Excuse/Defense | By | Where |
| Too complicated / too many facts | Reynolds | weblog |
| | Volokh | weblog |
| Doesn't make any sense | Sullivan | weblog |
| | Reynolds | weblog |
| Wilson is partisan / far-left | May | National Review |
| | Podhoretz | New York Post |
| Not a "leak", but arose in conversation | Robbins | National Review |
| Nobody called Novak with the tip | Robbins | National Review |
| | Hannity | radio |
| White House didn't leak (according to Novak) | Limbaugh | radio |
| Rove wasn't involved | McClennan | White House |
| Explains why "unreliable" Wilson went to Niger (CIA/Plame responsible) | Podhoretz | New York Post |
| Not an "operative" or "agent", but an "analyst" | Robbins | National Review |
| (usually citing Novak), | Luskin | weblog |
| or not sure if she was covert | Sullivan | weblog |
| or not covert abroad | Limbaugh | website |
| | Boot | Los Angeles Times |
| Lots of folks knew Plame was CIA | Robbins | National Review |
| | Novak | column |
| | May | National Review |
| Not a risk to Plame because she's not posted overseas | Reynolds | weblog |
| Wilson is not in danger | Limbaugh | website |
| It's a partisan issue | Hannity | radio |
| | Reynolds | weblog |
| Outing CIA happens 50 times a year, no big deal | Limbaugh | radio |
| Plame's name was in the public domain | Limbaugh | radio |
| (usually listed as wife of Wilson) | Limbaugh | website |
| | Luskin | weblog |
| "Manufactured" scandal / outrage | Limbaugh | website |
| | Robbins | National Review |
| | Reynolds | weblog |
| Paying attention to Plame undermines war on terrorism | editors | New York Post |
| | Hannity | radio |
| Wilson was a bad choice to investigate Niger story | Robbins | National Review |
| (incompetent, unqualified, or untrustworthy) | May | National Review |
| | Reynolds | weblog |
| Wilson is a jerk | Sullivan | weblog |
| It's Wilson's fault (for making such a fuss about the Niger issue) | Levin | National Review |
| Wilson lied when he said his mission was a request by Cheney | May | National Review |
| CIA participated in exposing Plame | Luskin | weblog |
| This is minor, real scandal is CIA intelligence failures | Boot | Los Angeles Times |
| Wilson's whole act is a fraud | Podhoretz | New York Post |
