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Robert Novak
Robert Novak
Robert Novak Awaits Results About Brain Tumor
July 29, 2008 11:34 AM
by
Josh Katz
On Monday, conservative columnist Robert Novak announced that he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He is currently waiting for the results of a biopsy.
30-Second Summary
Novak was with his family near Cape Cod, Mass., on Sunday when he fell ill, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital later revealed that he had a brain tumor. Novak said he will undergo treatment in Boston shortly.
In a statement, he said, “I will be suspending my journalistic work for an indefinite but, God willing, not too lengthy period.”
Novak had a biopsy on Monday to determine whether the tumor is malignant or benign.
Last Wednesday, Novak was also in the news for hitting a pedestrian in Washington, D.C., and driving away. But Novak said he was unaware of what had happened until a bicyclist alerted him to it. It is unclear if the incident last week is related to the tumor.
The conservative columnist and television commentator also made headlines during the Valerie Plame affair. In 2003, he was the first person to expose Plame as a CIA operative; officials in the Bush administration had sought to tarnish the reputation of her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, who spoke out against the war in Iraq.
Novak has written one of the longest-running syndicated columns in the United States for the Chicago-Sun Times. Upon the 45th anniversary of his column, which was originally cowritten with Rowland Evans, Novak wrote, “I cannot write a column without reporting, and I hope I can continue to do so and newspapers see fit to print me so that I can celebrate my 50th anniversary.”
In a statement, he said, “I will be suspending my journalistic work for an indefinite but, God willing, not too lengthy period.”
Novak had a biopsy on Monday to determine whether the tumor is malignant or benign.
Last Wednesday, Novak was also in the news for hitting a pedestrian in Washington, D.C., and driving away. But Novak said he was unaware of what had happened until a bicyclist alerted him to it. It is unclear if the incident last week is related to the tumor.
The conservative columnist and television commentator also made headlines during the Valerie Plame affair. In 2003, he was the first person to expose Plame as a CIA operative; officials in the Bush administration had sought to tarnish the reputation of her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, who spoke out against the war in Iraq.
Novak has written one of the longest-running syndicated columns in the United States for the Chicago-Sun Times. Upon the 45th anniversary of his column, which was originally cowritten with Rowland Evans, Novak wrote, “I cannot write a column without reporting, and I hope I can continue to do so and newspapers see fit to print me so that I can celebrate my 50th anniversary.”
Headline Link: ‘Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak says he has brain tumor’
Robert Novak has revealed that he has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Novak said, “I will be suspending my journalistic work for an indefinite but, God willing, not too lengthy period.” Novak’s column for the Chicago Sun-Times is one of the longest-running syndicated columns in United States.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Background: Novak hits pedestrian
Driving his Corvette in Washington, D.C., last Wednesday morning, Novak hit a pedestrian and continued driving. A bicyclist followed Novak after he hit the pedestrian and blocked him from continuing any further. “Some guy came up and hit my car with his fist. I figured I had done something that had created road rage, but I didn’t know what it was. Then a bicyclist blocked the road in front of me. I asked what the problem was. He said, ‘You can’t just hit people and run away!’”
Source: Politico
Key Player: Robert Novak (1931–)
Robert Novak has written the “Inside Report” column for the Chicago Sun-Times since 1966. He is also a “commentator for FOX News and appears occasionally on NBC’s Meet the Press.”
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Related Topics: The Valerie Plame case; Novak’s aspirations
The New York Times provides an interactive timeline of the Valerie Plame affair. The feature allows users to view only events involving a particular individual, like Robert Novak, or only events occurring within a certain time period.
Source: The New York Times (free registration may be required)
In a May 15, 2008, Washington Post piece, Novak described the history of the column he co-wrote with Rowland Evans, which was considered liberal at its start. “The longevity record for syndicated political columnists (57 years) is held by David Lawrence, whose life and column ended in 1973, when he was 84. As he did, I would like to die in the saddle without retiring,” he said. “I cannot write a column without reporting, and I hope I can continue to do so and newspapers see fit to print me so that I can celebrate my 50th anniversary.”
Source: The Washington Post (free registration may be required)
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