One possibility for Libby's seemingly incongruous behavior--if prosecutors prove their case--is that Libby acted out of character simply because he was so agitated by what he thought was unfair criticism of himself and the vice president for supposedly misrepresenting intelligence to go to war.

The second is, in my opinion, the more likely one:

But federal investigators from the earliest days of the leak investigation have theorized that Libby was attempting to cover up for Cheney. The loyal staff man was only being loyal. Even in defending Libby, his friend, the political operative, Mary Matalin has described him as "Cheney's Cheney"; "an absolutely salient translator" for the man he adored and was his boss.

Murray then delves into the July 12, plane ride to Norfolk. I'm glad he finds it as significant as I do. As always though, Murray has additional insights, so please, read his whole article. In this part, he quotes from an earlier article of his:

Cheney, Libby, and Martin discussed a then-still highly classified CIA document that they believed had information in it that would undercut Wilson's credibility. The document was a March 8, 2002 debriefing of Wilson by the CIA's Directorate of Operations after his trip to Niger. The report did not name Wilson or even describe him as a former U.S. ambassador who had served time in the region, but rather as a "contact with excellent access who does not have an established reporting record." The report made no mention of the fact that his wife was Valerie Plame, or that she may have played a role in having her husband sent to Niger.

Cheney told Libby that he wanted him to leak the report to the press, according to people with first-hand knowledge of federal grand jury testimony in the CIA leak case, and federal court records.

Cheney believed that this particular CIA debriefing report might undermine Wilson's claims because it showed that Wilson's Niger probe was far more inconclusive on the issues as to whether Saddam attempted to buy uranium from Niger. The report said that Wilson was restricted from interviewing any number of officials in Niger during the mission, and he was denied some intelligence information before undertaking the trip.

Then he adds:

Almost immediately after disembarking Air Force Two, once back in Washington, D.C., Libby made three telephone calls to two journalists: Matthew Cooper, then of Time magazine, and Judith Miller, then of The New York Times.

But during both of those conversations, according to the federal grand jury testimony of both Cooper and Miller, Libby said virtually nothing at all, if indeed anything, about Wilson's report back to the CIA.

Rather, Miller and Cooper testified that Libby intensely focused on the fact that Valerie Plame was a CIA officer, and that she had been responsible for sending her husband on his mission to Niger. The discussion between Libby and Cooper was the first that the then-vice presidential chief of staff and the Time correspondent spoke of Plame. It would be the third interview for Miller in which Libby talked about Plame.

Later, prosecutors were apparently incredulous at the notion that although Cheney and Libby talked so frequently about Wilson and Plame; that both men said that Cheney authorized Libby to leak classified information regarding Wilson just prior to those meetings with reporters; and that both Libby and Cheney have claimed that none of that information regarded Plame; and yet when the actual telephone phone calls with the reporters took place, the emphasis was indeed on Plame.

Murray quotes from Libby's grand jury testimony, contained in public court pleadings:

"Was it a topic that was discussed on a daily basis?" a federal prosecutor asked, speaking of Wilson's op-ed.

"Yes, sir," answered Libby.

"And it was discussed on multiple occasions each day in fact?"

"Yes, sir."

"And during that time did the vice president indicate that he was upset that this article was out there which falsely in his view attacked his own credibility?"

"Yes, sir."

"And do you recall what it is the vice-president said?"

"I recall that he was very keen to get the truth out. He wanted to get all the facts out about what he [Cheney] had or hadn't done--what the facts were or were not. He was very keen on that and said it repeatedly. 'Let's get everything out.'"

The obvious question is, if Joseph Wilson was such a thorn in Cheney and Libby's side and Libby admits being directed by Cheney to "get the truth out" about Joseph Wilson, how could Libby have forgotten what he told reporters and where he learned of Valerie Plame Wilson's employment with the CIA?

To me, there's more than coincidence to the timing of Libby's July 12 calls to Cooper and Miller after getting off the plane from Norfolk. If, as Cooper says, Libby discussed Plame's employment or role in sending Wilson to Niger in that conversation, would he have forgotten doing so by October when questioned by investigators?

That's what his defense centers on. Stay tuned.

And,don't forget, Scooter Libby is presumed innocent today, tomorrow and every day -- unless and until a jury decides differently.