The new "lie loop".

The new defense of Karl Rove's leaking of an American spy's identity is that Rove only "confirmed" a rumor told him by a reporter. And who is the reporter? None other than Robert Novak.

This is a critical new approach in the defense of Rove. Since saying Rove only leaked the info "unknowingly" wasn't playing well in the polls, the White House (which is run by Rove himself, incidentally) is switching gears to dumping all the blame on Novak. Why? Because Novak has already cut a deal with the Bush gov't and won't be going to jail for contempt of court or leaking classified information.

It's a no-lose trick. Novak is already protected and doesn't have to tell the original source of the leak. So why not say Novak told Rove? It puts blame-chasers in a loop. Can't blame Rove, can't punish Novak. Rove gets off scott free.

I don't think it will ultimately work, however. Confirming a rumor is just as bad as stating her identity unprovoked. If the reporters had asked if X945BYL was rumored to be the launch code to a nuclear missile, is it okay for Rove to "simply confirm" that as fact?

And we still should be arguing that it doesn't matter who told Novak, Novak still couldn't legally tell anybody else.