Page "Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan" Paragraph 8

Conversely, on August 8, 2004 on CNN's Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice told Wolf Blitzer that Khan's name had been revealed " on background " ( an expression with no fixed meaning in journalism, but which is often understood to mean that the information may not be published, or at least that the source may not be revealed ); afterwards, however, when the transcript of the background briefing revealed that Khan had not in fact been identified by name, Rice's office retracted the statement.

Sean McCormack, a National Security Council spokesman, stated " She was in the middle of making a point and interrupted her, and she reflexively repeated ' on background ,' but she was not confirming it and went on to complete her thought.