I’m not surprised by several things in the WaPo’s disingenuous editorial on the Plame Affair today. For example, I’m not surprised it relies on the word, "primary."
But all those who have opined on this affair ought to take note of thenot-so-surprising disclosure that the primary source of the newspapercolumn in which Ms. Plame’s cover as an agent was purportedly blown in2003 was former deputy secretary of state Richard L. Armitage. [my emphasis]
It’s a word Novak conjured up when he went clean last month, and it seems designed to cast the majority of the blame on Armitage and away from Rove. Yet it relates solely to Plame’s purported role in Wilson’s trip to Niger; Novak never says that Armitage was his source for Plame’s classified identity or name (he reverts to much less convincing stories to explain away his use of the word "operative," "Plame," none of which come from Armitage but which are more important to the story than Plame’s general role). And the word "primary" might be taken to mean "first," particularly if you’re the NYT, even though English speakers and smart doggies know there’s a difference.
I suspect if I rifled through Fred Hiatt’s, Chris Hitchens’, and Byron York’s trash, I’d find a little talking points document stressing the importance of this word "primary," which seems to suggest so much, but more likely obscures the entire story.