That is the real story, all right. If you remember, at the time, all of the chattering class in Washington was going on and on about the
sixteen words from the State of the Union address. This was the smoking gun that demostrated that Bush
LIED! (and people
DIED!). Novak very neatly put his finger on the critical piece that held that whole argument together, that Wilson was an independent actor who had no axe to grind. Novak obliterated Wilson's credibility by revealing that the whole trip was one big put-up job, and that he was just a mouthpiece for his wife.
But the story was too good to let go. The whole sixteen words was just too central to the Donk efforts to tear down the President and the war. So they had to circle the wagons aroung Wilson. But getting upset about the supposed revelation of Plame's covert status is like a blood dripping murderer criticizing the detective's tie.