Crooks and Liars raises some good questions about Tim Russert's refusal to say whether Chris Matthews was the MSNBC host Libby called him to rant about back in July, 2003. Matthews had no such compunction about acknowledging it, according to Michael Smerconish, who interviewed Matthews about it. It seems Russert may not have called Matthews right away to tell him, but he sure heard about it from him later. I pointed out the most likely show Libby was complaining about the day of Libby's indictment.

Matthews' comments to Smerconish:

Bob Woodward was Larry King's guest for the entire hour tonight, talking about his revelation that his secret source told him in June, 2003 that Joseph Wilson's wife worked for the CIA as an analyst on weapons of mass destruction. Atrios has the transcript here.

Very little was illuminating, except for this exchange in which Woodward makes it clear it came up in the first place because he specifically asked the source about Joe Wilson and that the conversation took place after reading Walter Pincus' June 12 article.

Michael Isikoff and Evan Thomas, writing for Newsweek, suggest that Novak's source and Woodward's source are the same, and that former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is the likely suspect. Their reasoning:

• He is no partisan gunslinger as Novak described his source
• He's been a frequent source for Woodward
• He has thus far refused to give a denial
• Woodward has indicated he knows Novak's source
• He had access to the information

Andrea Mitchell said on Tim Russert's Saturday show the day after the Libby Indictment (via Lexis.com):

The denials and admissions keep coming regarding Bob Woodward's source for the information about Valerie Plame Wilson. The Washington Post reports Woodward's source has previously testified before the grand jury.

Karl Rove sources say he's not in jeopardy by Fitzgerald's decision to transfer the case to a different grand jury. Of course not --is there anyone left who doesn't believe his deal is in place, secured by his cooperation against others with possible criminal liability?

Condoleeza Rice aides have come forward and said she is not the leaker.

Raw Story continues on its theme of Stephen Hadley being Woodward's source, noting:

Hadley was privy to a June 10, 2003 Intelligence and Research memo prepared by INR head Carl Ford for Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman at the request of Vice President Dick Cheney’s former Chief of Staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

Bob Woodward tells Time Magazine how and why his source contacted Fitzgerald.

Arianna has a different take.

Digby weighs in here and Kevin Drum here.

Stephen Hadley played coy today about whether he disclosed information about Valerie Plame Wilson to Bob Woodward in June.

First, Raw Story announced Hadley is the source. Then White House officials denied it. Today, Hadley refused to say, invoking the latest White House mantra, "there's a continuing investigation."

Referring to news accounts about the case, Hadley said with a smile, "I've also seen press reports from White House officials saying that I am not one of his sources." He said he would not comment further because the CIA leak case remains under investigation. Leaving the room, Hadley was asked if his answer amounted to a yes or a no. "It is what it is," he said.

Today, Raw Story reconfirms that Hadley is Woodward's source and reports that there is a record of Hadley's meeting with Woodward at the National Security Council.

Patrick Fitzgerald said in a court pleading today that his investigation of the Valerie Plame leaks case is continuing with the grand jury currently sitting in the District. His affidavit was included in a Government motion seeking a modified disclosure order on discovery as a result of the Dow Jones objection to the government's previous version.

Fitzgerald is now requesting that classified information, grand jury transcripts and personal information (residence addresses, calendar items such as doctor's appointments and the like) be kept secret, but the rest, if Libby chooses, may be released. Here are his exact words:

Bump and Update: The New York Times reports that the Washington Post editor has said if one of the other reporters figures out who Bob Woodward's source is, the paper might publish it. Woodward is still pushing the source for a full release.

Update: The Wall St. Journal(free link) says Cheney is not the leak.

Vice President Dick Cheney isn't believed to have talked to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald since last year, nor has he given a waiver to Mr. Woodward. That removes him as Mr. Woodward's source.

Arianna has 15 questions for Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward regarding his revelation that a Bush Administration official told him in June, 2003 that Joseph Wilson's wife worked for the CIA. Three that are also big questions in my mind:

• Why were you afraid of being subpoenaed in 2003? Subpoenas of reporters didn't begin until 2004.
• On October 27, you were on Larry King saying you had no big scoop. Was that true or a lie?
• Had your source testified previously to Fitzgerald or before the grand jury?

I'll add a few:

• How do you define "senior administration official?"
• Are you making your notes or tape recordings of your 2003 conversation available to Lewis Libby's lawyers?
• Did you provide details of your conversation with your undisclosed source to Libby's lawyers before you were contacted or deposed by Fitzgerald?
• Have you agreed to be debriefed by Lewis Libby's lawyers about your deposition and conversations with Fitzgerald?

Think Progress has put together a video chronicling the CIA leak scandal. They pulled footage directly from the White House, from network news and other sources. The idea is that someone can watch this video and, in just a few minutes, understand what has happened and why it's important.

Update: AmericaBlog found some big inconsistencies in Woodward's latest account.

Woodward says that when he learned Plame's name (in mid-June 2003), he was in the middle of finishing a book, and that's why he didn't want to come clean with his executive editor at the Washington Post about his involvement in the Valerie Plame affair - he was afraid of getting subpoenaed while working on the book.

...But no one was being subpoenaed in June 2003, no one was even talking about subpoenas at that time. Patrick Fitzgerald wasn't even appointed as special prosecutor until December 2003, and the first journalists, from NBC and Time, weren't subpoenaed until May 2004. Judy Miller wasn't subpoeaned until August 2004, and she didn't do jail time until summer 2005.

Arianna has a great roundup of blog reaction to Bob Woodward and his dramatic morphing from one who reports the news to one who becomes the news.

She also called Carl Bernstein today and has some choice quotes from him.

Raw Story reports that Bob Woodwards source for the information that Joseph Wilson's wife worked for the CIA and was involved in the decision to send Wilson to Niger was Stephen Hadley.

As Woodward has said, the source did not mention that she was a covert employee, only an analyst in the weapons of mass destruction unit.

Hadley was a member of the White House Iraq Group.

Background:

• Report: Wurmser Told Libby and Hadley

• Condi Rice Press Briefing, 7/11/03: