Posted on 08/18/2009 9:06:24 AM PDT by freespirited
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak, one of the nations most influential journalists, who relished his Prince of Darkness public persona, died at home here early Tuesday morning after a battle with brain cancer.
He was someone who loved being a journalist, love journalism and loved his country and loved his family, Novaks wife, Geraldine, told the Sun-Times on Tuesday.
Novaks remarkable and long-running career made him a powerful presence in newspaper columns, newsletters, books and on television.
On May 15, 1963, Novak teamed up with the late Rowland Evans Jr. to create the Inside Report political column, which became the must-read syndicated column. Evans tapped Novak, then a 31-year old correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, to help with the workload of a six-day-a-week column.
Evans and Novak were the od d couple: Evans a Philadelphia blue blood and Yale graduate; Novak from Joliet, Ill. who attended the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus.
Novak handled the column solo after Evans retired in 1993. The Chicago Sun-Times has been Novaks home paper since 1966.
Robert David Sanders Novak, 78, was born and raised in Joliet and his first newspaper jobs were with the Joliet Herald-News and, while a student at the University of Illinois, the Champaign-Urbana Courier. Novak maintained a lifelong tie to the University of Illinois with the school creating the Robert D. Novak chair of Western Civilization and Culture in 200X.
Mrs. Novak said that her husband passed away at 4:30 a.m., returning home after being hospitalized between July 10 and July 24. Novaks malignant brain tumor was discovered July 27, 2008.
Sad ping...
Rest in peace, Mr. Novak. Prayers for his wife and family...
He was a registered Democrat who supported JFK and Lyndon Johnson. He was a Jew who coverted to Catholicism and was pro-Palestinian. He was a sharp and hostile critic of the Iraq war. He was responsible for the Valerie Plame witch hunt. He supported Ron Paul in 2007. He was a Paleo Conservative of the Pat Buchanan mold.
RIP
Any "downfall" of Bush's Administration was entirely due to it being their own fault, not Robert Novak.
I always liked Novak. RIP.
You already know what to expect from the way the incident with the bicyclist was handled. Clearly he was suffering the effects from the then undiagnosed tumor at the time. The way the press handled it then, you would have thought that he had set fire too a school bus full of handicapped children. This from the same press that laid down and regurgitated the Ted Kennedy line on an “accident” in which someone was drowned in his car. Who will soon treat the passing of same as the death of a Pope. Novak was too good for that profession!
nutmeg & zelig
RIP Mr. Novak. You fought the good fight!
Your point being to spit in his face before he is even in the ground? How thoughtful of you.
God bless Mr. Novak.
Um, no.
RIP
Yes he did. Novak tossed a softball and Bush and his people treated it like a grenade. The cluelessness of Bush and the stupidity of people like Scooter Libby and Karl Rove was startling. I'll never understand why Cheney didn't step up. The story also exposed the cowardice and lying hypocrisy of people like Colin Powell and Richard Armitage. The whole thing was a mind-boggling clusterf+++ that didn't have to be.
May he Rest in Peace
One of the most outspoken anti-communists of our generation. RIP.
I join in prayer for his family and friends as they deal with his homegoing.
Yeah, he was one tough guy often sitting on panels where there were 5 liberals, all of them insulting and belittling him, and he hung in there day after day.
RIP ping
I fondly remember him once complaining that tv reports about homelessness almost ruined his Thanksgiving dinner. RIP
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.