Novak’s other bizarre outburst

August 5, 2005

Clearly, Bob Novak’s temper-tantrum was one of the more bizarre spectacles we’ve seen on CNN in a while, but as my friend Phil noted this morning, it wasn’t the only odd thing Novak said yesterday.

Host Ed Henry: [Rep. Katherine] Harris is blaming unnamed newspapers for tarnishing her image by doctoring her makeup with Photoshop. — that computer program. Bob Novak, have you been investigating this make-up story?

Novak: No, but I’ve had the same experience that she did. A lot of my trouble in the world is that they’ve doctored my make-up and colorized me in a lot of newspapers on my picture. So, I sympathize with her.

Henry: This is breaking news. I’ve haven’t heard this.

James Carville: Breaking news. Who did it? What paper?

Novak: Well, I don’t. I can’t tell you.

There was no indication he was kidding. Novak wasn’t smiling.

So, here we have a veteran political journalist, who’s been in DC for decades, telling a national television audience that other journalists have conspired against him to manipulate photographs to make him look unattractive. Indeed, as far as Novak is concerned, this alleged history of photo manipulation accounts for “a lot of [his] trouble in the world.”

I’ve never cared for Novak, but even I hate to see a guy fall apart like this. Obscene outbursts, temper tantrum, paranoia, victim complex … let’s hope Novak gets some help.

Maybe his right wing buddies will help him out. After all, look how he’s come to thier defense.

  • I think he was just running the clock out. He new the tail end of the segment was going to be about Plame so he was just blabbering to fill up time.

  • Gdiddy,

    In retrospect I thought the whole temper tantrum might have been staged in order to avoid the questions on Plame that he was forewarned were coming. The reaction to what Carville was so clearly disproportionate.

  • I suspect that Novak and Harris are probably not paranoid so much as stupid, Novak especially. Being on TV, he should know better (and maybe he does and I’m wrong,) but the cameras can be very unflattering.

    Recall the first televised Presidential debates, between Kennedy and Nixon. The lesson there was: look good for the cameras. Nixon felt that putting on make-up would make him look inauthentic. The problem was that his authentic self was a nasty old man, and Kennedy, who wore make-up (and was way more charismatic to begin with,) was sexy sexy. A lot of apolitical voters just rely on illogical gut instincts rather than having specific criteria, and this was definitely a determining factor for them.

  • Novak left because his poor make-up made him look like he’d been dead for the last couple of weeks and he just couldn’t take it anymore.

    What does he have left, after all, besides his good looks.

  • For crying out loud. I saw the clip. It was obviously an attempt at dry humor. Haven’t you ever watched the Bob Newhart Show?

    I’m not saying I laughed though.

  • I suspect that this might be a reference to Al Franken. In his book Lies and the Lying Liars there is a picture of Novak on the cover, and apparently there was an incident between Novak and Franken about the horrible picture that had been blown up for a press event, with Novak accusing Franken of having doctored it. Franken talks about it in one of his other books I think.

  • Arlen, You’re confusing Novak with splotchy ol’ Bill O’Reilly. I think Bob was taking the Katherine Harris complaint way too far. But speaking of too far, I just saw the video clip and we might want to add alcoholism to that “help” list.

  • I’m not saying I laughed though.

    I did, Mark. I thought he was kidding…..the ‘I feel your pain’ sappy thing. Then within a few second he was up & out of there.

    Poor Bob; it’s time to go.

  • Untitled Document

    …no,
    ….. Let’s hope He gets thrown in Jail where he belongs
    Here’s another possible scenario – only speculation
    on my part…
    Since Novak’s treasonous act
    against the United States he has become a embarrassment and Pariah
    even to the Corporate-military-industrial
    complex ‘News" organization CNN. They needed to get rid of
    this baggage. I’m guessing that they’ve been trying to figure out
    how to toss him overboard without looking like they were tossing
    him overboard. I’m guessing that they have let him know that and
    were hoping that he would go on his own.  I’m guessing that
    his arrogance, ego and megalomania were fighting the mere thought.
    The banter between Carvel and Novak that led up to
    the incident was mild compared to tit-for-tat needling that
    those two have exchanged in the past.
    Yes, Novak lost it, but did you notice that Carvel
    didn’t even flinch? I would have expected Carvel to turn and say
    something to Novak… "hey, where ya goin’? …..something.  But…nothing.
      After watching Carvel and Novak slapping each other around
    over the years this seems un-natural.
    Ok, maybe this was a way to save
    face for both CNN and Novak.  CNN get’s to say "We’ve
    asked Mr. Novak to take some time off,"
    ….and Novak gets to claim that it wasn’t my idea
    to leave, I didn’t quit, they didn’t ask me to leave, they didn’t
    fire me, I just under some stress and I need some rest.  Under
    the circumstances, it’s an easy out for everyone.
    Let’s not forget the nexus here: This is a
    high level overview     for the gory details: http://www.newsfollowup.com/leakgate1.htm#timeline

    Bush, and his
    Asses Of Evil, were lying us into a war
    Joe
    Wilson, at the request of the CIA, found out that the
    Bush Crime Family
    was lying
    us into
    a war, and did
    his
    Patriotic
    duty – the right thing – and told US..We
    The People     that the President of the United State
    was lying.
    A memo
    was sent to Bush, while on Air force One and heading for Africa, that
    Wilson spilled the
    beans and
    by the way…. Wilson and Plame are married,
    She’s a CIA agent under cover, TOP SECRET, don’t tell any
    intelligence folks from other countries….WMD Sting
    operation….etc, etc, etc.
    Within
    hours of Bush receiving this memo (on AF1) Scooter Libby and Karl Rove
    are ‘Shopping
    the Story’ to anyone that would
    take it.
    Novak took
    it and printed it.
    Novak has
    testified before the Fitzgerald commission and is still walking the streets….hmmm

    Stress?  ya,
    maybe, but like I said …. …..
    Let’s hope He gets thrown in Jail where he belongs – and the rest of this anti-American,
    anti-Democracy, anti-Constitution Treasonous
    Cabal

     

  • Thanks for the additional info.

    As is typical, the media are fixated on his saying bullsh** and not giving any broader context. Wow, he’s gone completely paranoid!

    Altering photos of him? That’s just bizarre.

    I wrote a piece on my Web site that may amuse…it has the answer to the question thats dogging all of us inside the Beltway: what is Fitzgerald going to charge these people with?

    http://www.eyewitnessmuse.com/musings.php?p=124

    BTW, does anyone know if the grand jury must act on Plamegate by its October expiration, or can it be extended?

  • It is about time this petulant, scowling and vicious snob got a dose of his own medicine. He is condescending, arrogant, intolerant and monolithic in his views. Novak’s mantra is always the same- no taxes for the rich and scathing criticism of everyone else. His grand jury experience is a wake-up call. Let’s see him spin his way out of perjury. Maybe he can develop a side career from the prison. Martha has done well so far. CNN spared us all by giving him some ‘time off’.

  • It’s obvious to me that Novak’s temper tantrum and walk-out were not a mental lapse, but were the only way he saw to avoid looking like a fool by not answering questions he knew were coming about his exact roll in the Rove/Plame imbroglio. He knew that Carville was going to make him appear ridiculous and expose him as the lying mouthpiece for the Bush dictatorship that we all know him to be.

    “I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.” – Jonathan Swift

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