Novak actually was someone who challenged authority--something an unbiased press should still be doing today. Instead, all we get is glowing reports on the Obama's, as unemployment, two wars, and a bloated government continue unabated.

Well it is a shame you didn't know the man because he was a fine one who cared deeply for his country and the profession of journalism you say he tainted. And I suspect that had you known the man or read his book that it would have greatly affected your view of "novak's tv persona and the role it played in leading us to the polarized, angry space that cable tv and the conversation of american politics no inhabits." BTW, how did that whole get away from the toxic cable show thing work out for klein? Let's see, how many debates does cnn do per day on their air using arch rival political commentators with scorching language? And uh....um.... just because you apologize up front for speaking ill of the dead it doesn't really make it any less distasteful or excuse it, does it....

Who?

Must be someone important to the media
cause most people i know dont know him.

Typical of the media.

Your attack on a dead man who is unable to respond certainly goes a long way toward contributing to the toxic tone of discourse your pretend to condemn.

No, I believe it is important that we understand how we got here. And he was one of the guys who led us here. We need to understand such truths. Appearing on TV has consequences for the culture. There is a certain social responsibility involved. I believe it is wrong to whitewash that kind of truth. Thanks for your comment. Z

All that neering and anger were Novak's fault? Have you forgotten the toxic influence of people who felt the moral imperatives of their stance on the Viet Nam War demanded that journalists take sides? The sainted Walter Kronkite had something to do with that, and the fall of The New York Times from its journalistic heights began with the ascendancy of Tom Wicker in the late 1960's. Novak was an important journalist, but he wasn't that important.

You are so right. The nonsense that is called "news" in the cable space of America is (unfortunately) nothing more than Junk Food for the mind. The obesity of negative thought has all but halted progress.

I appreciate your honest and accurate assessment of Mr. Novak. In my opinion the advent of what I refer to as the Jerry Springer form of "journalism" has taken what could have been a great educational tool for all societies and turned it into a mud wrestling arena. The world is not a better place for it. No doubt someone is waiting in the wings to take his place. I do not weep.

Only someone who sees the world from the narrow perspective of liberalism, accustomed to dominating reporting, would describe Bob Novak as polarizing. Bob Novak did a very good job of presenting a point of view and we are all the better for it. We will miss him.

Hear ! Hear !
I detest the morally-superior, loudmouthed, confrontational, insulting style of so many "cable" news shows. So, I don't watch them.

Zurawik, you must have lost out on a job to this guy to diss the dead so strongly. Leave your msierable point of view to rest in peace.

Hi, Dave!

May I make a prediction?

Mr. Novak was a polarizing individual. What percentage of his supporters do you think will use the phrase "liberal left-wing media"?

The Right and the Left will both have plenty to say about this man's legacy. I don't think you'll find many comments in the middle!

Thanks for neither whitewashing nor demonizing him!

Jane

Geez, let them bury him at least before you rip into him. Have some respect.

don't give us that crap about a "polarizing figure". Politics today is as polar as it can be. Novak was ahead of his time and I as an avade news junky, will miss him.

You could have written this anytime. Not today.

Novak was a fine and generous man off-air. On-air he brought more light than heat to his on-air discussions. You disagree; fine, but you shouldn't have done it publicly today.

Funny you have idiots saying he was a good journalist. The man should have been hanged as a traitor for outing a US spy. But you'll always have rightwing idiots making excuses for guys like this. There is a special place in Hell for people like Novak.

He wasn't unbiased at all, he had his biased out there for everyone to see, which is at least more respectable than the clowns at Fox News.

Right, let's be kind to the recently deceased. But I remember how Richard Nixon somehow became an elder statesman in his retirement, and how we were all supposed to forgive and forget. I detested the man and did not feel kindly towards him even in death. As for Novak: he was a dark-hearted slime ball, and dying isn't going to fix that.

I think we just found the all-time greatest article as far as pot calling kettle black.

The bad news is you attack a man within minutes of knowing he can't defend himself.

The good news is you just were offered your own prime-time show on MSNBC.

Sir your moralistic sneering tone used to critique someone after they have died and can no longer respond says more about you and far less about them. What it says isn't nice either.

The media fawns over President Obama? Really? All I hear is 24 x 7 bashing on Fox News. Then you you listen to the radio, and it's more of the same with Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Dr. Laura, and on and on and on. All the "Media" does is bash :President Obama.

Novak at least helpedto pioneer one of the standard moves in contemporary cable journalism: if you are interviewing somebody and he doesn't say exactly what you want to hear, cut him off in mid-sentence.

Good Grief! This is so very wretched........Novak is a confrontational conservative low-life.
And I suppose Mike Wallace and all his invective throwing liberals on the broadcast networks have not set this tone since the 60's?
What is it with you guys? All of you foaming at the mouth liberals are described as middle of the roaders, while conservatives are all gun toting Nazis.
For every Novak out there we have to put up with 30 or more Eleanor Clifts, Bill Mahrs, Larry Kings, Bernie Shaws, Peter Arnetts, and that vomitous Christianne Amanpour.
They ALL call themselves unbiased.
And you have the gall to jump on Novak because he doesn't drink your Kool-Aide.
What a crock. Do you EVER look into a mirror to see what you are?

Thank you, Mr. Novak. You gave a passionate and informed response to important news items and whether I agreed with you or not, you caused me to use my mind in digesting the news of the world.

David Zurawik is right on. I am old enough to remember when Robert Novak was a real journalist, when he and Roland Evans did investigative reports and challenged authority. In his later years, however, Novak hardened in his conservatism, ultimately letting his political views override his professional obligation to pursue fact. By the time of the Plame incident, he had become far more a conduit for leaks from right-wing politiciams than a journalist. By that time, he no longer challenged authority, he shined its shoes.

This should keep Micheal Jackson news off the air for a day or two. Can't you come up with a story that will shut Obama bin Lying up and keep him in the oval office working for a change.

Thank you for telling it like it is. Death should not obscure the truth.

"Let's see, how many debates does cnn do per day on their air using arch rival political commentators with scorching language'

There are plenty of points of view presented on CNN. What you don't hear so much anymore is the hate filled discourse which polarizes the debate and solves nothing. You can have Fox for that... I don't need em'.

I never liked him and exposing Valerie Plame as a government agent was probably one of his worst moments. Moving journalism away from the "circus" atmosphere that has been created in this decade can only be a good thing! His loss is our gain!
I hope they play the Eagles Song, "Dirty Laundry" at his funeral.....

"Instead, all we get is glowing reports on the Obama's, as unemployment, two wars, and a bloated government continue unabated.
"

Not really... we here about the bad all the time from Fox. You get actual "fair and balanced" by watching CNN.

Keep in mind Obama has about 0 responsibility for any of your above complaints... he didn't start the wars and he didn't miss the crisis... you know who did.

Is there anything ever that can be posted on the internet without some right wing anti-Obama rhetoric being thrown in? You guys are starting to sound like you live in Iran.

Wonder how the meeting's going with the REAL "Prince of Darkness,"

You're so right! I watched "Crossfire" for a few weeks, but stopped months before Novak left CNN. Although he was not the only mean, nasty person on the show, I was especially disgusted with Novak's sneering nastiness. Also, I occassionaly read his news column and he manifested his "charm" there, as well. That man had an evil streak in his warped personality.

"And uh....um.... just because you apologize up front for speaking ill of the dead it doesn't really make it any less distasteful or excuse it, does it...."

Hi, I'd like to see if my passive aggressive ... translates well to text!

Had to edit for language -- one word. Z

Valerie Plame was "outed" by a liberal--Richard Armitage--not by the Bush White House.

What a funny liberal mistake that was. Much ado about nothing. The Left loonies were so busy manufacturing a scandal that they never considered that it might be one of their own who did it. Silly liberals.

