Backfire

From the way this New York Times article is written it sounds as if Luskin's repeated denials that Rove was the source Cooper was protecting had the adverse effect of seeming like an invitation for Cooper to testify.

Around 7:30 on Wednesday morning, Mr. Cooper had said goodbye to his son, resigned to his fate. His lawyer, Mr. Sauber, called to alert him to a statement from Mr. Luskin in The Wall Street Journal.

"If Matt Cooper is going to jail to protect a source," Mr. Luskin told The Journal, "it's not Karl he's protecting."

That provided an opening, Mr. Cooper said. "I was not looking for a waiver," he said, "but on Wednesday morning my lawyer called and said, 'Look at The Wall Street Journal. I think we should take a shot.' And I said, 'Yes, it's an invitation.' "

Luskin contends he was surprised by Cooper calling it "an express personal release" from Rove but it's really a moot point that serves more to show how determined Luskin is to show Rove has nothing to hide when he clearly does.

One thing seems clear: Had Time not released their internal emails, there would not have been pressure for Rove to, in effect, allow Cooper to testify. There would have been no hints that it was Rove Cooper spoke to and therefore no need for Luskin to assure reporters looking into the story that Cooper has no reason to protect Rove.

...Atrios seems to agree.