Bob Novak hits pedestrian

Syndicated columnist Robert Novak, the man who first publicly revealed Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA operative, hit a pedestrian while driving his black Corvette to work this morning along Washington's K Street.

The 77-year-old conservative journalist and TV pundit -- whose column on Plame unleashed a federal investigation that led to vice presidential Chief of Staff Scooter Libby's conviction for lying  -- told the Washington Post he had no idea he had hit anyone until he was flagged down by several witnesses, including a bicycle messenger who called D.C. police. Novak said the messenger (since reported to be not a messenger but a lawyer commuting to work) was "shouting at me that I couldn't just hit people and drive away. But I didn't know I'd hit him. I really didn't have any idea it happened until they flagged me down and told me."

Turns out this is not the first time Novak has had a run-in with pedestrians. The Washington Post's Lloyd Grove reported back in March of 2001 that CNN researcher Evan Glass was walking across Pennsylvania Avenue at noon one day when he passed in front of Novak's Corvette. "Learn to read the signs!" Novak snapped, according to Glass. Novak told Grove: "He was crossing on the red light. I really hate jay walkers. I despise them. Since I don't run the country, all I can do is yell at 'em. The other option is to run 'em over, but as a compassionate conservative, I would never do that."

Novak told the local ABC affiliate that he had no idea if the victim was even a man or a woman. You can see the WJLA-TV video of their interview with Novak here. The victim, a man in his 60s, was taken to George Washington University Medical Center with "very minor injuries," said D.C. Fire Department spokesman Alan Etter. 

Asked by C2C (that's us, Countdown to Crawford) if the columnist had been talking on his cellphone, a spokeswoman for Novak said, "I know for a fact that he was not." She said Novak, cited for failing to yield a right of way and fined $50, is no longer taking press calls.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Alex Wong / Getty Images

Comments

[Seattle]

Sounds typical of Novak, sadly. Not only is he blissfully unaware of his surroundings, but also of the damage he causes. 'Who, me? I was just driving, you know?'

[jurisdoctor]

i didnt know that mummy's could drive

[matthew hemingway]

I seem to remember Novak having a road rage incident about 10 years ago.
Screaming at someone crossing the street and then tailgating the car the person got into.

[Sean]

Riiiight.....so he didn't notice the guy spread across his windshield as the witness reports it? He didn't hear a 200lb body crash into his corvette?

If it were any regular joe they would be in jail right now on hit and run charges.

[David]

How is this even a story? As soon as he realized what happened, he stopped. The pedestrian is fine, and Novak paid his fine. Could this be something to do with Mr. Novak's political leanings? I am a liberal, but I don't like bias or hypocrisy in reporting from any source. Again I ask, How is this a story worth one line of text, much less an entire column?

[TJ]

He has had a "series of misfortunate incidents" in the past year or so. Maybe he should undergo a complete medical, neurological physical.

[jmutch]

Novak is lying. The pedestrian was splayed on top of his WINDSHIELD. No way he didn't know. It was an attempted hit-and-run. See the Politico article:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11985.html

[bob]

Shouldn't Novak be in jail?

This was a hit-and-run attempt stopped only by what amounts to a citizen's arrest.

He gets away with a $50 citation?

WTF?

[jmutch]

To David above: Novak did NOT stop as soon as he realized. The interview with the cyclist who stopped him confirms this. The pedestrian was splayed right on top of Novak's windshield. Not a chance he didn't know he'd hit him. Coward tried to hit-and-run. People go to jail for that don't they?

[don]

I would say that the 'compassionate conservative' wasted his money on the race driver school. If a bicyclist chased him down and blocked his leaving, I would say that he needs more work in his speedy departure.

[tashekor]

Robert Novak drives a black corvette. You can't make this stuff up.

[Mim]

He needs the hearing and eyes checked by a professional. How driving a Corvette, could you possibly not know, that you had hit a person.

[Boozehag]

Why is it always REALLY old gross white guys who drive Corvettes?

[SV]

I second David's remark. This is news the same way Eva Longoria's hairstyle is news.

[F. J. Taylor]

Typical. Mr. Novak's "friends in high places" prevail again, as in the Plame incident.

"David" writes that he is a "liberal" - compared to who, Karl Rove? While I agree that people should not be targeted for their political views, the far Right makes as much hay (or more) from that crop as their counterparts on the Left.

What I see here is a very prominent person who committed a hit and run (and get real, David, as Sean says, how do you NOT hear or notice a 200 pounder across your hood!) and gotten off with a minor fine and a piddling charge. Why it should be written about should be obvious - here is yet another example of a well-connected member of the ruling class and their toadies getting off, when the rest of us would be facing charges for the same action - as he should be, along with Rove and Cheney, for outing a CIA agent - a federal felony offense.

If any of you did something like the incidents above, and were NOT "connected" you would be looking at some more serious charges and sanctions.

Speaking of the Left, kinda reminds me of a certain Left-wing Senator who left the scene of an accident under far worse circumstances - but who was never even investigated or indicted... And of course the last Coward in Chief (Clinton) was notorious for his getting his felonious friends off the hook.

As I said, the well-connected slide for the most part, while the rest of us take the gaff... business as usual for most of the world's history...
Get used to it - the Oiligarchy and their Big Business corporate fascist buddies have plans for the rest of us...

[Steph]

Why is he even driving? If a person "doesn't realize' when they hit someone else, they aren't really paying attention.

[Jo]

??? He got only a $50.00 fine for HITTING A HUMAN BEING?? I had to pay $200.00 because I was two weeks late on my registration. This just makes no sense.

[Norris Hall]

According to the CBS report
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/23/politics/politico/main4286279.shtml
Here's the account told by the guy who stopped Bono:

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.”

[STEPHEN]

I would say "at least they didn't have to swin into a pond to see if anyone was hurt."(the following day)

[Steve]

Sure hope the car was ok. I love corvettes!

[IndyMan]

Too bad he wasn't in prison or executed for being a traitor. This wouldn't have happened...

[queensclown]

Where does it say that the victim was "splayed out over his windsheild" ?? He could have just clipped the guy. After all, it says he only suffered very minor injuries. Even though it's mildly entertaining, people should Novak the benefit of the doubt.

[Herlimer Jones]

There are people whose appearance and demeanor unfortunately is a reflection of the ugliness and sordidness of their character. Robert Novak appears to be one of these people. One can only hope that he disappears from the public eye soon.

[Herlimer Jones]

There are people whose appearance and demeanor unfortunately is a reflection of the ugliness and sordidness of their character. Robert Novak appears to be one of these people. One can only hope that he disappears from the public eye soon.

[Bingo]

What, has Eva Longoria changed her hair? What is it?