Free Scooter Libby. Poor guy was jailed simply for being a non-Democrat.

one less traitor in the World.
the CIA agents can sleep better tonight.

Maybe you should do an article as to what class(es) you took in college that taught you that the public gives a rat's ... about your opinion. You seem to want to join the major Celebutards who are looking for acknowledgements due to their opinion.
What ever happened to reporting the news?
Cronkrite the Liberal telling his audience ' That's the Way it is'. What a presumptuous son of an unlicensed mother.
When can we expect to get all the news, not just 'All the News that is fit to Print', from you overly self-important misguided pompous dead heads.

Had to edit for language -- one word. Z

Hate to say it (no I don't),

But this loud-mouth, arrogant man created a lot of conflict with his opinionated gibberish.

Those of you who BLAME "Obama and the liberal-media," for whatever you like...obviously think just like this fool did.

I say RIP, "see you in heaven"

ha, ha (don't bet on it)

I knew some people would roll out the "attack on a dead man" line.

Look, the guy did what he did and left the legacy that he did. He made the choice to contribute to the toxicity of today's political discourse. No one made him do it.

This sentimental need to "clean up" someone's life just because they died is silly, in my view.

Jerks die, too, as well as tyrants.

I won't dismiss everything he did, b/c some say he was once a good journalist. And I'm sure on a personal level, he was a decent guy.

But on cable, he was a hatchet man for the right-wing and a purveyor of negativity, and little more.

Novak did much to raise television journalism from its suffocating Big Brother ways: its old "and that's the way it is - a way you must embrace because there is no permissible alternative understanding" of say, government programs, budget increases or cuts, war, race relations - a way presented by the elite in an era dominated by Eric Sevareid/Walter Cronkite/Richard C. Hottelot/David Brinkley/Edward P. Morgan/Charles Collingwood/Howard K. Smith/Herman Edwards/Chet Huntley/Bill Monroe/Peter Lisagor/Neil McNeill/Mike Wallace/Harry Reasoner/Kalb Brothers/Bob Clark/Lawrence Spivak/ Dallas Townshend/Robert Pierpont/Bob Trout/Bob Clark/Rod MacLeish.

Aware of a single difference of view among thse gentlemenm? I'm not.

Novak made us realize that there WERE legitimate differences of opinion among those who covered the news in Washington, and stimulated us to apply our own political values and ideology to the news of the day. What a breath of fresh air! Like William F. Buckley, Jr. on Firing Line (and later James J. Kilpatrick on 60 Minutes), Novak freed the viewer in the 1960s and 1970s to consider other possible attitudes toward the most important issues and the most recent events. He is missed very much.

@Randalthor: Wow. Just because you haven't heard of someone means they shouldn't be covered in the news? If you've paid attention to anything other than Fox News for the past 4 years, you'd know that this was the man who wrote the news article outing Valery Plame as an undercover CIA agent. This was considered big news by everyone but the right-wing neo-cons who felt that she deserved it because her husband disagreed with the President.

Hey Zurawik - when are you left tards going to finally get it through your thick, vacuous heads - Valerie Plame was an f-ing desk jockey at Langley, nothing more, nothing less. But of course that doesn't fit your agenda does it.

So much for journalistic integrity among the left.

Why don't you move over to the entertainment section and tell us what position Jon and Kate prefer most?

The refer to Crossfire as "toxic" while Nancy Grace continues to spew endless lies and garbage on her pathetic show is ridiculous. Bob Novac was a serious political thinker, not a vomit mill like CNN's other talking heads.

Thank you for having the courage and integrity to speak plain truth about that vile man. Our planet is better off without him.

Sincerely,

Adrian Brooks

Robert Novak was the nicest, kindest, hit and run driver Washington has ever known.
He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in July 2008, less than a week after he struck a pedestrian in downtown Washington with his Corvette and drove away.

Ding Dong the ... of Liberty is dead.

Hi Ray, I had to edit one word for language standards. I know some would disagree, but I am trying to limit any languagge that could be considered coarse. It's a judgment call, I ackkowledge that. Z

Novak did everything in his power to besmear, ridicule, insult, blame and threat anyone whose politics did not match his own. I am sorry to see anybody die of a disease sooner than normal old age but nevertheless, I agree with your article that he was basically a dark person who did not have an ounce of compassion, kindness and cordiality. May his soul rest in peace and hope that there won't be another Robert Novak.

I did not agree with most of Bob Novak's opinions and analyses. At the same time, I enjoyed him as an entertaining character with frequently good "scoops." I'd characterize him as only a bit player in the coarsening of American political discourse.

My only real issue with him was his complicity with Karl Rove and Dick Cheney in knowingly and deliberately "outing" a CIA agent classified by the CIA as "covert."

Certainly any patriot who appeciates the sacrifices that American intelligence agents make to keep us free would agree that Novak, Rove and Cheney should have been prosecuted for their traitorous behavior in this case.

How can a journalist separate facets of a man's persona in any conscience and not recognize the insolence of the act. This was an effective man, apparently not a concept you're familiar with. Nobody seems to understand the difference between real information and spin anymore. I guess it's clear that the devotion of this man's life was wasted on you, though you benefitted more than you could comprehend.

I could not disagree with you more.

You are the one spreading toxins, my friend.

Its funny, for years during the 1970s, Novak was casually dismissed as an anti-Communist idealogue by the left in the media, and by many in the Eastern blue blood establishment of the Republican Party. Now, he's a reporting icon.

What you call "toxic" some call debate. See, before guys like Novak, liberals had the mainstream press all to themselves with little debate. The sad part is some still dont recognize the value of boisterous debate over politics, economics and ideology. Its a valuable debate, and one that Novak enjoyed engaging.

I found Novak to be a great journalist with great instincts - but one who didnt wear all that well on TV. You see, he didnt have a pretty face - nor a sexy voice. But he was competent, and diligent in reporting - something that journalists today just dont get.

I absolutely agree with everything you've written here. Novak's style was a major reason we're now stuck in this mire of willful ignorance and vicious vitriol that somehow passes for "debate." We're all so much poorer for his contributions. Maybe he was a nice guy, and maybe his kids/grandkids loved him, but he was a divisive, destructive cancer in the body politic. This needed to be said.

David Fauber: Nice attempt at revisionism. Novak and his ilk have trained you well.

First, you're off topic and thread-jacking.
Second, Libby was never jailed.
Third, he landed into trouble trying to protect the actual guilty parties -- Rove and Cheney, who both lied to him.
Fourth, it's a Republican president who had the chance to grant him a full pardon, but did not.
Finally, you're pointing to the wrong side of the aisle if you're looking for people to blame for the "trials of Scooter Libby."

Thank you, Myron, for bringing facts and clear-headed analysis to the table. Z

There's whitewashing truth and then there's hammering a guy on the day that he died. I find it a bit much.

Moreover, there were plenty of shrill loudmouths embarrassing themselves back when Crossfire hit the airwaves, and I don't particularly remember Novak being a pioneer in that regard.

OK, OK--those who agree with Novak's politics get to complain that it isn't polite to dis the recently departed (although do any of us imagine Novak himself would have exercised such restraint)? Anyway, we get it. Let's move on.

Ths issue with Novak that prompts critical comments isn't simply the substance of his politics. It was his tone, his nastiness. When Wm. F. Buckley passed away I saw very little in the way of sharp criticism from those who disagreed with him, and he was far more influential politically than Novak could ever hope to be, because Buckley was basically a decent man who had principles (although there were many who disagreed greatly with some of those principles). Novak was neither principled nor decent, but an opinionated boor. The defense of him here is no more than taking another opportunity to vent against "liberals."

