A non-denial denial.
Two government officials have told the FBI that conservative columnist Robert Novak was asked specifically not to publish the name of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame in his now-famous July 14 newspaper column. The two officials told investigators they warned Novak that by naming Plame he might potentially jeopardize her ability to engage in covert work, stymie ongoing intelligence operations, and jeopardize sensitive overseas sources. ... Lamely attempting to shirk responsibility, Novak claimed that the CIA no was "a soft no, not a hard no."
Something I myself have said here. Novak's blame that the CIA didn't warn him enough was absurd. I also speculated that the "leak" to Novak wasn't malicious, just inside-the-beltway chatter and gossip. Novak blew his reputation to keep his mouth shut, if he ever had any.
BTW, how does this story comport with the malicious Bush admin leaking story???