IT JUST GETS MORE COMPLICATED: So instead of encouraging Novak to print Valerie Plame’s name, or at least telling him that it was no big deal, government officials told him that he shouldn’t do so because it might endanger national security? Go figure: That’s what this article from The American Prospect suggests. You could parse this several ways, but I’m pretty sure that all of them make Novak look bad.

More reason to subpoena him — though on these facts it’s entirely possible that he’d take the Fifth.

UPDATE: Reader Chad Bloch observes:

The Prospect story is interesting. But the author repeats one of the errors many in the media had made during the previous height of the story. He inserted the following:

“(President Bush had cited the Niger evidence in his 2003 State of the Union address.)”

I am sure you are already aware that President made no mention of Niger in the SOTU and the African uranium claim was a product of British Intelligence which still stands by it (although they have not released any further details or sources for the information).

Good point.