[the_Watchman]

The assertion that the leak was "inadvertent" seems to match the sequence; i.e, an administration person comments that Cheney did NOT send Wilson and in fact the trip was arranged by Wilson's wife.

Novak, knowing that the arrangements were made by the CIA, concludes that Wilson's wife must work for the CIA and noses around to find out her name.

[Sacajaweau]

Novak is an old timer. He probably remembered her name from when Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame were living together in DC before they got married. he did a little research to verify it. Everyone knew she worked for the CIA and he checked that out, too. Valerie wasn't the secret. The envoy (Wilson himself) was the secret. Joe announced it in his article and when he talked to Novak a couple days before Navak's article came out, Joe told Novak to "leave my wife out of this".

Sounds like a threat to me....and I'm sure that's EXACTLY why Novak published the article.