According to Woodward-Armitage transcript:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/02/whos_the_real_c.htmlArmitage said "Everybody knows it."The defense presented this as proof, presumeably to show that Libby was not the source of the leak. Libby is on trial for PERJURY not leaking - so what this has to do with the perjury charges is unknown, unless it's an attempt to squash any future charges regarding the actual leak.
Nonetheless - Armitage said "EVERYONE KNOWS IT"
Ok fine, so everyone knew it. How did everyone "know it"? Who "knew it" and told who? Who started passing the info around? What is the point of origin? How did Armitage learn of it?
Novak said he learned of it from Armitage.
Walter Pincus said he heard it from Ari Fleischer.
Fleischer said he learned of it from Libby.
Russert said he was told of it by Libby.
Miller said she heard it from Libby.
Andrea Mitchell originally said "was widely known among those of us who cover the intelligence community" and later retracted that statement.