Q&A: Bob Novak on CSPAN

[H2O Man]

Good morning, DUers:

How many DUers are watching CSPAN this morning? That heroic warrior Robert Novak is going to be on. I know that a "Mr. Waterman" is going to be calling. I hope others are, too.

What questions would DU members most want posed to the dehydrated Mr. Novak? I have a couple:

{1} Why did Mr. Novak talk to a stranger on the street of Washington DC about Ms. Plame's employment status on July 8, 2003? (This is noted not only in Ambassador Wilson's book, but in "Hubris" by Corn & Isikoff on page 264.)

{2} Could Mr. Novak explain why he had phone contact with Rove in the days after news of the leak investigation broke? (Murray Waas wrote about this earlier this summer; it is also on page 333 of the Corn & Isikoff book.)

What other questions would you like to hear?

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

1. Tuned and waiting for this segment to begin.

Good luck H20Man, hope you get through. Give Mr. No-facts hell...

[babylonsister]

2. Thanks for the reminder, H2O Man!

I'll be listening just to hear if you get through. You might wish to take a shower after being in such close proximity to Lamb and Novak.

[KharmaTrain]

3. Come On And Take A Free Ride...

Ya think Brian Lamb is gonna embarass his old buddy Novakula? The Prince of Darkness picks and chooses his "forum" these days, and he'll spin and lie as he always does.

Damn he looks old and angry.

[KharmaTrain]

6. That First Lie Didn't Take Long...

"...I'm not really familiar with the details of the Libby case".

Yeah, right Bob. Just because you'll probably be called to testify.

BTW...H20man...has Novakula been fully cleared?

[Annces]

4. Hope you can get through

[snappyturtle]

5. What I'd like to know: Is why is Novak

telling us his last 'revelation' NOW? All of a sudden, it seems, it's important to Novak that the public know that Rove's remarks were more that idle chit chat.I think it IS important, but why has it taken him so long to bring this out?

Edit: OOPS! Armitage not Rove!!!!

[acmejack]

A "Tertiary" source?

Is this new?

[0007]

7. Is Patrick Fitzgerald indeed a good guy working for the American

people or the neocons?

[madokie]

8. I don't know much but I know if I was running scared as novak is

I would not want you to be asking me questions. Be listening to see what the little worm has to say and I sure hope you get through for it will make for a great day I am sure. typing this while pumping my fist in the air.

[KharmaTrain]

9. Didn't Walter Pincus Also Have A Source?

I haven't heard anything about that.

The CYA for Libby/Rove here is already underway. Oh that Poor Judy Miller...it was the TIMES fault...yep, that evil, nasty, Librul, Un-Amurican New York Times that's evil here.

[im10ashus]

10. I just tuned in.

He looks like the crypt keeper.

Listening for the Waterman!

:hi:

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

11. OMG, what a lying scumbag this piece of exrement is.. n/t

[notadmblnd]

12. he just said there was no reason to discredit Wilson

so they must have outed plame to expose Brewster Jennings then? No?

[im10ashus]

13. I am sensing a lot of anger from the Republican callers.

The one said he is "barely hanging on to being a republican."

[notadmblnd]

16. and novak responded...

he's about as republican as my foot. That made sense, NOT!

[im10ashus]

19. He's such an asshat.

His foot IS republican. His every cell is republican.

[KharmaTrain]

17. He Shot Novakula Good

That one drew blood. LOL

The anger is rising here. Hope 'old Bob took his anti-stroke meds before he walked into the story.

I've despised this self-hating Jew turned Catholic for over 30 years. It's a pleasure to see him spinning into oblivion.

[babylonsister]

14. Novak is such a self-righteous blowhard! Ugh! nt

[bushisanidiot]

15. Novak Admits His Foot is a Communist

I heard it live!

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

18. Paranoid much, Bob??

Now David Corn is a conspirator. Give me a break. Lying scum.

Have they taken any calls from Dems yet? Oh I forgot it's Facist Friday.

[Skidmore]

20. I want someone to ask Novak why people shouldn't consider him

and ideologue, while he's sitting there labelling Corn and others as such.

