One source of endless speculation will be filling in the blanks of unnamed actors in the indictment. I was hoping for Bolton, but CNN is saying that the Undersecretary in the Libby indictment is Marc Grossman.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. undersecretary of state mentioned in the Lewis Libby indictment as the man who provided Libby a report about former Ambassador Joe Wilson was Marc Grossman, once responsible for political affairs at the State Department, two sources told CNN.
The two sources declined to be identified -- the first source because the official presently works at the State Department and such disclosures are against department policy, and the second source, a former State Department diplomat, because he does not want to be seen as adding to White House problems.
Ned Price, an associate at Grossman's current employer, the Cohen Group, said Marc Grossman would not comment on the matter.
A section of the indictment of Libby said that in May 2003, Libby asked an undersecretary of state -- not named in the indictment -- "for information concerning" an ambassador's trip to Niger "to investigate claims about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium yellowcake."
"The undersecretary thereafter directed the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research to prepare a report concerning the ambassador and his trip. The undersecretary provided Libby with interim oral reports in late May and early June 2003, and advised Libby that Wilson was the former ambassador who took the trip."
The two unnamed sources, who spoke in detail to CNN, said that classified report was commissioned by Grossman but, they said, it was not intended to expose Valerie Plame as a CIA agent. -- From State Department Producer Elise Labott (Posted 6:33 p.m.)