Mitchell, though, seemed to be saying that Wilson misrepresented himself, to others around town, as someone who was sent to Africa by Cheney.
It seems pretty apparent that Wilson intended that people would think Cheney sent him.
Wilson didn't put that little detail about Cheney in his "columnful of lies" for no reason.
By the same token, Kristof and Pincus didn't make up the connection between their anonymous source and the Vice President out of pixie dust. It was planted there by the "anonymous source" -- who took pains not to correct the misrepresentation once it was published.