After reading in a Newsweek online story that Mary McCarthy is denying she's the person who leaked information to Dana Priest, I find myself thinking about this recent Molly Ivins column:

...[Karl] Rove, as all the world knows, has been a longtime Republican political operative in Texas prior to heading to Washington with Bush. During that time, Texas Democrats noticed a pattern that they eventually became somewhat paranoid about: In election years, there always seemed to be an FBI investigation of some sitting Democrat either announced or leaked to the press.

After the election was over, the allegations often vanished....

Ivins goes on to note that one particular FBI agent seemed to be Rove's go-to guy back in Texas. Now, though, Rove has the whole federal government to play with -- he doesn't need just one pal.

Now, Rove's job changed a bit rather recently -- we're told he's now expected "to focus more on politics ... and big-picture thinking with the approach of the November congressional elections." Well, for Rove, traditionally "politics" in an election year means getting somebody in legal trouble, as Ivins notes. That's "big-picture thinking" for him. So his job changes -- and the next thing you know, a CIA agent who gave money to John Kerry's campaign is threatened with legal action. Coincidence?