@Arnbo: have you ever considered that when all you see are headlights, *you* might be the one going the wrong way? There really is only one truly partisan network on the air - one that routinely distorts reality and inflates propaganda under the guise of news - and it employs none of the people you mention. The FOXification of America is lamentable, but not unpredictable - there will always be room for opportunists to prey on people's darkest instincts, and there will certainly be no shortage of people willing to be taken for a ride.

the article was "right on'" In my opinion he (Novak) fit right in with the other cable personalities such as Rush Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly who promote "their version" of the news. Boy - do I miss the Cronkite type of reporting which is totally lacking in today's journalistic society

The man was a Traitor to the United States of America, who jeopardized our covert operations for personal gain and a "scoop." Out of misguided self-interest and extremist politicking, he did more harm to our nation and set a worse example to our children than any anti-war liberal has in 30 years. He may once have been great, but that is not his legacy.

David Fauber time to stop drinking the kool-aid bud. Your side lost, get over it. What Novak did was treason, pure and simple. He should have been drawn and quartered. Like i stated before, leave it up to right wing idiots to make excuses for anyone. ANd David Fauber jumps right in to prove me correct. Ah yes, the new Republican party, the party that makes excuses for traitors.

What a relief this dishonest, destructive person is no longer with us. He did a lot of damage and it was all ego and lies.

the article was "right on'" In my opinion he (Novak) fit right in with the other cable personalities such as Rush Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly who promote "their version" of the news. Boy - do I miss the Cronkite type of reporting which is totally lacking in today's journalistic society

"he was indeed a very dark force in cable TV news contributing mightily to the toxic culture of confrontation, belligerence and polarization that so defines cable TV and American political discourse today"

....just like the tone of this commentary?

So what's the writer's point? That lib smugness is superior to con vituperation?

Yes, he was conservative on most issues (which I guess means dark and evil to all good liberals), but he was bright, and tenacious and had no problem whatsoever blasting other conservatives when he thought they were misguided or disingenuous.
That makes him a dark angel in my book.
The world is worse without him.
RIP

Too bad Novak didn't adopt a more congenial, easy-going, non-partisan style and delivery.

Like yours.

Typical left wing arrogance. They believe that theirs is the only view point and that everyone who does not agree with them is a radical right wing extremist. I stop believing in anything CNN said when they refused to display the American flag after 9-11. It simply amazes me that they can so callously write off half of Americans because we don't agree with them.

Dear Sir.
Robert Novak was ati Israel and ani semite to the bone and a consevative who was so baised that it was sad. The world is a better place without him.

Novak - The only man I know that could have brought Cheney down. I guess we'll all have to wait for Cheney to do that to himself.

Novak - The man who moved me more left than any of the other right wing reporters.

He's lucky to have lived in the land of free speech - although none of us are lucky to have had heard him...

RIP - there was none of that when he was living...

I.don't.care.if.Robert.Novak.died.Good.Writens.to.bad.rubbish!

I guess the Daily Show will have to shelve any further editions of it's "... for Liberty" segment...

Hi, Sorry, I have to edit out the word. Again, it is a judgment call, I admit. Thanks. Z

You liberals are awful. The man just died and this is the story you write. He was a great man who happened to be a conservative.

If he was the same man but a lib I'm sure you would spend the next ten days glorifing the man.

Cap and trade for republicans

Cap spending and trade Obama!

I didn't realize until now why I was so polarized, but now I know:

the Novak made me do it.

You liberals are awful. The man just died and this is the story you write. He was a great man who happened to be a conservative.

If he was the same man but a lib I'm sure you would spend the next ten days glorifing the man.

Cap and trade for republicans

Cap spending and trade Obama!

"Oh... Bob." ('Dave')

So, the 'Prince of Darkness' (his self-assessment, not mine) is gone? I'm reminded of the 'lawyer at the bottom of the sea' joke(s), as in it's a good start.

This POS spawned the likes of the Malkin, Coulter, Savage, Larson, Beck et al and provided a 'blue print' for getting their hate-filled invective 'main streamed'.

So, no 'tears' here for TPoD, the kinda guy that would run over a person in a cross walk in his vette and then try to get away, none.

>>The bicyclist was David Bono, a partner at Harkins Cunningham, who was on his usual bike commute to work at 1700 K St. N.W. when he witnessed the accident.

>>As he traveled east on K Street, crossing 18th, Bono said a "black Corvette convertible with top closed plowed into the guy. The guy is sort of splayed onto the windshield.”

>>Bono said that the pedestrian, who was crossing the street on a "Walk" signal and was in the crosswalk, rolled off the windshield and that Novak then made a right into the service lane of K Street. “The car is speeding away. What’s going through my mind is, you just can’t hit a pedestrian and drive away,” Bono said.

>>He said he chased Novak half a block down K Street., finally caught up with him and then put his bike in front of the car to block it and called 911. Traffic immediately backed up, horns blared and commuters finally went into reverse to allow Novak to pull over.

>>Bono said that throughout, Novak "keeps trying to get away. He keeps trying to go.” He said he vaguely recognized the longtime political reporter and columnist as a Washington celebrity but could not precisely place him.

>>Finally, Bono said, Novak put his head out the window of his car and motioned him over. Bono said he told him that you can't hit a pedestrian and just drive away. He quoted Novak as responding: “I didn’t see him there.”

>>"This guy hit somebody and he won't stop so I'm going to stay here until the police come," Aleta Petty quoted Bono as saying, as he stood in K Street, blocking traffic.

The 'teachable moment' here? You may not (legally) kill 'evil', but, it eventually dies.

Bye-Bye Bob, you won't be missed. And, that in and of itself should be a 'teachable moment' for the rest of reich-wing chattering class spawn.

Isn't it amusing to read the comments by the s*** for-brains right-wing dupes? If it is not them giving the heat, they feel all bent out of shape! Novak defiled a once noble profession that at a time in history was a point of pride in our country. The sad thing is, he was not alone in his toxicity, and as others have stated, there are plenty out there to fill his shoes. I will not miss him.

I was no huge fan of Bob Novak, but why do I think you'd find more to praise about a liberal like Michael Kinsley (co-host of Crossfire for many years) or Bill Press (liberal co-host) or Bob Bickel (also a co-host and liberal) than for Mr. Novak. Crossfire wasn't a one man show and the liberal co-hosts were as much to blame (along with CNN) for the "in your face" format.

The man OUTED AN UNDERCOVER CIA AGENT. Yes she was undercover as stated by the CIA Director under oath to Congress. That alone should negate all the so called good he did for the country.

I appreciated the article written by the author of this blog. It seemed fairly full of facts and developed an opinion based on those facts. That is what journalism is supposed to be about for reporting on the living as well as the dead. We are allowed opinions based on an honorable appraisal of the facts. Honor is a little discussed topic in these dark times. Honorable appraisals of the facts do not have to agree with my or anyone else’s point of view; they have to present what the author actually believes the truth to be. That is what separates Walter Cronkite from Robert Novac. History will not long remember Novac but will remember with honor those who have taken the risk to honorably report what they observe.

I find it nothing short of riotus that the left wants to point to Novak for outing Plame when they routinely divulge information that puts 1,000's of troops in harms way.

Oh but wait; now I see the difference. Plame supports the left's agenda so maintaining secrecy is suddenly its a big deal.

Oh my... someone needs to get back on Zoloft!

Novak was a journalist first, and a commentator in later years. He was world class at both, and unlike today's talent-deprived "press", knew the difference.

Z, your slant is embarassingly transparent. Take a lesson for Gods sake.

You lefty idiots dump on Novak for being "dark" when a toxic clown like Al Franken is a US Senator??!?! Give me a break.

A neocon is dead. Only God knows how he will be treated. Hopefully G Bush and Dick Cheney will write his obituary.

Posted by: GT Williams | August 18, 2009 4:18 PM

I.don't.care.if.Robert.Novak.died.Good.Writens.to.bad.rubbish!

