Novak, prognosis 'dire,' retires

Syndicated columnist Robert Novak announced his immediate retirement today, telling the Chicago Sun-Times that his prognosis from a brain tumor is "dire."

"The details are being worked out with the doctors this week, but the tentative plan is for radiation and chemotherapy," Novak told the newspaper.

Novak, 77, was cited last month for hitting a homeless pedestrian while driving in downtown Washington in his black Corvette. Chased down a block away by a bicylcist, Novak said he had no idea he had hit the man.

He was also the first journalist to reveal the identity of former CIA operative Valerie Plame. Novak's column on Plame in 2003 unleashed a federal investigation that brought down I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, and seriously damaged the reputation of Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and White House political maestro Karl Rove for leaking her name to other journalists. The sanctioned leak was an attempt to discredit Plame's husband, former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson, a public critic of the war in Iraq.

For more than 50 years, Novak has been part of the fabric of Washington journalism and politics. He teamed up with Rowland Evans in 1963 to write a column that was first distributed by Publishers Newspaper Syndicate on May 15, 1963, and after Evans retired, he kept going solo. He was co-host of CNN's Crossfire for 25 years before leaving in 2005 -- after storming off the set -- to work as a commentator on Fox News.

When he first was diagnosed with a brain tumor last week, Novak issued a statement saying he would be "suspending my journalistic work for an indefinite but, God willing, not too lengthy period."

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo credit: Alex Wong / Getty Images

Comments

[Kevin Lyster]

You people are dispicable kicking a man while he is down. You probably eat your own ifthey even look to the right. I hope you never have to go through what R. Novak is going through. You are the bottom of the bottom.
My thoughts and prayers are with R. Novak.

[pennwood]

Nice to see the "wingnuts" getting 'kicked around' for a change .... there is a change in the air ! Hallaluyah ! (my own spelling)

[daytoncapri]

These comments remind my of my former boss. He was widely disliked - I certainly had reasons to dislike him - to put it mildly. When the news spread that we was dying of a form of lethal cancerwith painful and degrading treatments- I heard a co-worker say "Good! I'm glad"

That was many years ago, and that guy and I are still friends, but I'll never view him in that moment as nothing other than a real jerk.

You guys on the left who are gloating - it's time to stop. Don't doubt that you are inspiring similar behavior from the anti-left to respond back to you. It's time for you kids to get out of the mudbox and go home, clean-up and at least try to behave for awhile.

Pray for Mr Novak and for God's peace - a fate like his will be coming soon enough for each of us. Praying - try it. It might do some good.

[Jackson]

I hope Ted Kennedy's death is more painful than Bob Novak's. Na na na na na.

[Jeet]

This is your karma Mr. Novak for the notorious services you have offered to the society especially the Valerie Plame case.
But you don't deserve my good wishes. It's time to go over the past. Peace!!!