What Matters is Rove Confirmed the Identity - It comes down to incompetence

Now we find out that Novak has come out saying he was the other reporter that talked to Rove before the leak. Bush supporters are trying to say Rove was just the recipient of information from reporters but someone told reporters that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA. You know, it does not matter where Rove got his information, if he outed Plame, Wilson's wife, to Cooper especially if it is before the story hit the news then Rove appears to be the primary source, the government source to confirm the identity of Plame. Reporters are not going to go on the word of just other reporters, they need it confirmed by a government source and of course nothing better than a high ranking source. And it does not matter what Cooper was trying to do either. As far as compentence goes it does not matter what the nature of the conversations were, Rove giving or taking information, all that matters is that Rove confirmed the identity of a CIA agent and that event is the essential outing of Valerie Plame.

As far as the dispute on whether Rove named the agent or not, this will not be decided on a technicality. If Rove identified Valerie Plame he identifed Wilson's wife. If Rove identifies Wilson's wife he identifies Valerie Plame. Either way, under the right conditions, a CIA agent is dead. Rove, at the very least, should be disciplined for incompetence.