Plamegate Apologists Skip This One

The Washington Post reports:

Harlow, the former CIA spokesman, said in an interview yesterday that he testified last year before a grand jury about conversations he had with Novak at least three days before the column was published. He said he warned Novak, in the strongest terms he was permitted to use without revealing classified information, that Wilson's wife had not authorized the mission and that if he did write about it, her name should not be revealed.

Harlow said that after Novak's call, he checked Plame's status and confirmed that she was an undercover operative. He said he called Novak back to repeat that the story Novak had related to him was wrong and that Plame's name should not be used. But he did not tell Novak directly that she was undercover because that was classified.

They Can Have It

Philadelphia Inquirer reports on a movement to "turn South Carolina's government into a biblically inspired oasis." Now, this movement claims "thousands of Christians" but apparently only bout five families have actually moved to South Carolina. This time, if South Carolina secedes, may I suggest we let them go.

One Exculpatory Scenario

I've mentioned to friends that I think jailed New York Times columnist Judith Miller may have more to do with the Plame scandal than we know. My suspicion was that Miller had a soft spot in her heart for one of the "Senior Administration Officials" cited by Bob Novak when he outed the CIA operative. For some personal reason ("Love?" asks this schmaltzy blogger), Ms. Miller languishes in a jail cell, potentially subjecting herself to criminal sanctions, to protect the Administration.

Over at the Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington opines that I have it backwards. In her post, she posits a theory that she claims is making the rounds at the Times: Judy Miller is Deep Throat. It's an interesting theory. This theory might lift the specter of criminal liability from members of the Administration. But it still wouldn't make their actions any less reprehensible.