"It was, in a way, linked...."

Yup, no spin there...............

And, actually, who leaked FIRST was considered important when Rove/Libby were candidates for that distinction, it's funny to see how NOW it's after all NOT important who first spilled the beans. Heh.

skleenar : Libby spilled the beans to Armitage. Then, allegedy Armitage--an admitted 'gossip'--spills it to the press. Whereupon Rove immediately confirms it to the press, then starts shopping the story around even more.

Urm - Libby asked that an internal memo going out re: Joe Wilson and his claims. Among the claims addressed I assume was included his lies that was tasked with the job by the VP's office - and that his wife had nothing to do with him getting the job.

You make it sound like Libby personally had lunch with A. and told him all (wink, wink) knowing that he was a blabbermouth who would immediately call the New York Times. et alia. Yah, that makes sense - if you assume that they were passing out security clearances like candy bars. A blabbermouth would lose his, btw, pretty quickly.

Jow Wilson was an incompetant "investigator" who got the job because of who his wife was, who had an ideological axe to grind, who may well be the very first person ever hired by the CIA to do field work without having to sign do-not-talk-to-the-press forms, and who made extravegant claims to the press which were in no way compatible with what he was willing to claim in his (eventual) report or while under oath.