Robert D. Novak: "Pray for Me"

Townhall ^ | November 20, 2008 | Robert D. Novak

[2ndDivisionVet]

Robert Novak recently sat down with Barbara Mutasow of the Washingtonian magazine for a deeply personal interview. This article was first published in the November 2008 issue of The Washingtonian magazine.

Whether you like him or hate him, Robert Novak's combination of insider dope, political pronouncements, and glowering TV presence have made him a Washington institution. So the announcement in July that he was suspending his newspaper column because of a brain tumor came as a jolt. What other journalist has been tearing up the town with so much relish for the past 51 years?

I spent some time with Novak five years ago for The Washingtonian, chronicling his journey from secular Jew to devout Catholic. Somewhat to my surprise, the scowling, sardonic columnist turned out to be a peach of a subject. He gave me plenty of time in spite of his killer schedule and seemed utterly candid. No subject was off limits.

Yet I couldn't shake the feeling that he was putting me on at times, making himself sound more misanthropic than he really was. I finally concluded that the pose -- Scrooge in a three-piece suit -- was manufactured to make him into a memorable TV personality, which it did. It also made him rich.

The last decade has dealt him some blows. Rowland Evans, his column-writing partner for 30 years -- whom he eulogized as a brother -- died in 2001. Novak's opposition to the war in Iraq left him alienated from onetime friends like Bill Kristol and William Rusher. On top of that came the Plame affair, in which he revealed the identity of CIA analyst Valerie Plame Wilson -- an episode he said cost him $160,000 in legal fees, spelled an end to his_career at CNN, and subjected him and his family to threats.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Very long, so I excerpted it to save bandwidth. Very good, though.

[Carling]

The last decade has dealt him some blows. Rowland Evans, his column-writing partner for 30 years -- whom he eulogized as a brother -- died in 2001. Novak's opposition to the war in Iraq left him alienated from onetime friends like Bill Kristol and William Rusher. On top of that came the Plame affair, in which he revealed the identity of CIA analyst Valerie Plame Wilson -- an episode he said cost him $160,000 in legal fees, spelled an end to his_career at CNN, and subjected him and his family to threats.

He chose not to out Dick Armitage until after Scooter Libby became the fall guy for this non-story. I can't sit here and pretend that Novak did not play a major supporting role by standing silent during the GOP's recent demise.

That said, prayers for him, if that is what he wants me to do, although I believe that God has a better place for all of us.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Prayers for Bob Novak.

[ari-freedom]

Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was putting me on at times, making himself sound more misanthropic than he really was.

being so anti-Israel didn’t shake the feeling for me

[TheWasteLand]

A very interesting read. Thanks for the link.

[NonValueAdded]

Bob, I’ll give you as much consideration as you gave to Scooter Libby and the Bush Administration as you let them swing in the breeze for so long. The damage that you are personally responsible for is incalculable.

[MadelineZapeezda]

Prayers to him....I really like the old curmudgeon!

[fkabuckeyesrule]

Back in the day watching the Evans-Novak Report on CNN was always good.

[mkjessup]

Thanks for this posting Vet, it’s a good article.

To the naysayers and cynics who would condemn Novak (and I’m on record as being a harsh critic for my comments about him), if we as Freepers were able to offer prayers for Bill Clinton during his heart bypass episode, and for Ted Kennedy when his brain tumor issue surfaced, certainly we can offer prayers for Bob Novak.

And I am.

[Eagles6]

Good post.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>>Reagan was a great leader.
The only president in my time I give a passing grade to is Reagan.
[Reagan] was extremely underrated, particularly by the press. The press was very derisive. They were derisive of Eisenhower, too -- they thought he was just another Army officer -- but the attacks on Reagan were harsher. He was portrayed as stupid, uneducated, out of his element. I think he was very well educated and understood a lot of things. He was also very flexible in his policies -- too flexible for my taste.

Bob Novak, the ultimate paleo-conservative. Always liked Novak, even when I disagreed with him.

[PhatHead]

He chose not to out Dick Armitage until after Scooter Libby became the fall guy for this non-story.

Armitage outed himself to Powell and to the FBI investigators long before Fitzgerald decided to go after Libby. In fact, I believe he may have done so before Fitzgerald was even appointed. Libby's prosecution has nothing to do with Bob Novak.

[Reagan Man]

Btw, good post. Thanks

[fortunecookie]

Prayers sent for him. Thanks for posting.

[Carling]

Bullcrap.

Novak could have released his source all over the media. Instead, he let Scooter Libby drain his own savings to defend himself over BS charges. I have no sympathy for Novak in the Plame case. He burned his own professional bridges there.

[Moconservative]

Good Article!

His thoughts about Kennedy being a great leader bothered me because I don’t think that was true. The press loved him and made him out to be more than he was.

I have a feeling we’re in for a second dose of this with Obama. The press are so in love with him that even if we are on the brink of collapse just as in the Kennedy administration they will have endearing comments for him.

[woofie]

I wish he had gone on to ask Novak what his take is on the prosecuter getting Libby

[EternalVigilance]

alienated from onetime friends like Bill Kristol

Kristol had friends? Who knew?

[pjluke]

Prayers for all the pedestrians and bicyclists maimed by Novak’s car...

[Tribune7]

Prayer bump