Did Robert Novak leave a live telecast of CNN's Inside Politics in a huff over something James Carville said yesterday, or just slip away?

Decide for yourself: Here's the video (WMV); a QuickTime version. Here's the transcript. It's near the end. (Another screenshot shows the time as 4:50 p.m., 10 minutes before the show would end.) Search on "Katherine Harris" to get near it.

CNN anchor Ed Henry eventually ended the show with this:

HENRY: Thanks, James Carville. And I'm sorry as well that Bob Novak obviously left the set a little early. I had told him in advance that we were going to ask him about the CIA leak case. He was not here for me to be able to ask him about that. Hopefully we'll be able to ask him about that in the future.

CNN suspended him, although it was described as a "mutual decision." Perhaps that's true -- if Novak isn't on the air he won't have to face questions about his role in the leak.

Speculation abounds today. Chicago Sun-Times:

In a column that ran in the Sun-Times on Monday, Novak suggested he learned Plame's identity partly from reading Who's Who in America. A CNN source said a producer had placed a copy of Who's Who on the set Thursday prior to the taping, apparently so it could be consulted while Novak was asked about the issue.

The book is visible in the photo above.

Some wags are suggesting you complain to the FCC, in the spirit of Janet Jackson, over Novak's use of the "bull" word.

Updated, 5:32 p.m.: Novak Apologizes for Swearing, Walking Out. AP.