Posted on 08/18/2009 9:06:24 AM PDT by freespirited
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak, one of the nation’s most influential journalists, who relished his “Prince of Darkness” public persona, died at home here early Tuesday morning after a battle with brain cancer.
“He was someone who loved being a journalist, love journalism and loved his country and loved his family, Novak’s wife, Geraldine, told the Sun-Times on Tuesday.
Novak’s remarkable and long-running career made him a powerful presence in newspaper columns, newsletters, books and on television.
On May 15, 1963, Novak teamed up with the late Rowland Evans Jr. to create the “Inside Report” political column, which became the must-read syndicated column. Evans tapped Novak, then a 31-year old correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, to help with the workload of a six-day-a-week column.
Evans and Novak were the od d couple: Evans a Philadelphia blue blood and Yale graduate; Novak from Joliet, Ill. who attended the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus.
Novak handled the column solo after Evans retired in 1993. The Chicago Sun-Times has been Novak’s home paper since 1966.
Robert David Sanders Novak, 78, was born and raised in Joliet and his first newspaper jobs were with the Joliet Herald-News and, while a student at the University of Illinois, the Champaign-Urbana Courier. Novak maintained a lifelong tie to the University of Illinois with the school creating the Robert D. Novak chair of Western Civilization and Culture in 200X.
Mrs. Novak said that her husband passed away at 4:30 a.m., returning home after being hospitalized between July 10 and July 24. Novak’s malignant brain tumor was discovered July 27, 2008.
bttt
Prayers for his family.
Prayers - Novak was one of a kind, last of a breed.
RIP Mr. Novak
RIP. Prayers for his family, friends and fans.
A sad loss. Prayers for his family.
Didn’t always agree with the crotchety old guy, but he had some very good points. Death is a day we will all have to face at some point, but today, RIP Bob.
So sorry to hear it. 78 is too young these days.
Such an interesting man. It was always fascinating to hear his commentary and insight. Not to mention his jabs at the left.
I’ll be curious to see if there is a media orgasm over Novak comparable to Red Walter or that fat liberal from NBC, since Novak was a moderate/conservative.
I’m betting he is ungreieved by the media; all they will mention is the fake spy nonsense.
The thing I will remember is that he started the downfall of the Bush Administration by publishing the Plame story.
Novak maintained a lifelong tie to the University of Illinois with the school creating the Robert D. Novak chair of Western Civilization and Culture in 200X.
Obviously they couldn't confirm the year by deadline.
I was just thinking about Bob Novak the other day, wondering how he was doing.
May he rest in peace.
He was a giant in a land of midgets at a time when the country badly needed his voice. He didn’t disappoint. There was much to admire in this man.
My favorite Novak memory was from a Crossfire program, years ago.
Novak used to be on it with Tom Braden, who was about 100 years old and a hardcore liberal.
The format was that the show was hosted by a conservative (Novak) and a liberal (Braden). One of the two would open the program with his own introduction, then the other would launch into the bod of the show.
This day, Braden opened with this spiel. I wish I could remember the topic or specifics, but it was just a laundry list of liberal bile and twisting.
Camera cuts to Novak, who’s supposed to launch. Instead, he just has this incredulous look on his face, sort of a half-smile. He’s speechless for a second. Then he just says, “I can’t believe you actually said that.”
It wasn’t smooth and polished and plastic. Novak spoke for me in that instance, and I was glad of it.
RIP Bob.
He was also a devoted Maryland Terrapin basketball fan (as am I). I used to enjoy seeing him on TV in the stands behind the team.
He will be missed.
This was the end of Novak right here...he discovered he had a brain tumor only a few days later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7A0ZTxltBw
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| Sad news... |
Me too. I thought I might have missed his passing somehow, so I looked it up and saw that he was still around.
RIP Mr Novak.
RIP Novak. A true newspaper man.
God Bless, RIP.
I can tell you that a cursory scanning of some liberal news and blog sites just now that they are happy he is dead and dancing on his grave (some are vicious). But I will be fair and say that a few postings also gave prayers to the family.
Nothing unexpected from the left. Disgraceful as always.
Thank you for your efforts on earth
God Bless You!
Many of us will miss you, Bob, but I’m sure Roland is glad to have his old friend back.
Prayers for Robert’s soul and the family.
God bless him. Novak became a Roman Catholic in 1998.
I second that. He was a friend and classmate of my father and uncle.
Sorry but I won’t shed a tear for him. He let this whole Valerie Plame fiasco go by and ruin peoples lives knowing that it was Richard Armitage who first leaked her name. Patrick Fitzgerald is another one I won’t weep for. Armitage either.
Sad. I really liked the guy.
RIP, Bob.
If you had read Novak’s autobiography “The Prince of Darkness” I think you would call him the thinking man’s conservative.
RIP. A huge loss.
Thank you Mr. Novak for a lifetime of service dubunking the insanity of the left and for providing some sanity and respectability for the flagrantly partisan liberal media.
Prayers for his family. He will be missed.
I don’t disagree with that statement.
His performance in the Plame nonsense was disappointing, however.
That didn't take long.
Stay classy... /sarc
Sad ping...
Rest in peace, Mr. Novak. Prayers for his wife and family...
He was a registered Democrat who supported JFK and Lyndon Johnson. He was a Jew who coverted to Catholicism and was pro-Palestinian. He was a sharp and hostile critic of the Iraq war. He was responsible for the Valerie Plame witch hunt. He supported Ron Paul in 2007. He was a Paleo Conservative of the Pat Buchanan mold.
RIP
Any "downfall" of Bush's Administration was entirely due to it being their own fault, not Robert Novak.
I always liked Novak. RIP.
You already know what to expect from the way the incident with the bicyclist was handled. Clearly he was suffering the effects from the then undiagnosed tumor at the time. The way the press handled it then, you would have thought that he had set fire too a school bus full of handicapped children. This from the same press that laid down and regurgitated the Ted Kennedy line on an “accident” in which someone was drowned in his car. Who will soon treat the passing of same as the death of a Pope. Novak was too good for that profession!
nutmeg & zelig
RIP Mr. Novak. You fought the good fight!
Your point being to spit in his face before he is even in the ground? How thoughtful of you.
God bless Mr. Novak.
Um, no.
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