Though Mr. Armstrong had been identified in news reports two years ago about his dispute with other officials over intelligence involving Cuba, that was when he was the national intelligence officer for Latin America, and his name was no secret. **When the Bolton nomination resurrected the old accounts, however, the C.I.A. asked news organizations to withhold his name.**

On Monday, Mr. Lugar announced that aides on the Foreign Relations committee had interviewed Mr. Armstrong. Later, Mr. Kerry mentioned him by name while questioning Mr. Bolton. The hearings were televised, and transcripts were widely published. On Tuesday morning, The Associated Press mentioned the disclosure and identified Mr. Armstrong.

...At a time when a special prosecutor is investigating how the identity of another undercover C.I.A. officer, Valerie Plame, was leaked to the press, the disclosure of Mr. Armstrong's name did not go unnoticed by reporters on Capitol Hill. Asked about it on Tuesday, Mr. Lugar said simply, "No comment."

Mr. Kerry defended himself. "Senator Lugar had already mentioned it," he said, "and it had already been in the press."

So I guess Lugar screwed up first. But as the Times notes, it is interesting to see just how seriously the Senators took the CIA request for discretion.

But it's the one that made John Kerry -- however briefly -- look bad.