Broder, Others on 'Meet the Press' Wonder About Woodward

By: E&P Staff The final section of NBC's "Meet the Press" today briefly took up the fallout from Bob Woodward's sudden involvement in the Plame scandal.

Here is the transcript from that part, featuring the Washington Post's David Broder and Eugene Robinson, and Judy Woodruff.

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TIM RUSSERT: Let me turn to the CIA leak investigation. Time magazine reports that Viveca Novak of Time magazine has now been subpoenaed to testify. David Broder, Bob Woodward of The Washington Post, as you know, has testified before Patrick Fitzgerald, the special counsel. What's going on at The Post, in light of that?

MR. BRODER: Consternation, to be honest with you. I think none of us can really understand Bob's silence for two years about his own role in the case. He's explained it by saying he did not want to become involved and did not want to face a subpoena, but he left his editor, our editor, blindsided for two years and he went out and talked disparagingly about the significance of the investigation without disclosing his role in it. Those are hard things to reconcile.

MR. RUSSERT: Gene Robinson?

MR. ROBINSON: I agree with David. Consternation, a certain amount of embarrassment. And, you know, the fact that we can't understand why Bob did what he did. You know, I think that's a very interesting question in this whole incident about confidential sources, about access, about the tradeoffs that we all make for access in granting anonymity for sources. And, you know, I think that's going to continue. I think people are looking at us skeptically.

MR. RUSSERT: And every source I believe is going to want complete assurance that if I give you this information, will you refuse to testify even if it means going to prison.

MR. ROBINSON: But are we going to have to give sources a form to...

MR. RUSSERT: Well...

MR. ROBINSON: ...you know, is there going to be a form? Well, check off yes for, you know, grand jury testimony, no for public disclosure, yes...

MR. RUSSERT: We've only got a few seconds left. David Gregory, the White House thought that perhaps this thing was coming to closure. Now, there's a new grand jury. More reporters being brought in. What's the attitude, what's the mood about Karl Rove and the...

MR. GREGORY: Just a sense of malaise. The president can't get out from under it. He can't make a public statement about whether any top officials acted inappropriately until this is resolved.

MS. WOODRUFF: And, Tim, the blogs are suggesting that maybe Scooter Libby confused you and Bob Woodward. I've known you both for a quarter of a century. I don't know of anybody who could possibly make that mistake unless they just think all middle-aged white guys look alike.

MR. RUSSERT: Judy, you're a good friend of mine, but I'm no Bob Woodward.

We'll leave it there. We'll be right back.