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This brings up an interesting points. It is now obvious that Valarie Palmes status as a CIA employee was common knowledge amongst the press corp. If it was common knowledge and also revealed by her husband in casual conversations with other politicos in Washington DC, she was most definitely NOT a covert agent.

1. Why would Scooter Libby lie about where he heard about Valarie Palm if revealing her name and job was not a crime. Please note, Scooter Libby has been charged with perjury not with revealing the name of a covert agent.
2. Did Tim Russert lie when he said he was not the source of information to Scooter Libby and did he lie so he could nail the Bush administration.
3. Is Scooters Libby's memory bad and or Tim Russerts memory bad. Otherwise either Russert or Libby is lying.
4. Since Valarie Palme was not a covert agent, why would Scooter Libby lie about what he did or did not say?

I wonder why the WH capitulated to the independent counsel requests when they were raised by Schumer, et al; and why not instead assert exactly what you hint at - "There was no outing of a covert agent, and we aim to discredit Wilson."

Instead we have President Bush, to this day, asserting thatteh investigation is a serious one. The President is lending gravitas to Fitz's investigation. Why?

As for Libby's conduct, he probably thought he would not be caught in a lie, or in the alternative, if caught, not charged. The motive is to avoid disclosure that somebody in the WH was working to discredit Wilson, or even simply to avoid getting in trouble for "leaking," even though the leak wasn't illegal. Rumor has it, President Bush does not retain leakers. IOW, a his conduct before the GJ and investigators may have been simple "self-preservation."