Hey Williams - Writens????? WTF??? Fall for that public education scam did you?

Pitiful article. Just because you don't agree with a point of view, you attack the man. Weak! Let's see when the demise of Ed Shultz, Keith Olberman, Arianna Huffuington, James Carville, Begala, Pelosi, Jackson & Sharpton, Ted Kennedy,and the other thousands on the left that thrive on confrontation....we will see.(I won't cause I'll probably be dead) I just hope you are consistant

Actually, I said quite clearly I was not writing about the man -- only the TV persona. Thanks. Z

Richard Armitage is a liberal ? Since when? He was Deputy Secretary of State in the GW Bush Administration, is a self proclaimed Neo-Conservative, was pushing for attacking Iraq since before Bush was in office, and now he is supposively a "liberal" ??

I guess if you believe that, then its not a far stretch to think that Novak outing a CIA agent was a patriotic thing to do....

Keep in mind, Plame was outed because her husband proved that the key evidence for attacking Iraq was a FORGED document.

Why on earth are American conservatives happy America was tricked into going to war with Iraq ??

Novak aside, you and many other commenting on here today show an all too common lack of awareness of political history, in the media and elsewhere, when you bemoan "toxic" politics and try to make people believe there was some level of decorum in pre-tv/Novak/(fill in blank) America. It's preposterous and frankly either ignorant or disingenuous. Channel Alexander Hamilton and ask him if he'd rather debate poltics with Novak or Aaron Burr?

David Zurawik is playing Alinsky's Rule #12: "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it". It also helps if the target is dead and can't respond.

The polarizing influences on American culture since the 1950s have largely come from the American Left's bellicose moral posturing and in-your-face style of political theatre. That Zurawik refuses to even pay lip service to this fact is the hallmark of a political hack posing as a journalist.

....

I watched him once. I thought to myself that he had a mean-looking face, then when he started talking I knew he had a mean mouth to match. I didn't watch him again. Life is too short to burden your spirit with negative people. I wasn't surprised when he outed the CIA agent. I WAS surprised that nobody called it treason.

I deeply resent it when people think they have a lock on the truth, that they can speak to others as though the listener was an idiot, or that shouting others down is a civilized act of communication.

Novak was a smart and interesting man who engaged in all those actions. The author is correct, discourse on divisive topics has virtually ceased and has been replaced by limbic emotional responses accompanied by much ugly shouting and worse.

A civilization has probably run it's course when supposedly intelligent citizens can no longer listen or calmly talk to each other.

One other beef I have: Why do so many self-avowed American Christians sound so completely angry on so many topics these days? This is NOT what Christ taught.

No worries. The Swimmer isn't far behind and what goes around comes around, rats. Let's start to warm you all up, so consider this, most likely the last thoughts of Mary Jo Kopechne (having edited out the truly wretched and sad parts): "Teddy will come back for me. He's strong and sure and always knows what to do. He loves me. And he's a Kennedy, he'll find a way! All I have to do is keep calm and wait. He'll be back for me."

Oh, do you find that obnoxious? What a pity. Seems like you need a lesson in empathy. Count on getting several before your obit is written.

@David Dingee

You mean Bush's wars, unemployment due to the economy tanking during Bush's watch, and Bush's expansion of government.

You haven't forgotten already who started all of these things have you? It's not fair to blame it on the guy who came in after all of these things were already started.

Moral Conscious dictates that we as a society do not speak ill of the dead simply because we disagree with that person's politics. Some of you folks should have been taught that in grade school, or more importantly at home. What has happened to our culture is sad.

I hope they put his dental plate in , before they closed the lid.

Isn't it funny that speaking in a less than complimentary tone about a man whose very public existence was built on that very thing is making some angry? I would bet these are the same people who have raged that anyone spoke in good terms about Michael Jackson recently. The man was an a-hole on the air, and when Rush bites the dirt, HE won't be talked about in glowing terms either. You reap what you sow.

Like most bewildered liberals, Mr.Zurawik can't understand why a man like Robert Novak ever gained popularity and is still loved by many. Mr. Novak was good at pointing out the the hypocrisy in our government and among the left in this country. If it was not for him CNN would have been a lap dog for the liberals much sooner than it has....

I would like to say if there is anything that Novak did that was good for media or country none of that matters. Robert Novak was a traitor to his country. He disclosed the perosnal information of a CIA operative. Putting the entire team and that person in harms way. That makes him a traitor that committed crimes against his country. I hope to GOD I don't have to listen to the news memorialize this traitor. He exsposed a person whom was related to the person trying to shed light on a crime being committed by our president and vice president. If you ask me Novak should have spent the rest of his life in prison or executed. He is no better than the terrorists we are fighting in Afganistan.
If while serving my country during Desert Storm I had given away our troops positions on purpose I would have been tried as a criminal. Why wasnt he?
Many Americans have died fighting in a war that should have never been fought and Novak screwed over the one person that could have proven that the president and vice president was lying to the American people.
No Im sorry I won't shed any tears for a traitor.

Sincerely

Mike Papp

Hi Mike, Thanks for this testimony from someone who really did put his life on the line for this country.Z

Let's get it straight. She was never an operative who needed anything than the slightest cover and was never in harm's way by being exposed. Anyone of her circle of friends and close associates knew what she was doing. She was no spook and stop reporting it like she was a spook.

The fact we'd spend three seconds to comment on his passing gives his life more importance than it deserves. He was just a guy on TV.

No doubt there are those who will miss him. I am not one of them.

It kind of makes you wonder... exactly how long did he have a brain tumor, and how much did it affect his behavior...

"On September 7, 2006 Richard Armitage ADMITTED being the source of the CIA leak" over Valerie Plame.

You stupid, hapless liberals, including those who thank people for their "testimony" due to miliary service inasmuch as one has nothing to do with the other in this context. BTW, Mike Papp, thank you for your service.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Armitage_(politician)

It is interesting to see so many "patriotic" conservative Americans love this man, who probably had committed "treason" by outing a CIA operative. How does that work?

Disclosing the identity of a CIA operative was only one of Mr. Noavak's regrettable acts. Good riddance, Dark Prince.

Absolutely ridiculous and pathetic summary of Novak. Novak was a registered Democrat but leaned a bit to the right. He was one of the extremely rare reporters who focused on being a great reporter and let the chips fall where they may. Just the facts, ma'am.

Novak was nothing like Nixon. Nixon was a smarmy politician who played the political game. Novak was an honest reporting technician who was blessed with a crappy personality but an incredible drive to unearth the dirt.

For Z not to emphasize that first and foremost Novak was a great reporter tells you that Z knows little about good reporting.

The reason that there is so much confrontation on cable is that confrontation brings in an audience. Don't ask me why.

I'll 'second' that (from fellow Vet Mike Pap):

"He exposed a person whom was related to the person trying to shed light on a crime being committed by our president and vice president. If you ask me Novak should have spent the rest of his life in prison or executed. He is no better than the terrorists we are fighting in Afghanistan."

And, further 'clarify' > Novak helped 'sell' the Iraq invasion and then assisted in a criminal conspiracy w/Bush/Cheney/Rove & Armitage/Libby to obstruct justice by 'sending a message' to EVERY CIA operative w/actionable info about the lie that was the basis for invading Iraq,WMD:

"Speak up at your peril."

ie CIA or no, you WILL be attacked/destroyed/outed to defend the indefensible, a war of choice.

This Vietnam Vet saw it coming from wayyy off and The Prince of Darkness was right there boot licking and intel dumping.

Again, Novak gone? No tears here, 'Bob'.

Thank you, Kenneth. It means a lot to hear from the Americans who actually put their lives on the line for what many in Washington and on TV only talk about. Thanks again. Z

Robert Novak's television persona was, in my estimation, a refreshing change from the insipid pablum that has passed for journalism on most TV news media outlets over the past two decades. Novak had a combative and confrontational style, to be sure, but his on air battles with the likes of Al Hunt, Mark Shields, or other politically opposed guests were to criticize sharply the policies and ideologies with which he disagreed.

