Robert Novak, who has been a leading political columnist longer than I’ve been alive, has announced his immediate retirement in the wake of his diagnosis with a brain tumor.
Robert Novak has announced his immediate retirement following the diagnosis of a brain tumor, a prognosis the Sun-Times’ political columnist describes as “dire.”
“The details are being worked out with the doctors this week, but the tentative plan is for radiation and chemotherapy,” Novak said.
The Evans-Novak column was first distributed by Publishers Newspaper Syndicate on May 15, 1963, with the New York Herald-Tribune, the flagship newspaper. When the Herald-Tribune folded in 1966, the Chicago Sun-Times became their home newspaper.
Younger readers will likely know Novak best for his unfortunate role in the Valerie Plame scandal or even his recent hit-and-run accident. Given the timing of his brain tumor diagnosis days later, I suspect most will forget about the later. The former may stain him forever, even though his role was tertiary. It would be too bad.
I first became acquainted with Novak, probably twenty-odd years ago now, through his various appearances as a television talking head, notably on CNN’s Crossfire. He was, frankly, not very good at it. He was, however, a legendary political reporter in his print capacity.
Roland Evans, whose name still graced the column until the end, died more than seven years ago. This day was inevitable, I suppose, given the human condition. Still, it’s the end of an era.
Via Hotline
