Novak Still Subject of Intense Discussion

[seemslikeadream]

By E&P Staff

Published: December 03, 2004

NEW YORK If Robert Novak is hoping people will stop thinking about his outing of a CIA agent in a 2003 column, he shouldn't look at the Poynter Institute's Romenesko site.

...

The Washington Monthly story -- by Amy Sullivan, a Monthly editor -- is titled "Bob in Paradise: How Novak created his own ethics-free zone." Sullivan wrote, like many others have written, that Novak may have abetted a federal crime when he printed Valerie Plame's name after a government source or sources leaked it -- possibly to retaliate against Plame's husband, retired ambassador Joseph Wilson, for criticizing the Bush administration's Iraq-war policy. Yet, Sullivan added, virtually no one has asked Novak about the Plame case during his many TV appearances since the column was published. The Monthly writer called it "the clubby support of a media elite whose standards he openly mocks." Sullivan also reported being told that Novak would immediately end an interview with her if she brought up the Plame case.

Among the reasons Novak gets away with the Plame outing and other lapses, Sullivan wrote, is that colleagues respect him for not always toeing the Republican Party line and for being "one of the few" prominent conservative columnists who "launched his career in the newsroom" and still "works the phones."

Sullivan concluded that Novak's "set-up is nearly perfect -- as a syndicated opinion columnist and executive producer of his own show, can say what he wants without fear of punitive consequences, and he can ignore what he wants, safe in the knowledge that no one of significance will ever press him." She contrasted this with Dan Rather and Howell Raines, "who provided full explanations and apologies once their errors were revealed."

Then there was the Chicago Reader column by Michael Miner. Among his points was wondering if the Sun-Times, by running a Nov. 21 editorial at the bottom of the page, was "just going through the motions of taking Novak's side" in the Plame case. And, speaking of the case, Miner wrote that Novak "talked to some creeps and printed what they told him. It's the creeps he won't identify, not some plucky whistleblowers." Miner also questioned how important Novak's affiliation with the Sun-Times (his home paper) is to his career.


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[Maat]

1. Thanks for the link.

No, Bob, it's not going away. Progressives will never forget. And neither will Joseph Wilson or Valerie Plame, who can get media exposure at a moment's notice.

[cavanaghjam]

2. Novak is the stuff whence all life bloomed.

Whether that's the great primordial gasbag
or a tepid pond of oozing sudge
depends, I suppose, on how far back you go.

[Raster]

3. novak KNOWINGLY published the name of a deep cover CIA

operative that was involved in investigating and coordinating counter-terrorism activities, specifically monitoring terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. It is not a stretch to say that the United States is LESS safe today because of novak's "scoop." novak is guilty of treason and should be prosecuted and punished. And please, don't lay the crap of First Amendment and protection of sources. What novak did was wrong by any definition. If the man had ANY journalistic integrity he would come clean and admit his mistake. Sadly, that will never happen.

[republikkkon]

4. goddamned liberal media!

:evilgrin:

[Supersedeas]

25. "clubby support of the media elite" - all liberal all the time???

[whistle]

5. Robert Novak is an evil dangerous low life hate mongering putz

[theshadow]

6. ....with a face only a mother could love. n/t

[whalerider55]

7. My name is tootsie Novak

and my son bob has always been a lying little weiner.
i should have given him up for adoption.

don't blame me.
i blame his father...
yes, as ashamed as i am to admit, Bob Novak is the love-child of an affair i had with Richard Nixon.

i am ashamed of him.

tootsie

[seemslikeadream]

8. Thanks mom!

[genieroze]

30. He looks like a rabid retarded bulldog. eom

[lovuian]

9. It just shows how those Bushites are above the law!!!

Its obvious and staring America right in the face!!!

[Just Me]

10. "the clubby support of a media elite whose standards he openly mocks."

His ugly mug, hateful mind and black-hole heart oughtta' stripped of all worldly pleasures. Miller has had her wake-up call. It's Novak's sorry slagging ass that oughtta' hit a concrete slab in a 6x6 cell behind bars.

Actually,...let's segregate these hate criminals. Force them all (Savage, Limbaugh, Novak, O'Reilly, Robertson, Rove, Falwell, DeLay, Weyrich, etc.) to be imprisoned in one radio and television station,...just one. Then, we can watch as they either devour one another or suddenly become really nice guys.

[Swamp Rat]

11. douche-bag

[glarius]

12. "colleagues respect him for not always toeing the Republican Party line"

What a joke....Why would reputable colleagues respect him? I remember before the war in Iraq started, Novak was openly declaring his opposition to it...On CNN's Crossfire he was saying what a terrible idea it was and what a horrible mistake it would be....As soon as the war started he made a complete turnaround. Suddenly he was cheerleading for Bush and how he was conducting the war....Everybody who was against it was almost a traitor, according to him.....I have yet to see Begala or Carville or any Democrat confront Novak on this point....It's all PHONY!!!!!

