Put up or shut up is a power play, like "all in" during a no-limit poker game. Rove's outing of Valerie Plame is just the hand that calls for an "all in" bet.
Currently the GOP talking points, being torn apart around here, are being spewed from the vocal periphery: Fox, Gingrich, Mehlman. As far as I can tell, GOP elected officials are being more cautious, staying on the `it's a partisan attack on Rove and we can't comment on a ongoing investigation' themes. However, as Josh Marshall points out, there are now 2 Senators and 1 Representative identified as go-to people for GOP spin. Should they begin repeating some of these attacks on Wilson to defend Rove, there is one very simple response: "You have the power to verify your claims via a full Congressional investigation and its subpoena power. Put up or Shut Up!"
But of course the response will be, "We don't want to interfere with an ongoing investigation". Bull. The Dem response should be something like this. Virtually all of the GOP talking points are attempts to divert atention from the possible crime and treason by Karl Rove via attacks on Plame, Wilson, his trip to Niger, and his Op-Ed piece. These aspects of the story are completely irrelevant to Fitzgerald's Grand Jury. If, as suggested in the GOP TPs, there were nefarious motives involved in Wilson's Niger trip, these are directly relevant to our National Security and Government operations. This clearly warrants a full investigation. Let the committee Chairs and Minority leaders work it out with the Special Prosecutor to lay out the scope of the investigation so as not to step on the criminal probe.
I seriously doubt they will call this bet. But by repeating it whenever the GOP do their spin on Wilson, it makes them look rather foolish. If on the other hand they are pushed into doing it, then we get a foot in the door. You can't investigate these events without providing the full context of the Op-Ed piece, the Administration's WMD case. At a minimum, Wilson's Op-Ed piece speaks to Bush's 2003 SOTU address. That's a can of worms that needs reopening!
So note to Dem pundants, even when just a GOP hack says Wilson/Plame lied, say: "That's a serious charge. Surely you support a full Congressional investigation into his trip to Niger and its subsequent exposure?"... And when a GOP Congressman goes over the line, pounce!