Here's my read on V. Novak and Luskin. Please help me out here.

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?

got to know him a little bit. When she found out that Rove told Cooper about Plame she told Luskin that rove could be in trouble if he didn't own up. She could be in trouble. This whole thing has hurt all kinds of people. Most of all Plame. But of course the repigs don't like women so they don't think it is bad. These savages are relentless about getting their own way. I wish the american people could just stop and think a little bit.

Atrios (Vivak Roundup)has alot of discussion on this subject and links:
http://atrios.blogspot.com/

Good luck, I will check back if to see if you figure it out.

She is pissed at Luskin for dragging her into this. And I get the feeling she feels used...like he tried to fudge the dates of their conversation. I don't see how the date she remembers helps Rove. A very interesting thing is the fact that she is on a leave of absence...doesn't that seem interesting?

And also, this whole thing illustrates just how incestuous all these reporters are with people in power in Washington. It stinks, and it makes me wonder who else has knowledge they are concealing, while hiding behind the rather meaningless notion of "journalistic integrity."

so he was not Rove's laywer then

<snip>

It was in the midst of another Washington scandal, almost a decade ago, that I got to know Bob Luskin. He represented Mark Middleton, a minor figure in the Democratic campaign-finance scandals of 1996. Luskin kept Middleton out of the spotlight and never told me much. Still, there is the occasional source with whom one becomes friendly, and eventually Luskin was in that group.

<snip>

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,1139780,00.html

cooperate with him by creating a window that allowed Rove to 'update' the story he gave Fitzgerald and the GJ.

She is a helper-outer?

But that could create a little risk under oath, if any part was concocted. So maybe not.

My problem is that I think of Time as a right wing magazine and a Republican Party facilitator. Therefore I don't trust the magazine or her. I don't trust reporters who don't vestigate on behalf of the country. Correct me if I'm wrong about her or Time.