Bob Novak, Valerie Plame, and Me

Matthew Cooper, The Atlantic Monthly | Full Story | There were things to admire about Robert Novak, who died today at 78. He was a hard-working reporter long after the age when most journalists have left the field. He was not afraid to be unpopular, which is a deeply impressive quality. He had a loving family. His friends, some of whom I count as friendly acquaintances, say he was actually a nice guy or not as unnice as he seemed. I feel for him, suffering through a brain tumor, which seems like as bad a way to go as any.

But there was a lot in Novak not to like, a mean gruff manner visible to anyone on TV, a stiletto pen that seemed more about destroying than illuminating. I disagreed with his politics but it wasn’t his politics which were infuriating. It was his arch, cutting style that made him one of the journalists I wanted to avoid becoming. It was his behavior in the CIA leak case that made me think still less of him. >>

Published 09.08.18 00:00:00 -0500 GMT | Posted by Andrew Garib on 09.08.20 | |