In his MTP appearance, Rove admits that there's a discrepancy between his version of his conversation with Novak, and Novak's.

(Videotape, July 15, 2007) MR. RUSSERT: Then you go on to say, in the book, "Senior White House adviser Karl Rove returned my call late that afternoon [July 8th, 2003]," the same day. "I mentioned I had heard that Wilson’s wife worked at the CIA in the counterproliferation section and that she had suggested Wilson be sent to Niger. I distinctly remember Rove’s reply, ‘Oh, you know that, too.’ Rove and I also discussed other aspects of Wilson’s mission, but since he never has disclosed them publicly, neither have I." So you considered Rove’s comments, "Oh, you know that, too," as a confirmation? MR. ROBERT NOVAK: Yes. (End videotape) MR. GREGORY: Were you a confirming source for Robert Novak? MR. ROVE: No. And I, I remember it slightly differently. I remember saying, "I’ve heard that, too." Let, let me say this. There is a civil lawsuit filed by Mr. Wilson and Ms. Plame. It has been tossed out at the district court level. They’ve announced their intention to appeal. I think it is better that I not add anything beyond what is already in the public record until that suit is resolved. But, as I’m—my recollection is that I said, "I heard that, too." We—I would point you to... [my emphasis]

And then when, on Fox News, Chris Wallace presses Rove on his leak to Cooper, Rove gets all squirmy:

ROVE: Well, it's been dismissed, but they've announced they intend to appeal. And so I'm not going to add anything to the public record.What I did say to one reporter was, "I've heard that, too." And what I said to another reporter, off the record, was, in essence, "I don't think you ought to be writing about this."And you know, we'll — I intend to hold my fire and not add anything else to the public record until after this is over. WALLACE: Matt Cooper, the second reporter you're talking about, who then worked for Time, says you told him that Joe Wilson's wife, who worked for the CIA, authorized the trip. ROVE: Which I had been told by a reporter. WALLACE: But did you tell that to Matt Cooper? ROVE: I'm going to let — I don't recall Mr. Cooper's conversation. I'll let his notes stand as a record of it. [my emphasis]

What a remarkable coincidence! Both Libby and Rove, when questioned by investigators, claimed that they first learned of Valerie Wilson's identity from a reporter, and then passed it on, as if they had learned it from a reporter. And when Wallace calls Rove on whether he claimed to have said as much to Cooper, Rove punts, getting all quiet.

Because Rove knows that the only thing that saved him from Libby's fate is the fact that he didn't offer up the details about the Cooper conversation, which would have required him to claim the "I heard it from a reporter" dodge that did Libby in.