Many of the younger generation of TV "journalists", such as Coulter and Malkin, Maddow and Olberman, et. al., frequently insult their opponents, rather than dissect their ideas in anything resembling a rigorous fashion. Bob Novak fought his battles vigorously and with respect for those willing to afford him the same.

In my estimation, your analysis of Robert Novak's TV career is wildly inaccurate and, frankly, a shameful piece of journalism for the day of his death.

Good riddance. The jerk was not worthy of respect.

Just because someone died does not change the way he was in life. People say show some respect for the dead. Too bad someone who is dead did not show respect for people when he was alive.

Amen, Tim. Thanks. Z

those that can.... do, those that can't critique

Phil | August 18, 2009 4:39 PM

Before you do anymore blubbering and prove without a doubt you have no facts to back up your claims, you might want to get a thorough understanding of HR4655 and s.190.

HR4655, signed by Clinton in 1998, called for the overthrow of Saddam and the installation of a democratic form of government while s.190 was a bill proposed by Republicans as early as 2003 (and defeated by democrats in 2003, 2005, and agin in 2007) to bring oversight to Freddie and Fannie. Their collapse, as I am sure you are unaware, is pointed to by virtually every economist on the planet as the start of the world wide financial melt down.

Hey I know I'm dealing with facts but go ... and try to read them.

I edited a phrase to delete what i read aas a personal insult. Z

I feel the same way about Robert Novak leaving this earth as I did Jesse Helms, whatever good there was in the person was lost in all hate and negativism that he espoused. The world is better off with his passing, there is now have one less hater on earth

... and leading us to the polarized, angry space that cable TV and the conversation of American politics ...

H'mm if that concerns you so much perhaps you should speak to Chris Matthews. Novak was a tame wall flower compared to Matthews.

No, the way we got here was almost the entire intelligentsia, from academics to jurists to journalists, dedicated themselves to a politics that can only be implemented by defying the Constitution. All who believe in individual liberty must confront that polarizing force.

Phil, yes Armitage admitted to being the 'inadvertent leak' of Plame's CIA work, but I bet you did not know of her CIA career until Novak published it in his nationally syndicated column.

I guess you are one of those conservatives that like the fact that Americans were lied to with forged documents and thus tricked into going to war in Iraq ?

And you call other people stupid and hapless ?

Novak was a traitor who deserved to be tried as one. Shame on all the so-called "patriotic" right-wingers who say he did nothing wrong. Anyone who says Plame was not a spook so it doesn't matter if she was outed is completely wrong. There is no logic in that. She still works for the CIA and is undercover. Funny how biased right-wingers are. They are the most hateful, illogical, and untrustworthy people you can find.

Right on. Just because someone dies does not mean you lie about their legacy: Robert Novack had much to be ashamed of in his life.

What a poor choice of commentary upon the death of a journalist who cared about what happened to this country--whether you agreed or not is of no importnace.

1700h on 18 SUG, 2009

t's 'Happy Hour' @ the Wilson/Plame's household.

Joe Wilson: "Chronic Liar" Robert Novak Is "Going Straight To Hell"
October 8, 2007 -- 4:19 PM EST

>I just got off the phone with former Ambassador Joe Wilson, and in our conversation he angrily disputed Robert Novak's latest assertion about the outing of his CIA operative wife, adding that if the columnist isn't going to confession, "he's going straight to Hell."

>Wilson's angry over a story today in The Hill which quoted Novak saying that Wilson did not forcefully object when Novak spoke to him before publishing his now infamous column naming his wife, Valerie Plame, prompting a Federal investigation and getting Scooter Libby carted off to jail.

>Instead, Novak claimed, Wilson was primarily focused on not being named in Novak's article solely as an opponent of the Iraq war.

>"He's lying," Wilson responded a few moments ago when I reached him on his cell phone.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/10/joe_wilson_chro.php

Just desserts, 'traitor' and co-conspirator - better late than never. Bacardi Mojito, thank you Joe and don't be 'shy' w/the rum.

"May you always have a clean shirt, a clear conscience, and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint!"

Another load of bigoted ... from the vile and evil left-wing.

I suppose when Al Sharpton, ... , dies, you will praise him as Jesus Christ the 2nd.

Edited for coarse language and potential slander. Z

Novak outed a CIA agent. God knows how many people died as a result of what he did. There is nothing 'good' about this man. Rest in peace? I hope he doesn't.

To David Dingee (first commentor): ... bloated government ... Unabatted ... . You are tellingly David, a Novak-ite.

The world, unfortunate as it is to say of any man, was not made better by Mr. Novak, but rather more coarse and strident. Prince of Darkness was his chosen moniker ... indeed.

The media fawns over President Obama? Really? All I hear is 24 x 7 bashing on Fox News. Then you you listen to the radio, and it's more of the same with Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Dr. Laura, and on and on and on. All the "Media" does is bash :President Obama.

Well, Paul.......you prove my point better than I ever could.
In your mind (or lack of same) there is only one slanted news organization - FOX. All the rest are purely unbiased truth spouters just like you.
There are only two groups of thought: Your saintly version of the truth, and those vile racist hatemongers who disagree with you. Nice work, liberal.
What does liberal stand for anyway? Intolerance?

You neglect to mention that he was the token conservative on liberal shows on a liberal network. His liberal counterparts treated him with disrespect constantly. He had to be confrontational to get a word in edgewise on Ted Turners network.

I've never had occasion to wear a Red Shirt to a funeral until now.

Leftists like NH "independent" (lol) who remain strangely silent when others post that Novack "leaked the CIA memo" now suddenly find their voice to try and change the subject. Now, according to NHleftist, apparently it's not important that Armitage ACTUALLY leaked it (and who, per Mike Papp and other factually misinfomed patriots) claim doing so was treason. No, it's Novack who is to blame for doing what journalists are supposed to do in this country.

For those of you left of center and thus unable to think clearly, it's a strange reversal for an "independent" who would, at the drop of any other hat, claim to stand for the First Amendment. The press would be interested.

Or would they? Perhaps not, in NHleftist's world.

Re: Robert Novak: Thank you. Your comments are appreciated. The fact that he did not pay any price for outing Valerie Plame is truly one of the greatest injustices of this century.

I stopped watching cable T.V. "news" many years ago and Robert Novak certainly was part of the reason CNN lacked credibility as a "news" organization. Maybe things have gotten better in recent years but Robert Novak - you will not be missed.

Novak outed nobody. Armitage did, and Novak then did his job as a journalist.

Dancing on his grave already and not even buried yet! I didn't agree with many of the man's views, but I have more class than to trash him on the day of his death. It's so low. So "polarized". Shame on you.

Novak was a journalist who deserves to be remembered as one. Shame on all the so-called "tolerant" left-wingers who say the First Amendment is only for those who agree with them. Anyone who says Armitage did not out Plame is factually wrong. Thus, there is no logic that can proceed from a bad premise. Armitage leaked it; Novak reported it. Funny how biased left-wingers are. They are the most hateful, illogical, and untrustworthy people you can find.

I won't comment on the liberal/conservative talking heads issue--- both sides have representative negative broadcasters-- I will say that a liberal friend in Washington told me that, "everyone knew Valerie was a spook-- a low level one at that."

I can't verify his comment, but I really have no reason not to believe him.

Many will not miss Novak. somehow he eluded being jailed for exposing a CIA agent. There is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588

robT > NOW the reich-wing (channeled by robT) is conflating Iraq Lib Act w/justifying Iraq war?!

