York Times is now in jail for refusing to talk.

In June, Henry, who is filling in temporarily as host of "Inside Politics," asked Novak about the case. On Thursday, Novak was told Henry would ask about it again at the end of Thursday's segment, a CNN source said.

In a column that ran in the Sun-Times on Monday, Novak suggested he learned Plame's identity partly from reading Who's Who in America. A CNN source said a producer had placed a copy of Who's Who on the set Thursday prior to the taping, apparently so it could be consulted while Novak was asked about the issue.
-snip-

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-novak05.html

[xultar]

1. Ha ha the scare litte prick ran like a mutherfucker from his like

:rofl:

[Grateful for Hope]

2. So perhaps his walk out was staged after all

Novak didn't want his latest statements debunked?

[wndycty]

4. Has anyone reviewed the Who's Who in question. . .

. . .to check the validity of his argument?

[AngryAmish]

22. According to Josh Marshall

it is in there./

[yodermon]

29. Unless the Who's Who

states that "Valerie Plame Wilson works for the CIA", this entire Who's Who line of reasoning is a complete and utter red herring and distraction.

That one Valerie Elise (Plame) Wilson was married to Joseph Wilson has always been a matter of public record, and the fact that it's in the "Who's Who" matters precisely fuck-all.

[Tesla]

5. Chickenshit is what he is!!

They wanted him to take the headlines for a day....It was a "Black operation"

[electron_blue]

3. anyone got a copy of the Who's Who?

Don't tell me Carville didn't already look it up before Novak got to the set. Anyone know what it says about her?

[ohio_liberal]

10. I think it'll be hard to find

It's a $700 book set. I doubt that many people have it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. These are all free

http://www.marquiswhoswho.com/

http://www.worldwhoswho.com/LOGIN?sessionid=4320095e2220150507ce8dbb8e8f36c7&authstatuscode=400

http://www.refdesk.com/factbiog.html

http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/

http://www.whoswho-online.com/search.html

[annabanana]

6. I don't think so...

Who's Who? c'mon, get real. There are plenty of other, more plausible reasons discussed here yesterday (and featured on the front page, I might add)

[wndycty]

7. Huh? So you don't think they placed a copy of Who's Who on the set?

How would you know? There could have been a number of reasons that he walked off the set, however that does not preclude the possibility that they placed a copy of Who's Who on the set.

[ohio_liberal]

11. It sure looks the same

Crooks & Liars has a video frame captured on their blog and it looks like the same book.

[H2O Man]

13. It would seem possible,

perhaps even very likely, that someone would have brought the book onto the set to use in questioning Novak. Robert had, of course, made a rather curious claim about it being a source of his information on Plame. Does that mean that the entire incident was a result of Novak's seeing the book? Of course not. But it certainly would seem that the book being there would cause Novak discomfort.

[wndycty]

14. I just saw the clip again. . .

. . .it was right there in plain sight.

[ohio_liberal]

15. Yep

I think Novak saw it there and decided to go out with a bang, rather than answer any real questions.

[izzie]

8. What is it with Novak? I thought he was a has-been 25 years ago.

:shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. So Who's Who

contains the names of CIA agents?

Yeah, sure Bob :eyes:

[Botany]

16. Yep!

The book is there ...... he ran.

[blogslut]

17. Whose Who's Who

A little analysis brought to you by me.

Diagram screen capture of Novak on his last CNN appearance:



A graphic of the Who's Who stolen straight from the Marquis site:

[Junkdrawer]

18. "So, Mr. Novak, show me where you find Plame's name in this book"...

The unasked question.

Thanks for the info...

[warrens]

19. Here's what Novakula said

How big a secret was it? It was well known around Washington that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA. Republican activist Clifford May wrote Monday, in National Review Online, that he had been told of her identity by a non-government source before my column appeared and that it was common knowledge. Her name, Valerie Plame, was no secret either, appearing in Wilson's "Who's Who in America" entry.

A big question is her duties at Langley. I regret that I referred to her in my column as an "operative," a word I have lavished on hack politicians for more than 40 years. While the CIA refuses to publicly define her status, the official contact says she is "covered" -- working under the guise of another agency. However, an unofficial source at the Agency says she has been an analyst, not in covert operations.

Does anyone have a copy of Who's Who???????

[Junkdrawer]

20. here's the link to Novak's column:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak01.html

BTW: A friend has the book, but he won't be back until Aug. 15th. I'm guessing it's in public libraries...

[Straight Shooter]

27. Two points about Novak using the word "operative"

1. Valerie Plame is not a politician. So, who else has Novak used the word "operative" regarding? If he's only applied it to politicians and then veers off course to apply it to Plame, then his defense doesn't hold up.

2. Novak has already stated before, back in 2003, that he didn't intend the word "operative" in the sense of being a covert agent. He said he misspoke. Now he's changing his story.

edit: I'm willing to bet that someone else found her name in Who's Who and invented that excuse for Novak. It's been two years and we're just now hearing about this? :eyes:

[Junkdrawer]

28. See post #25 below... n/t

[Vinnie From Indy]

31. He Rarely Used The Word "Operative" in His Past Writings

I cannot remember which blogger researched this point, but Novak used the word "operative" very rarely in his 40 yr career. In addition, when he did use the word "operative", it was used correctly. His excuse that he has previously used the word operative in any generic sense is an easily provable falsehood.

[Junkdrawer]

21. DUer "swag" links to the skinny on this via this post...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4267335&mesg_id=4267399

In short, yes, under Wilson, Who's Who lists his wife's maiden name. But, as Josh Marshall points out, why would Novak go to the trouble of looking up and then identifying her by her maiden name unless he knew that would cause her maximal damage?

:shrug:

[AngryAmish]

23. Spouses in who's who are listed by maiden names

according to Josh Marshall

[Junkdrawer]

25. but the big question is why not say Mrs. Wilson, or Valerie Wilson?

Instead, he used her maiden name, with no reference that he was using a maiden name, and supposedly with no knowledge that that was her professional name.

[AngryAmish]

26. true, true

[opihimoimoi]

24. Novak is MISSING A FEW THINGS LIKE: Courage, Credibility,

Class, Integrity, Truth, Reason, Sanity, Style, Common Sense, etc etc

His Brain is FLAWED

[Supersedeas]

32. pretty much describes the typical Republican hack

[dave29]

30. If you were "outing" a CIA agent

even if you thought it wasn't going to harm national security - despite what everyone was telling you... would you just use one source to confirm her maiden name - and would you make that source "Who's who"?

Seems like a bit of a stretch, Bob.

[DURHAM D]

33. The first thing that got my attention during the show was that he said

"we" elected a senator from Oklahoma . . . When Carville or Begalla use the word "we" referring to the Dems that is not a problem because everyone knows their bio is partisan and they make no bones about it. Nofacts has always positioned himself as a journalist, an observer, not a political operative. His use of the word "we", meaning repugs, should be called out as well. I think this slip by Nofacts yesterday is further indication of his stress level.