Everyone seems to be wondering why Tim Russert is keeping silent on his conversation with Libby.

NBC was clear–Libby did not talk to Russert about Plame’s identity. But did Russert tell Libby? Back to the NBC statement:

“Mr. Russert told the Special Prosecutor that, at the time of that conversation, he did not know Ms. Plame’s name or that she was a CIA operative and that he did not provide that information to Mr. Libby. Mr. Russert said that he first learned Ms. Plame’s name and her role at the CIA when he read a column written by Robert Novak later that month.” [Emphasis added.]

What’s plainly left unsaid in the carefully worded statement is whether Russert, without mentioning her name or specific status, told Libby that Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA.

The AP is reporting that it was Russert who gave Libby the info on Plame. The AP also apparently is taking Russerts carefully worded statement at face value and not parsing it.

Libby’s testimony stated that Rove had told him about his contact with Novak and that Libby had told Rove about information he had gotten about Wilson’s wife from NBC’s Tim Russert, according to a person familiar with the information shown to Rove.

Prosecutors, however, have a different account from Russert. The network has said Russert told authorities he did not know about Wilson’s wife’s identity until it was published and therefore could not have told Libby about it.

Jane Hamsher has this to say: “Forget the Avian flu, contact memory loss seems to be spreading like wildfire.”