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Here's what I understand occurred, per Novak herself and other news reports:
Novak and Luskin were friends. Who fostered this relationship is uncertain, but more certain is that Luskin served as Rove's lawyer through much of it.
Although friends, the true purpose of their friendship seemed questionable, at least according to Novak. She met him and didn't take notes, and likely wasn't wired, so that Luskin would speak more candidly. Eventually Fitzgerald turned up the heat on Rove and Luskin decided to do a little fishing at Time Magazine.
So he went fishing in his conversation with Novak and got a key piece of information (that, indeed, Rove had told Cooper about Valerie Plame) through rather passive-aggressive means. Luskin used that information for a last-minute "cleaning up" of Rove's original testimony, which permitted Rove to avoid indictment.
After Luskin brought this information to Fitzgerald's attention, Fitzgerald decided to hold off indicting Rove and investigate the matter further. So he brought Novak in, under oath, to discuss her finding.
It seems that she's upset with Luskin for pulling her into this matter. Why she didn't inform her editors of her conversations with Luskin is a mystery, unless there was something improper about their relationship that would chance her professional integrity. It also appears that her testimony could be interpreted as Luskin's attempted fishing expedition that neither helps nor hurts Rove's testimony. Truly, the only way Fitzgerald can uncover something new and interesting here is if he can establish and conversations between Cooper and Novak. Did Cooper share with Novak what Rove told him?
Also what seems odd is Novak's comment that she didn't know before her meetings with Luskin that Luskin was Rove's attorney. What, then, were the purposes of her meeting with Luskin?
In synthesis, I don't think Novak's testimony itself helps or hurts Rove. It truly depends on what Fitzgerald was trying to uncover by deposing her, keeping in mind testimony and depositions from others associated with this matter. I don't think Novak is trying to help anyone but maintain her career and her sense of privacy. It seems that she feels lucky that she didn't have to keep a source private, avoiding her being compelled to testify by doing jail time.
While Novak initially helped Rove by calling to question his being indicted with Libby, I don't sense that it will ultimately help or hurt Rove. Rove is a psychological narcissist, and I'm not surprised that he's moving on as if he's squeezed out of the pickel barrel. Only Fitzgerald knows what will come from these recent revelations.
Have I missed any pieces of data? Any key points?
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