[brentspeak]

13. Novak is well-liked personally by even his liberal colleagues

His behind-the-scenes personality heads off the kind of unvarnished criticism that his journalist friends have needed to level at him for years.

[glarius]

14. Do you think it's just because he's getting on in years

and they think they should show him respect?....But he shows such vitriol towards others, I can't imagine why anyone would want to spare his feelings.

[brentspeak]

17. To his journalist friends, Novak is like

your good friend who happens to be a stick-in-the-mud conservative. They're never going to condemn him to the extent that he deserves. It's up to those who have no contact with Novak to shine the light on him.

[indigobusiness]

19. Novak is corrupt, a venomous snake. If you befriend such a snake

you should never lose sight that they are venomous and a snake. Or be afraid to point out the facts, as neccessary.

[ElectroPrincess]

20. Correct me if I'm wrong Indigobusiness but ...

I get a distinct impression while watching Carville and Novak "mix it up" on crossfire that there's NO love lost between them?

I think Carville is true blue even if he married a nasty talking head republican.

[indigobusiness]

22. You've touched on one of the great mysteries.

Carville is a true gentleman, and a stalwart knight of the human cause. His dedicated disgust for the vile sort of duplicity embraced by the ilk of Novak and Matalin is a study in compartmentalism. How he can separate the love from the hate, I can't figure out. Gordian knot that it is.

[Just Me]

15. "It's all PHONY!!!!" Yes, it is,...for the love of money and success.

He doesn't give a damn about how he influences people,...no more than his other greedy comrades.

"It's just a show",...they say,...while they deny their role in impacting human lives with their bullshit.

They deserve to get what they give,...ten-fold,...and, being a person who does believe in divine justice (in this life or afterwards), I am certain that those akin to Novak will get exactly what they deserve.

[daleo]

16. Novak is an odious reptile

The right wing echo chamber quickly forgives its own, if it ever chastises them at all. Drug addict Rush, sex freak harasser O'Rielly, mega-gambler Bennet, John Fund's girlfriend battering accusations, etc. Novak is part of that dishonorable tradition.

[Stinky The Clown]

18. I'll bet in person he even **smells** old

[steely]

21. The longer his colleagues treat him with kid gloves....

the longer this sham goes on, and the more disrespect I have for the entire lot of them. Buncha talking heads / balless wonders.

Maybe one day a reporter with impartiality will surface and bring some modicum of credibility to their profession. When pigs fly.

[Hamlette]

23. Jon Stewart is not a reporter but he's been excellent on Novak and the

whole lot of pundits.

Mark Shields should have him as a guest on Capitol Gang.

And bless Amy Sullivan (whoever she is) for a great title and a great line "the clubby support of a media elite whose standards he openly mocks."

They should be ashamed. (I had Mathews last night for a bit, the question was: did the media roll over on the war in Iraq. He had that wonderful woman who says "yes" (Amy Goldman?) and THREE people who said "no".

I'd like to take some solice in the fact that he raised the question at all.

Speaking of the media, Aaron Brown has been pretty hard hitting lately. He's not great, but better than most.

[Octafish]

24. Outing Plame Damaged the National Security of the United States

Valerie Plame was a NOC -- Non-Official Cover case officer -- working on nuclear non-proliferation. It takes years to create the cover and legend needed to be an effective NOC. She was about as deep as one can be in the intelligence community.

By exposing her, everyone with whom she worked was exposed. Al Martin said 75 agents had been eliminated by foreign governments. Other sources say a smaller number.

Whatever the number is, the truty is Novak compromised the security of the US. Plame's team watched and tracked the world's stockpiles of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

What's more, she knew all the players and specialists in the game. Outing her means these terrorists, rogue states and crooks have a clearer playing field for attacking our nation.

Perhaps that was the reason, after all. The next 9-11 means there won't need to be any more elections or Constitution or anything approaching what we once knew to be the United States.

[Dinger]

26. Is He Sick ?(Serious Question)

It looks like he's lost a lot of weigh lately, and his color is pale and chalky.

[Supersedeas]

27. concerned about a CIA employee [Plame] using her position and the agency

to influence political debate"

Talk about planting disinformation--The Sun Times tops it all.
Steve Huntley...Rove and his gang congradulate you for your loyalty...and your service to this nation is duly noted.

[goforit]

28. Damn it!!!......He's QUILTY on all accounts!!!...No trial needed.

[VegasWolf]

29. Novak is a repig, he'll never go to trial! n/t

[bhikkhu]

31. Trial for Treason

would be the result, or the common call, if he were a liberal democrat who outed an undercover agent in a time of war. I don't know what I would think in those circumstances, but these are nothing but hypocracy.

[mrtibbs]

32. So true.

[Straight Shooter]

33. Novak committed treason.

If any of my friends committed treason at the despicable level that Novak sunk to, I'd be singing like a canary to law enforcement and to hell with the bonds of that friendship.

I'm serious.

Treason puts everyone in danger. There is no excuse for it.