[cybildisobedience]

37. yes, after an entire hour of someone else calling conspiracy people

lunatics.
So Novak comes on, calls the first person who disagrees with him a conspiracy kook, and that's fine with Brian Lamb.

And did anyone else notice that, it being Fascist Friday, just about every editorial (other than the NYT) was hate-filled, mindless screed?

[Annces]

21. He says investigation of Libby produced obstruction of justice

As if Fitzgerald created the case against Libby.

[im10ashus]

22. The guy on now has "been a Novak fan since high school."

I think I just lost my breakfast. Can you say "get a life?"

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

23. he did say something true

he doesn't watch hardball because of all the shouting and blathering and that he doesn't learn much from that.

[Blackhatjack]

24. Hope Fitz is listening carefully to Novak's changing story ...

...since Novak gave a story to Fitz that has obviously changed over time. May be time for Fitz to revisit that initial story Novak gave him, and see if he is pulling a "Libby."

It would seem time for Fitz to call Novak back in, place him under oath, and ask him about these changes in his story he is now publicly spouting.

[kskiska]

25. Oh, so now he's upset about the legal fees involved

with being hauled in front of a Grand Jury just because one person sent an e-mail to Karl Rove. The says that's the trouble with these special prosecutors. He wasn't so concerned about all the people in the Clinton administration who had to shell out for attorney fees during the impeachment hearings.

[im10ashus]

26. Exactly what I was thinking.

What about Whitewater? What about Monicagate? He had no problem with the legal fees involved in those baseless investigations.

[kskiska]

27. I doubt I'd be far off saying he gloated on TV over the legal fees

the Clintons were left with when it was over. Now that it's coming out of his pocket, it's a different story. Paul Begala used to goad him about being cheap. Looks like it's true.

[im10ashus]

28. Someone please ask if he supports/supported the illegal war in Iraq.

How does he feel the forged documents this administration used to rally their war buddies was to be overlooked because Saddam was a dictator? Do the ends justify the means? And feed him another dead kitten. He's looking tired.

[notadmblnd]

29. he already claimed that he did not support the war against Iraq

said that he felt it was not in the country's interest.

[im10ashus]

30. I missed it.

Thanks notadmblnd. :hi:

[Annces]

31. So many Southern callers

[Coexist]

32. Novak chuckles away the opposition

what a believable, jovial guy.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

33. Re: David Corn " a nasty piece of work"..

Well Nofacts, "it takes one to know one"....

I've got to turn this off, he's literally making me naseuous...

[acmejack]

34. Damn those left wing ideologues!

There are all out to get poor Bob! And he has never done anything to them either...

[Coexist]

35. Novak "almost never" takes notes

give me a break.

"its a technique a lot of reporters use."

Please.

[Blackhatjack]

44. Works really well when you are asked to verify what was said...

...you conveniently recall things that were never said, and conveniently do not recall crucial information.

Yes they teach that in journalism school - no notes ever!! Otherwise, you might be called upon to actually verify what was really said in any interview!

[H2O Man]

46. I remember Vince Bugliosi

saying that as a prosecutor, he recognized that the palest ink was better than the best memory. I think Novak recognizes that, too.

[H2O Man]

36. CSPAN .....

While the Question #1 from the OP was asked, it seems CSPAN would be willing to have #2 asked. More, Mr. Novak has stated on this segment that he asked Armitage who sent Wilson to Niger. Please. Why would a seasoned reporter, who read the Wilson op-ed in the Times which clearly stated the Agency sent him on the trip, ask someone from State (or Rove!) who sent Wilson?

[sabra]

38. I feel nauseous

:puke:

[peacetalksforall]

39. Just the other day I thought Victoria Toensing had finally shut up

about the Wilsons. Now, Lamb is reading the the first two paragraphs of a new article by her to Novak. She goes beyond being a lawyer and writing about the legal aspect of a case. What a pathetic shill. Do they assign propaganda to their team of helpers? Did she get the Wilson propaganda assignment? She is so passionate about protecting Cheney.

[H2O Man]

41. Victoria Toensing

is as repulsive as Judith Miller.

