A detailed article about Gary Condit's libel suit against author Dominick Dunne, A Horse-Whisperer's Tale Trails Dominick Dunne, appears in today's New York Times' book section. The article sets out the details of Dunne's tall tale. The lawsuit is over Dunne's retelling of it on radio and television talk shows.

Here's part of what Dunne said on the radio:

"Now some of this I can't explain, and I don't want to get into any trouble saying. But according to what the procurer told the horse whisperer who told me, is that Gary Condit was often a guest at some of the Middle Eastern embassies in Washington — where all these ladies were.

"And that he had let it be known that he was in a relationship with a woman that was over. But she was a clinger. He couldn't get rid of her. And he had made promises to her that he couldn't keep. And apparently she knew things about him and had threatened to go public. And at one point he said, `This woman is driving me crazy,' or words to that effect.

"And I wrote all this down at the time, and what the horse whisperer said that the procurer said is, by saying that, he created the environment that led to her disappearance. And she shortly thereafter vanished." Reminding his audience that "I can't vouch for any of this," Mr. Dunne added that he was told that a semi-conscious Ms. Levy had been hustled aboard a private plane. The procurer, Mr. Dunne said, speculated that "she was dropped at sea."

Dunne repeated his remarks in a shorter fashion on Larry King Live. The issue in the lawsuit, according to the Times, is "...whether and when journalists can traffic publicly in rank rumor."

When the Times reporter telephoned Dunne for his comments on the lawsuit, "Mr. Dunne said, "How did you get my number?" He added: "I just am not going to talk. This is a very bad time in my life." Laura Ingraham, the conservative radio host on whose show Dunne told the story, did not return repeated calls to her.

Lin Wood, the excellent Atlanta libel attorney who has obtained libel settlements for John and Patsy Ramsey and Richard Jewell, is representing Condit. Wood argues that "Mr. Dunne knew the story was "nothing more than unverified and unsubstantiated rumor and gossip."

Wood, who said this was the first defamation suit filed by the former Congressman but may not be the last, expects the case to be "a close call." He added: "Does our legal system sanction a society that basically approves of rumor-mongering on national television and national radio stations? Can you simply go on the air and make any accusation you choose?" Journalists do not operate by written rules, but disseminating rumors is not a generally accepted practice in mainstream media.

The suit is considered a long-shot, but not out of the ballpark. Dunne is the sole defendant, so there may not be any deep pockets to fund a large settlement.