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Bob Novak: Bush Knows His Source

Columnist Robert Novak gave a speech yesterday in Raleigh, N.C.

"I'm confident the president knows who the source is," Novak told a luncheon audience at the John Locke Foundation in Raleigh on Tuesday. "I'd be amazed if he doesn't."

One other tidbit: Novak says his and Woodward's source probably are the same person:

Woodward, a Washington Post editor, recently disclosed that he, too, had been told by an administration figure about Plame's secret identity -- probably, he said, by the same source who told Novak.

[hat tip Patriot Daily.] Update: Reddhedd weighs in.

Also, Byron York of National Review has an article today outing Scooter Libby as Woodward's source but that makes no sense to me. Woodward's source didn't go to Fitzgerald until after the Libby indictment. Libby wouldn't talk to Fitz to correct his prior testimony after being indicted.

Rove's supporters believe it would be a weak case, a good deal weaker than the perjury and obstruction case Fitzgerald has made against Libby, which itself was somewhat undermined when it turned out that there was at least one significant part of that story — Libby's conversations with the Washington Post's Bob Woodward — that Fitzgerald didn't know about at the time he indicted Libby.

Update: York was probably referring to Bob Woodward's disclosure that he talked to three people, his source, Andrew Card and Libby. As to Libby he said:

I also testified that I had a conversation with a third person on June 23, 2003. The person was I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and we talked on the phone. I told him I was sending to him an 18-page list of questions I wanted to ask Vice President Cheney. On page 5 of that list there was a question about "yellowcake" and the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate regarding Iraq's weapons programs. I testified that I believed I had both the 18-page question list and the question list from the June 20 interview with the phrase "Joe Wilson's wife" on my desk during this discussion. I testified that I have no recollection that Wilson or his wife was discussed, and I have no notes of the conversation.

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  • Re: Bob Novak: Bush Knows His Source (none / 0) (#1)
    by ras on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:07:01 PM EST
    If recent history is any guide, Novak's confidence does not inspire confidence.

    Re: Bob Novak: Bush Knows His Source (none / 0) (#2)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:07:01 PM EST
    I guess ras kinda has a point, but anyone who didn't know this already and/or has had their mind changed by Novakula, raise your hand. Yeah, didn't think so.

    Re: Bob Novak: Bush Knows His Source (none / 0) (#3)
    by Tom Maguire on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:07:01 PM EST
    I am reading that specific paragraph as an FYI about *Woodward's* belief and previous statements, not as news coming out of Novak's mouth. That said, another reporter did say this about that speech: "[Novak said] His source for the Valerie Plame information is, he is confident, the same as The Washington Post's Bob Woodward's." I am surprised that this is not causing more excitement - Novak's source surely spoke to the grand jury, so *if* Woodward has the same source, there is an obvious perjury/obstruction question. Bonus question - why did the source give Woodward a waiver? Do we think Woodward was going to fold up anyway?

    Re: Bob Novak: Bush Knows His Source (none / 0) (#4)
    by Kitt on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:07:02 PM EST
    I think it's Laura.

    Re: Bob Novak: Bush Knows His Source (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:07:03 PM EST
    I wonder how long it will take for a gutsy reporter asks the president who is the leaker that Novak says he knows about?