WOW! The 'google machine' is gonna leave a 'mark' on this lame attempt at re-writing history:

>HR 4655 Summary: Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 - Declares that it should be the policy of the United States to seek to remove the Saddam Hussein regime from power in Iraq and to replace it with a democratic government.

Authorizes the President, after notifying specified congressional committees, to provide to the Iraqi democratic opposition organizations: (1) grant assistance for radio and television broadcasting to Iraq; (2) Department of Defense (DOD) defense articles and services and military education and training (IMET); and (3) humanitarian assistance, with emphasis on addressing the needs of individuals who have fled from areas under the control of the Hussein regime. Prohibits assistance to any group or organization that is engaged in military cooperation with the Hussein regime. Authorizes appropriations.

Directs the President to designate: (1) one or more Iraqi democratic opposition organizations that meet specified criteria as eligible to receive assistance under this Act; and (2) additional such organizations which satisfy the President's criteria.

Urges the President to call upon the United Nations to establish an international criminal tribunal for the purpose of indicting, prosecuting, and imprisoning Saddam Hussein and other Iraqi officials who are responsible for crimes against humanity, genocide, and other criminal violations of international law.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that once the Saddam Hussein regime is removed from power in Iraq, the United States should support Iraq's transition to democracy by providing humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people and democracy transition assistance to Iraqi parties and movements with democratic goals, including convening Iraq's foreign creditors to develop a multilateral response to the foreign debt incurred by the Hussein regime. "

Narry a word in there or any where ELSE in the entirety of the Act that talks about invading Iraq, it was all about the reich-wing and PNAC (Project for a New American Century, eg the neo-cons: Rumsfeld, Woflowitz, Cheney, Feith, et al) using the rethug majorities in the House and Senate to lay the ground work FOR an invasion and channeling MILLIONS & MILLIONS of dollars thru criminal and 'pretender to the throne' Ahmed Chalibi's org: the INC (Iraqi National Congress) which was responsible for MUCH of the BS DIS-information/intel that came outta Iraq in the lead up to 2003 (eg 'Curveball') now widely discredited, then embraced and chamioned by Cheney OVER CIA intel that broke 180 degrees with this bought and paid for war campaign PR.

Do NOT go 'there', robT. We, unlike you Bush/Cheney kool-aid gulpers, are NOT idiots.

The blood of 5000 US KIA and 30,000 wounded and > 100,000 Iraqi dead and 2.5 MILLION displaced rest squarely on this crew, Novak, Judith Miller, and YOU if you insist on clinging to it.

Sure you've worn red, James Ash. Today won't be any different, stop pretending it will be. You wear it all the time. People see you as red even when you're wearing white. The thing is, you should really try some blue, too. You might find those three colors work well. Because certainly the colors of North Korea, Cuba, Communist China, Venezuela, Cambodia, and the former Soviet Union don't work at all.

Or, my intellectually challenged friend, hasn't one hundred years of brutal history informed you yet? What's that I just heard? Venezuela shut down the first of its radio stations, ostensively for "not renewing its license?" Oh no, I guess some people didn't hear that. They weren't tuned to your station.

You've never had occasion to wear a Red Shirt to a funeral until now? Don't be silly. There are hundreds of millions of people your miscreant philosophy has buried in the past century. Weren't you there? Not even for one of them?

One can only hope that when your time comes, opportunists like yourself don't trash you as quickly as you disparaged this legend in journalism. My guess is you were all teary-eyed at the passing of another great, though decided liberal journalist.

Bob Novak is dead.

And now we've got Schuster, Chrissy "tinkle down my leg" Matthews and that Maddow ...

Sure.
The world's a better place.

Edited for taste. Z

Novak was a toxic distillation of all that is wrong with conservatism in this country today. May he burn in hell.

Polarizing = Anyone who dares to disagree with your leftist world view. No wonder your dinosaur media are dying.

I have no feelings for Novak, pro or con. But I think it noteworthy that the anti-Novak comments seem to be coming from the lower, ugly side of life, and they obviously reflect a sincere lack of intelligence, especially with regard to Flame's credentials as a "CIA operative". It's a known fact that she was nothing more than a clerk, and to categorize her disclosure as "traitorous" is laughable, though it simply typifies how the loony LEFT distorts such things. By the way, it's also a known fact that it was not Novak that disclosed Flame's relatively insignificant existence, not that it matters. So, get a grip, my left-headed friends.

If there's anyone more deserving of contempt than Novak it's the vermin who belittle the treasonous betrayal of our country's most vital security force. Whether Plame was high or low in the echelon of the CIA the crime against her should have been prosecuted with the same diligence and vigor. One can only imagine what the reaction of the Neocons would have been if this traitor had been a Democrat. When slavish Party obedience trumps national patriotism then ONE of them is defective....can you guess which one of them it IS ?

Thank you for sharing so much, Mr. Novak. You were a man of principle and conviction in a world too often filled by people looking for the easy way to success...

Edited for crude language....Z

I guess David Zurawik is hearkening back to the time when his worldview was virtually unquestioned, and unchallenged on TV.

Did he write a similar "dark force" article about Novak's co-host Tom Braden, who died earlier this year?

Gee, the guy isn't even in the ground yet and you just can't help yourself but to slam him.

Stay classy, Democrats!

Lying and pulling punches are not my definition of being "classy." And, again, I made it very clear in my post that I was not talking about the man. I was talking only the TV persona. I could not have been more precise on making that distinction. Thanks for your comment. Z

So, after reading some of these comments, what do you think? Polarizing enough for you?

Thank you, Paul. Yes, I think the comments make my case perfectly. As the headline says, he was indeed a polarizing TV presence. Thanks. Z

Henry Landis' screed concludes with the question to us about which party's slavish and ononistic obedience trumps national patriotism. He also asks what the conservative outrage might be like had the traitor been a Democrat (sic).

No need to look far. Sandy "I'll Hide These Memos in My Pants" Berger provides an example with clarity--and one which is instructive to all sane Americans.

By the way, Mr. Landis had the appelation correct when he referred to the Democratic Party as "Democrats." For indeed they are. They just don't their ship is sinking yet. (That's why they're hard to spot.)

From "we don't need to read the bills" to "I won't support what my constituency wants" to "it's the Republicans' fault even though we have a veto proof majority in both Houses" yeah, we're all enjoying the show. My vote for the best campaign slogan next year?

"They've blown it all again. Say hello to 2010!"

Phil, I had not yet heard that middlename for Sandy Berger. It's a good one. Z

"Is there anything ever that can be posted on the internet without some right wing anti-Obama rhetoric being thrown in? You guys are starting to sound like you live in Iran."

No, in Iran you get jailed for criticizing the government. Sounds like you'd agree with that concept... NOW. A year (or 6) ago, nothing could be posted on the Internet without some left-wing anti-Bush rhetoric being thrown in. Hertz donut.

This is amazing. Novak spoke his mind, he called it like he saw it. And that wasn't always the way it was supposed to be seen. It's obvious from comments like this that that bothers quite a few "enlightened" people.

Plame was "outed" by Armitage. The witch-hunting prosecutor KNEW this from virtually the beginning of the investigation. It was a BIG SCANDAL when it was thought it could be linked to the Bush WH. After it was finally revealed WHO did the actual "leaking," it became a Saturday Night Live punch-line: "Never mind."

That seems to be the "problem" with media reports today; when the stink isn't coming from the right place, the motto is "never mind."

Dave Dingee thinks Obama started two wars.

It must be a lot of effort to be that ignorant.

Typical pablum from the left....

Wow. The passion sure is high on this one. I'm sorry that the man is dead, but my sole recollection is that sneering look he would give anyone who possibly disagreed with him. Sorry folks, but I happen to think that he was the beginning to what we see today with Olbermann, O'Reilly, Hannity, et al.

