Robert Novak dead at 78


Political commentator Robert Novak has died after a long battle with a brain cancer at the age of 78.

Although a conservative through and through, Novak battled all sides of politics through a career that spanned over 50 years, describing himself as a “stirrer up of strife.”

Over his career, Novak became well-known as a columnist (writing Inside Report since 1963) and as a television personality, appearing on many shows for CNN, most notably on three former programs, The Capital Gang, Crossfire, and Evans, Novak, Hunt, & Shields.

Despite opposing the Iraq war, Novak’s links to the White House resulted in him publicly identifying CIA operative Valerie Plame in 2003. The scandal that followed saw an investigation into the leaking of the information, resulting in the conviction of Lewis “Scooter” Libby for perjury and obstruction of justice in 2007.

His brain tumor came to light after he hit a pedestrian then left the scene while driving his Corvette in Washington DC in July 2008. Days later he was admitted to hospital, where a scan picked up the brain tumor.

Robert Novak is survived by his wife and two children.

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