More Ambiguity About Torture

Novak had refused to discuss his role long after all the other reporters in the case went public. Ironically, the only significant revelation in his column is that he secretly revealed his sources to Fitzgerald long before the other reporters did.

Although he writes that he was uncomfortable with the blanket waivers signed by his sources, he writes that when Fitzgerald presented them to him, he unloaded without a fight.

Novak, of course, was the first to out Valerie Plame as a CIA operative, in a negative column about her husband, administration critic and former ambassador Joseph Wilson.

Although he hadn't said so publicly before, it has long been known that Novak cooperated with Fitzgerald, that his second source for Plame's identity was presidential guru Karl Rove, and that he also had a conversation about Plame with CIA spokesman Bill Harlow.

Novak writes today: "I have revealed Rove's name because his attorney has divulged the substance of our conversation, though in a form different from my recollection. I have revealed Harlow's name because he has publicly disclosed his version of our conversation, which also differs from my recollection. My primary source has not come forward to identify himself."

What are those differences?

Howard Kurtz of The Washington Post spoke with Novak. "Novak recalls Rove saying, 'Oh, you know that, too?' Rove, according to [spokesman Mark] Corallo, has said he responded, 'I've heard that, too.'

"Harlow, who declined to comment yesterday, has told The Post that he challenged aspects of Novak's account three days before the column was published and warned the columnist that if he did write about Wilson's Niger trip, Plame's name should not be revealed. Novak said he has a different recollection of the conversation.

" 'I certainly wouldn't have used her name if anyone had indicated she might be in danger,' Novak said."

Here's a New York Times timeline of the case, including Novak's role.

In today's column, Novak writes: "In my sworn testimony, I said what I have contended in my columns and on television: Joe Wilson's wife's role in instituting her husband's mission was revealed to me in the middle of a long interview with an official who I have previously said was not a political gunslinger. After the federal investigation was announced, he told me through a third party that the disclosure was inadvertent on his part."

But that conflicts with an interview he gave to Newsday just eight days after his original column came out.