I find it amusing that Z thinks there's something inherently objectionable about a person being a "polarizing tv presence." In my household growing up, the drama queen Cronkite was a "polarizing tv presence." Why? Because we belonged to the other pole politically and despised left-wing propaganda (even in the somewhat muted form it took then compared with today). Conversely then, does Z imagine that when [insert lefty journalist here] dies, all the blog comments about him/her will be one-sided and hagiographic? Of course not. Then how does the split between lovers, haters, and fence riders here prove anything at all? Answer: it doesn't. It proves nothing about Novak's positive/negative impact upon public discourse.

The subtext of all this, of course, is that we, according to Z, should desire our public discourse to be all sunshine and rainbows, delivered by gentle men in sweaters speaking in condescending, Mr. Rogers cadences so as not to offend our tender sensibilities. What a joke. Novak was a guy who said what he thought and said it straight out. He was a man and acted like one. Too bad if someone didn't or doesn't like that. On the left, I don't agree with Bob Beckel much, but at least he thinks and acts like a real man. I'd rather have him in my foxhole than any hundred limp-wristed, Z-style, happy boys and their warmed-over hippie dippy nonsense any day.

Please. Grow up and get over this juvenile "Mommy, the big, bad man was mean to me" play-acting. It not only makes you look ridiculous, it's transparently phony to boot, as there are no people on earth more vicious, heartless, and vengeful than those on the political left.

David Z.,

Jumpin' jelly-beans, have you ever opened up a fine can of worms w/ your piece on the passing of veteran conservative T.V. journalist/ commentator, muck-raker extraordinaire, Robert Novak.

(His history as a serial-hit-and-run driver was news to me.)

In an admittedly fleeting perusal of the huge litany of heated postings (150 and counting) re/ Novak's legacy, it appears that this guy was either begrudgingly admired, or thoroughly loathed, depending on what side of the grand political divide his critics, for or nay, reside, w/ little gray area for the conflicted fence-sitters out there in the political blogosphere.

Frankly, my memories of Novak, particularly his earlier role(s) as moderator on several T.V. political forums such as "Crossfire" are kind of vague, yet more recently I do recall his alleged complicity in the shoddy Valerie Plame/ Wilson 'affair'.

I know it's not generally very kosher to speak ill of the recently departed, even though this Novak guy, as evidenced by the litany of pointed negative comments in response to your critical article, seemed to rub many folks the wrong way, not solely for his incessant hammering at his Leftist critics, but for the abrasive, combative and arrogant way he defended his ingrained political biases, as well.

The phrase, "If looks could kill", immediately comes to mind.

One of our fellow bloggers made what I thought was an astute comparison between the contrasting T.V. on-air debating styles of William F. Buckley and Robert Novak, w/ Buckley usually seeking the moral high-ground, flaunting his intellect and debating prowess, while Novak would often resort to bullying, and bombast to score points and in an on-air meeting-of-minds, or adversarial tete-a-tete.

As a kid, I'll never forget those heated televised debates, those civil, yet spirited verbal slugfests between the silver-tongued, acerbic, Gore Vidal, and the equally sharp, darting-tongued, witty William F. Buckley.

Political theater of the highest order! Priceless!

But I digress.

Novak is obviously a lightening rod for passionate emotion, and plenty of invective and spleen-venting, and I would suspect the jury of public opinion still isn't totally unanimous, quite yet, in its condeming this guy to the ash heap of T.V. journalistic oblivion.

Stay tuned, fellow bloggers.

ALEX

P.S.:

If by some weird quirk of fate we found out that Mr. Novak was somehow directly related to the buxom Hollywood blonde bombshell Kim Novak, his vehement detractors just might soften their tone, and their animus. Just a thought.

Yeah, I know what your saying, "If pigs could fly, they'd have wings". Touche!

Hi ALEX, I think the comments bear out what I said in the headline: His TV persona was a polarizing one. Thanks. Z

I don't remember Robert Novak, but I did get the feeling from Chris Matthews last night that he was indeed a polarlizing character in the cable news media. And like Jane said above, there doesn't seem to be any middle ground. This was the impression I got from Matthews too.

If anyone needs further evidence of just how polarized this society has become look no further than these comments. I will always remember Novak for outing Plame. Who knows how many people suffered because of that single act. And from whom was he fed that information???

Hi Bill, Yes, on the polarization underscored by these remarks.. Thanks. Z

I worked with Bob on CNN's "game shows" for 3-plus years. He was a very generous man to those of us who had the chance to work for him, even if we didn't share the same political views. Here's what I think you miss with your analysis of Bob's TV work. When he was on the long-running older version of Crossfire, we had 22-minutes to fill on one topic, which meant you couldn't come on our show with one or two pithy 6-second soudbites and get away with it like guests (and hosts) can today. Bob and our other hosts pressed their guests on the details of the topic being debated. You actually learned something about the topic from the show. When Crossfire was changed to a PTI-esque format, it did become a shout show that was a shell of its former self but that was very late in its run.

On all of his shows, Bob delivered the goods with solid reporting, repeat, reporting week in and week out. And that reporting hit both sides just as hard. People forget that Evans and Novak was a respectful, yet informative show. The key questions were asked and followed up upon. Not a shout among them. And with the Capital Gang, you had five respected journalists and one newsmaker discussing the week that was in a respectful manner. The laughs amongst the panelists far out outnumbered the "screams", which were rare because we had top guests. To blame him for the shows we see today that do little to inform the viewer and instead feed the hosts' egos with "reporting" that only backs their points-of-view is simply wrong.

Hi, Thanks for your comment. As I said in my post yesterday, I am sure people who worked with him will have warmer recolletions. You bear that out. I made it clear I was speaking only of the on-screen persona. You used the term "shout show" to describe what he was on in the later years. Good term. Why shouldn't he be blamed for that and what shows like that have spawned today? Thanks. Z

(aargh, I accidently erased the first version of this! Let me see if I can reproduce it ...)

Whee, wotta slugfest! Another Morning of the Long Knives.

Mr. Novak (and others of your ilk on both sides), what have you wrought?

We don't listen to each other any more. Someone says something and others, thin-skinned, sometimes articulate, always passionate, with access to a computer and therefore safely anonymous, take umbrage. Out come the knives. Then the other side, equally thin-skinned, sometimes articulate, equally passionate, also safely anonymous behind their computers, take exception to the first group. They bring their knives, too.

My father used to quote advice to lawyers: "If the law is against your client, argue the facts. If the facts are against your client, argue the law. If both the facts and the law are against your client, you can always call your opponent names."

Since we can't even agree on what the facts are these days, we tend to go straight to the name-calling.

For shame!

One of this country's greatest strengths has been progress through compromise. We abandoned that once and the Civil War was the result.

Less heat, more light!

Name-calling begets nothing but more name-calling. All progress stops, and the motto of the day becomes "Don't just do something, stand there!" (Not to mention "You're with Stupid."

When are we, conservative, liberal, moderate, bike riders (never forget to blame the bike riders!) going to stop nominating everyone else but us as the source of Original Sin?

Put the knives away, people, listen to your fellow Americans! We're all good folks, really! While I hate the knives, what I truly fear is the day when we start pulling out the guns.

Thanks,

Jane

Hi Jane, thanks for the plea for communication. That's my very point about the way in which cable TV talk shows have contributed to a climate of anger, insult and vitriol. And, it's a sad fact, that Novak, as a TV presence, was part of that in a major way. Thanks again for all your rerasoned and reasonable comments. PS I like the lawyers statement from your dad a lot. Z

Jane,
There was a very debate about this with Chris Matthews last night. Some people did bring loaded guns to a gathering close to where the president was speaking. The interview was between Ron Regan (I don't know if he is related to the former president) anyway the argument was whether or not it was a show of force of a real threat. But they were licensed and able to carry them openly in public. Kind of worrisome.

