[Sam Hill]

I doubt that it was Ari Fleischer, since the person is question is so often called a senior official. But I guess it is possible.

I guess it's also possible, maybe even more possible, that it is the same under secretary of state who allegedly told Libby.

I'm surprised at how little attention that person has gotten. I'm not even sure who it is. I see that it is largely assumed to be Grossman.

But then again, if it were the under secretary of state, why wouldn't he have told Fitz earlier -- unless he just remembered.

I also wonder if the person who talked to Woodward wasn't also Novak's source. Remember, he said we would be surprised at how it is. Which also makes me think it may turn out to be Powell.

He certainly is "no partisan gunslinger." And some say he is close to Woodward. (Don't ask me why.)

[counterpunch]

I agree with all of that.
I don't think it was Ari. I was just throwing that out there because I was reminded of it by the use of the word "former". The Press Secretary is the highest ranking official in the White House Press Office, though. This administration tends to neglect the importance of that particular office, but in the Clinton White House it was hands down the most important office in the entire administration.

No one would consider Libby to fit the description of "no partisan gunslinger" and the only thing surprising to most people upon learning it was Libby was that there was someone in the White House named "Scooter". So it the preponderance of the evidence does in fact point away from Libby being Novak's source.