Mother Jones blogs about Novak hosting exclusive luncheons

[Robbien]

where you can buy your way in and get access to the inside scoop

Bob Novak, the columnist affectionately known among Washington journalists as the prince of darkness and author of the Valerie Plame scoop, hosts an Off The Record luncheon from time to time with high officials, such luminaries as Dick Cheney, John Bolton, Condi Rice, Colin Powell, Al Gore, Bill Frist and so on. You might think these people are inaccessible, but for Novak they talk, answering questions, participating in the conversation. For a moment,however brief, you are on the inside track.

But, like all good things, there is a hitch. Novak only takes 70 people into his off the record briefings so there is a real scramble to get a seat. To obtain a seat at his April 26 lunch costs $595. (You can bring guests for $395 per person.) The affair is sponsored by the conservative paper Human Events.

The result: "I was able to get the straight scoop on the economic forecast," says Fred Jones, former president of Citicorp, in one blurb. "With that guidance, I was able to make the correct business decisions in the following months -- saving my company millions."

http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2007/03/3839_the_horses_mout.html

[Hand]

1. Truly the Douchebag of Liberty

or whatever Jon Stewart :toast: persists in calling him. Besides, I thought Richard Perle was the Prince of Darkness.

[MissMarple]

2. I found this at wikipedia: He is also Opus Dei like Sam Brownback.

Novak converted to conservative Catholicism in 1998.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Novak

"Animal fighting
In 2002, Novak's attitudes towards animal welfare came under scrutiny when he stated in an interview that he attended a cockfight in Puerto Rico and "enjoyed it tremendously", adding that the United States has "too many" anti-cruelty statutes. He also expressed his support of dog fighting and bullfighting.<6>


Controversy With Jon Stewart
On the show Washington Journal on C-SPAN, Robert Novak claimed, “Somebody mentioned the Jon Stewart program, I’ve never seen that in my life and I will go to my grave never having seen it.” Asked why, Novak answered, “I don’t see any reason for it. It’s a comedian, self-righteous comedian taking on airs of grandeur and I really don’t need that.” In response, Jon Stewart, on his own show The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, replied, "Why does Robert Novak hate? And why me? I mean, it's like I publicly revealed some piece of information he didn't want people to know and ruined his career." Jon then addressed Robert Novak personally, saying:

If you're watching, and I know you're not, I think it's time we bury the hatchet. We need to get together and talk, we'll meet on mutual ground... we can work this out because we know that you're a good person, deep down in your...... the thing that they replaced your heart with...I see your redeeming qualities. For example, when you're on television, you let others shine, while you generously absorb all light; and oxygen. When you leave an area, it stops raining. And I know, in the past I've referred to you as...a douchebag. But that's not an 'air of grandeur,' that's just mean and sophomoric. And I only said those things to you because I sincerely believe: you are a terrible person.

On March 7, 2007, several months after the incident, The Daily Show ran another segment to Novak following the Libby verdict. The segment ended with Novak coined, "#1 Douchebag."

[LiberalFighter]

3. Wouldn't that be the same as insider trading?

[Nickster]

4. He sends out an email newsletter that advertises this with all the contact

info to get a ticket from time to time. I was always curious, but not 600 bucks curious.