NOVAKULA: Why did he have to name her? What was the point?

[ShaneGR]

Why did he have to use her name? He's writing a column about Wilson, not his wife. He's trying to say that his wife was somehow involved in having Wilson sent to Nigeria. So why not just say, "Wilson's wife"

Why does he have to use her name?

And there's this off the msnbc website:

"Novak said that when he called the CIA to confirm the information, a CIA official asked him not to use the name. That official, however, did not say there would be any danger to Plame or her sources if her name were disclosed, Novak said."

So let me get this straight, the CIA asked you not to print her name? What was your fascination with printing it then? Don't you think, as a journalist, that when the agency responsible for our intelligience tells you not to do something, you shouldn't??? All you had to do was the copy. You could still say Wilson's wife, even though that's still heavyhanded.

BUT WHY ACTUALLY USE HER NAME? IT'S UNNEEDED.



BTW, he better call a REALLY good lawyer. Because he lied on CNN about Wilson's wife being an 'analyst.' He CALLED HER AN OPERATIVE IN HIS OWN COLUMN!

[boxster]

1. And, you'll notice...

he said it 3 or 4 more times just now on Crossfire.

Edit: I just realized, however, that he kept calling her "Mrs. Wilson". Were my ears deceiving me?

Maybe he's pissed off that she had the nerve to keep her maiden name. :D

[tjdee]

2. The CIA asked him NOT to reveal the name.

But he got the bright idea to use it anyway?

IMO, he used it specifically to out her, and fuck with Wilson. There is no other explanation, and his defense that he didn't know it was bad to not reveal her name smells to high heaven of backstepping or protecting his source (Rove?).

Fine, he doesn't want to reveal his sources? He should spend a few nights in the holding cells at the DC jail and see if that changes his tune. He is not the first person to withhold a source, but as has been discussed here, it is illegal to out a CIA agent, isn't it?

[realFedUp]

3. I'm interested in who he talked to at the CIA

Interested in the dialog between that official
and Mr. NoFacts

[dfong63]

4. fingering her as "Wilson's wife" would have been just as damaging imho

[sangha]

5. The point was

to intimidate any other intel people who might be thinking of ratting out the Bushies.

[Jacobin]

6. Bingo. There was no legitmate point to it

It was pure intimidation....NoFacts doing a dirty deed for his minions in the WH

[Unknown Known]

7. I'm sure Rove blackmailed him!

That's how Rove gets things done in Washington. Nofacts is a member of Opus Dei as is Scalia, Freeh and some others. It's a pretty weird group.

I'm sure Rove has pictures of Novak and is blackmailing him to walk the line. J Edgar used to do this all the time.