that attribute that remark from Rove to Tweety and maybe up to five other reporters.
In early October 2003, NEWSWEEK reported that immediately after Novak's column appeared in July, Rove called MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews and told him that Wilson's wife was "fair game." But White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters at the time that any suggestion that Rove had played a role in outing Plame was "totally ridiculous." On Oct. 10, McClellan was asked directly if Rove and two other White House aides had ever discussed Valerie Plame with any reporters. McClellan said he had spoken with all three, and "those individuals assured me they were not involved in this."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8445696/site/newsweek/The fact that Karl Rove was mad at former ambassador Joe Wilson and had it in for Wilson's wife has been on the record for over a year. Joe Wilson said in his book "The Politics of Truth" that MSNBC's Chris Matthews told him Rove called Wilson's wife "fair game." That conversation was never denied except that, according to Newsweek, a "source familiar with Rove's conversation" said the phrase used by Rove was that it was "reasonable to discuss who sent Wilson to Niger." That would lead to Wilson's wife.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/14/opinion/lynch/main708980.shtmlA subsequent Newsweek story suggested that the Post had been incorrect in some details. According to the magazine's account, the calls to "at least six Washington journalists" took place after Novak's column appeared, rather than before. Furthermore, Newsweek made an assertion (confirmed by Wilson) that MSNBC talk-show host Chris Matthews called Wilson in July, a full week after Novak's column appeared, telling the former ambassador that "Karl Rove … said your wife was fair game."
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=7272