[peacetalksforall]

57. It's obvious that they have upped the campaign to get Libby

pardoned by 'wrapping' it all up in blame of Armitage - I think Novak got an hour on a Friday with Bryan Lamb and Toensing got an op-ed(?) in on the same day. ??? In addition to getting Libby pardoned, then need Fitzgerald to close the case to protect Cheney. How would I or anyone 'know'? By observing their filthy tricks in all things. They are safe as far as the civil case in relation to the elections - the case can't possibly come up before November, right?

One thing that is fun to observe is how dependent they are on normal channels to persuade the public.

Our pathetic leaders and their friends. What a superior country we live on. There is always the chant the people are flocking to our shores because of our freedoms. What a farce. We are leaders in torment, torture, threats, and beating submissiveness into mere citizens while jetting human beings around the planet to be tortured.

Their torment and torture takes many forms. Novak and Toensing - torment facilitators. Lie and deception facilitators.

[sabra]

40. Novak: Armitage was the first to leak to me

trying to dismiss that Libby leaked to Miller before the Armitage leak...

[babylonsister]

42. Novak likes Hannity; nuff said. So he watches Faux. Quelle surprise! nt

[dogday]

43. What did that last guy say?

Sounded like Forest Gump....

[im10ashus]

45. What did I just witness?

That woman was not making any sense. David Corn's mouth is like a toilet seat? Where do they get these people?

[sabra]

47. was it just me, or did all the callers sound like they were all part

of the same family?

[im10ashus]

50. It wasn't just you.

:hi:

[H2O Man]

48. From the OVP.

I just think that it would have added to the program to have Mr. Novak confronted with questions that could be documented, to clear up any confusion that Mr. Noval might attempt to create to avoid answering honestly.

It is worth noting, of course, that Mr. Novak will likely be diposed in the Wilson's civil case. And because he is aware of that, it may be that calls were screened in such a manner that certain questions did not get through.

[im10ashus]

49. His legal team must have been screening the calls.

The questions were far from tough. I noticed they took hardly any from the Northeast. We east coast effete liberals just have an ax to grind. :sarcasm:

[H2O Man]

54. I think CSPAN

serves as the gate-keeper. I have not called their shows very often, and usually do not get beyond a busy signal. But the few times I've spoke with someone screening calls, it has been the same thing: "Huh, interesting question. Now, who are you?" And I've never been given an opportunity to ask a guest a single question. Now, I may not be the most dynamic of thinkers, but I believe that I've had a few questions of interest and value. CSPAN doesn't, though.

[Catherine Vincent]

56. I don't understand how the same people manage to get through.

:shrug:

[Catherine Vincent]

51. I take it you didn't get through?

Sorry about that. I haven't watched the stream yet.

[KoKo]

52. He lied, obfuscated and repeated Talking Points. The questions that

really upset him, showing his arrogance, were probably getting to certain connections he's still trying to cover up.

He really tore into David Corn over and over, accusing him of advising Joe Wilson. Something in the Corn/Issikoff book must have him in a tizzy.

I wish a caller could have confronted him on the fact that Fitzgerald is a "Special Prosecutor" and not an "Independent Counsel." Novak knew the C-Span Repug Crowd doesn't know the difference so he kept playing that line over and over about "Millions of Dollars Wasted with these Special Prosecutors" figuring that folks would remember Ken Starr and that he came up with nothing and assume that Fitz was the same as Starr or perhaps he was confused by the Iran-Contra and Watergate hearings.

[kentuck]

53. It seems that Mr Novak has raised more questions...?

Just when we thought it was over...

[H2O Man]

55. It does seem curious

that at the exact time that White House boys were telling reporters to question "who sent Wilson?," that good old Bob novak happens to ask Mr. Armitage just that. The Wilson op-ed had made clear that the CIA sent him. There would be no reason to assume Dick Armitage would know otherwise. But Novak just happens to question him on this.

I would suggest that Mr. Armitage was not the first person that Novak discussed this with. It may be that Armitage was the first to say Valerie sent Wilson, but it seems likely that someone told Novak that this was "the real story." We know three people were telling reporters that this was the "real story."