You would have been more correct had you written:
'But I am talking about MSNBCs sneering TV personnel and the role they play in reaching back to the dark political style of Joe McCarthy -- and leading us to the polarized, angry space that cable TV and the conversation of American politics now inhabits.'

I have complained extensively about the sneering hosts on MSNBC. And, yes, at least one of them does reach back to that era. And I have said that, too. Thanks. Z

Hi, Sherry T!

I heard something about the gun-totin', but believe it or not, that was not what I was alluding to, but that people are so angry already that they might ramp the hate up another notch or two (I was alluding to the phrase, "bringing a knife to a gunfight....)

Those fellow citizens may have been following the letter of the law, but they were certainly breaking the spirit of it. They had no real excuse to be packing in the vicinity of the President, but they certainly had a reason. They were sending a nonverbal but clear message to the President: We don't like you. We feel threatened by you. You don't control us. Fear us.

I could go into detail about my complex feelings about guns, but I don't want to invoke the knee-jerk reaction I'd probably get (though I may have already said too much ......).

President Reagan does have a conservative son Ron, so it may have been him you heard. I will keep my opinion of his point of view to myself, but so far I find I don't often agree with it.

Time to get back to work, have a great day!

Jane

But Z- speaking of MSNBC hosts "sneering"?- why shouldn't they? They are right and their targets are fools.

You, now that's another story- when Olbermann picked on you as a "worse or worser" person- what ever it was- that boosted your rep and creds- because in that case he was exaggerating. You are NOT that bad of a person. Usually, he's right on target.

Don't you catch the humor in his jibes- apparently a lot of these bloggers don't.

The FOX hosts are uniformly un funny-except in a sneeringly rude and cynical way. They seem misearable to me.

signed rare progressive

Mike,

Thanks for sharing a few of your more positive personal insights into "Bob" Novak, the man, as opposed to the on-air, ofttimes seemingly abrasive and mean-spirited public persona he projected to his T.V. audience as moderator of those many political panel discussion/ debate-format shows, over the years.

In having a close personal and working relationship w/ Novak, obviously you experienced aspects of his personality, perhaps a funnier, softer side of the the man, than we T.V. viewers, who just responded to the edgy, bombastic, argumentative image of the guy that came across the air-waves,; the over-riding 'dark' side of him that seems to have resonated most strongly, and negatively, w/ so many fellow bloggers on this site.

We often forget that even in the more 'elevated', high-brow aspects of T.V. fare, like newsmagazines, 'expert'-panel discussion forums, or Cable political commentary-type shows, (as opposed to sitcoms and game shows), there is always some degree of the entertainment element, and the cult of the on-air personality present.

Remember, T.V. is a business!

Over time all these on-air pundits and pontificators, be they dyed-in-the-wool conservatives, flaming liberals, or all political stripes in between, over time, develop an on-air, hopefully authoritative, yet entertaining signature style, that pulls the viewers in, and hopefully keeps them tuned in and coming back for more.

To be fair, I suspect Robert Novak was not entirely the over-bearing ogre that many of his detractors have painted him, but I believe in many ways his T.V. 'bad-guy', muckraker, attacking, on-air schtick was in part a well-crafted, perversely entertaining act, to pull in ratings, and make him and his show must-see television fare. (Kind of like that over-the-top yahoo, MSNBC financial-market 'guru', "Mad Money"s Jim Kramer.)

I know this may be a comparing apples-to-oranges stretch, but bear w/ me.

As an avid golfer and golf-watcher, i.e, the pro PGA and LPGA, I've observed that the great Brit golfer, multi-Major-winner Nick Faldo, throughout most of his long and stellar career, had this on-course image of a self-absorbed, anti-social, cold-fish, all-business, no-fun, serious golfing machine. This was the over-riding image of Faldo that the popular golf media projected of him to the World up till he semi-retirement from the game a number of years ago, and the World, in turn, accepted this critical media take on arguably the greatest English golfer to stride down the fairways to this very day.

Today, most avid golf aficionados and his golfing peers know Faldo as "Sir" Nick Faldo (recently knighted), and the authoritative color analyst/ commentator sitting along-side CBS Sports golf-anchorman, Jim Nance.

Now, Faldo is hardly the sour-puss, seemingly introverted robot of his playing days, but has shown his true-colors over the last several years as a most witty, engaged, informed and joyful contributer to our collective T.V. golf-viewing pleasure, w/ Kelly Tillman on the Golf channel as well, aside from his commitments to CBS Sports.

I'm sure over the years Faldo's intimates, those closest to him, off the links, saw this genuine, lighter, more human, social side of Nick, but as a strategy for consistently competing on tour at the highest level, he chose, like the great Swedish tennis champ, Bjon "The ICEman" Borg, to play w/ blinders on, in his own self-contained, controlled bubble, which to those of us fans outside the ropes came across as being stuck-up, cold-hearted, and aloof. That was Faldo's game-face schtick, nothing more, or less.

Sorry for this rambling Faldo saga, but my main point is that often what we see on our T.V. screens is just the tip-of-the-ice-berg of what really makes a high-profile on-screen personality tick.

Often the true, authentic personality is only shared and revealed to those folks who have an opportunity to really know, and engage that person AFTER the studio make-up has come off, and the stage-lights have dimmed.

Thanks again Mike, for maybe adding a modicum of balance to the image of a very complex, and as our blogmeister David Z. has convincingly argued, very polarizing broadcast-news veteran, Robert, as you knew him, "Bob" Novak.

ALEX

Hi Jane,

Good to hear from you! Yes, I can believe you when you say that is not what you were alluding to. I almost always, actually almost 100% of the time take things literally. Just like I did with ALEX. I will have to try to remember not to do that so much. I have a feeling we would more than likely have the same viewpoints on guns??? We don't have one, but that is mainly because emotions run high in this largely Italian family that I am in and if we had one we there probably would have been a disaster by now - just kidding. We don't own one for other more specific reasons. Anyway, I am hardly ever on MSNBC, but I caught that when I was surfing channels late last night. It is a shame that people feel the need to resort to such shows of force even if it is legal. Thanks for the Ron Reagan insight, I think I even spelled it wrong.

I know the feeling - but I don't work until tonight so right now I have free time.

Yes, Jane that was my post earlier. I need to get cookies back on my computer because none of my info. is saved and I can't post replys on facebook either half of the time.

Have a nice day Jane.

Thanks for the comment, Z, and I understand the point-of-view. I used to work on Reliable Sources and appreciate your work.

My post was meant to highlight Bob's total body of work. On the "shout show" front, I feel you're leaving out some of the real villains here, the decision-makers in the cable news who have placed less and less of an emphasis on actually informing the public. I know, real shocker there.

In Crossfire's case, it was changed to a PTI-esque format at the time because it worked/works so well and was so fresh... As we found out, it's perfect for sports but it was a disaster for politics. Crossfire was cut from 22 minute per topic show (with some dual topics shows) to time-on-the-clock mini-blocks where shout and insult comments became required before the bell rung to switch to the next policy "debate". As CNN discovered, the people who watched the show for some insight turned it off in droves.

I'm hoping many of the current shows which are just as light on insight eventually run their course as well.

Hi Mike, Thanks. You are abolutely right about other villians in the story of how we got to the place we are in cable TV news with such toxic talk: the cable TV executives who allow and/or encourage it. And there is no doubt they have just as much or more blame to bear than an on-air perfrormer like Novak. I try to write about those folks, too. I recently did that with a post on how shameful it is that GE and News Corp. executives only wanted to tone things down on MSNBC and Fox News after prime-time hosts started upsetting their relatives with attacks on hosts and executives at the parent companies of those two channels. They didn't care when it happened to others -- just their own family members. Anyway, I am glad you added your informed voice to this discusssion. Thanks. Z

Here is a "journalist" who called Jimmy Carter a Communist.
...'nuff said.