[Quilla]

Oh, what a bombshell that would be - Clarke leaking ol' hollywood Val's name to Novak. I'm sure all the major networks would cover it 24/7. /not

[BlessedByLiberty]

Wow, great minds and all that! I agree that the comment the word "leaked" used in reference to Plame is inaccurate. I do not know what if any relationship to Novak Clarke has or had. However, I do confess to having some knowledge of how political offices work.

Reporters seek out and court these types of people: bureaucrats, civil servants with service of 10 years or more, egocentrics who put out press releases from their own offices, holdovers from previous administrations.

Generally they court, flatter and encourage confidences from these people hoping for verbal leaks and actual paperwork. Based on experience and observation, Clarke was ripe for the picking by any manner of Partisan Press hacks.