Here is the link to the webpage where "Valerie Plame"'s name appears. The sentence reads, "He is married to the former Valerie Plame..."
"Everyone" in Washington (meaning it was common knowledge in the DC social circles) knew that she worked for the CIA. Most assumed she was an analyst, which is what she actually was at the time of the Novak story. Once the story broke, it was reported that she was an agent.
Here are a few stories that fully explain the whole situation:
Scandal! by Clifford May
No Yellowcake Walk by Clifford May
Spy Games by Clifford May
We had a real "flame war" about the Valarie Plame situation. There were a lot of newbies (most likely DU'ers) that flooded FR when the story started breaking.
FREEPER "Wolfstar" did some really good research on this situation. Here is a link to the FR post where he published his findings. It is a VERY revealing read. I have a version of what Wolfstar put together in an HTML file that can be attached easily to an email. If you want a copy, drop me a FREEPmail with a regular email address, and I will be happy to forward.
All you really have to know is that Wilson hates Bush and the whole thing was a set up that is being argued over the phrase "significant amounts".
The whole situation summed up is that Wilson did find evidence that Iraq was seeking uranium from Niger, but it was a "significant amount". Wilson discounts it. The President cited British intelligence in SOTU address. Wilson flips out and thinks the President was talking about his "intelligence gathering" trip to Niger. He writes an article saying there was no uranium. Novak starts asking why, of all people, was Wilson sent to Niger in the first place. His research (asking around to some "insiders") revealed that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA and while she didn't make the decision, she facilitate him as the emissary for the trip to Niger. Novak asks the CIA rep her status, they didn't tell him that she was an agent and that she, or other, might be at risk if he revealed the name. Novak "throws in" the fact that "Wilson's wife, Valarie Plame" works for the CIA, which gets to at least one of the reasons he was sent.
Boom! Story breaks. Wilson has his opening and blows the whole thing out of portion, just to make the Bush administration (whom Mr. Wilson eloquent and publicly refers to as ""Fu##ing A$$holes and "Thugs") look bad.
That about sums up the whole story.