Plame Strains

[Neil D]

Right-wing pundit Robert Novak stunned viewers of CNN's "Inside Politics" yesterday when he shouted an expletive at fellow commentator James Carville and stormed off the set during a live interview (watch the video). The dramatic breakdown is just the latest sign of strain seen in both Novak and his accomplices in the White House, who together exposed the identity of former CIA operative Valerie Plame. (The White House is trying hard to avoid that impression. In an article yesterday detailing how White House officials are "bracing for a new round of attacks on Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove's involvement in the CIA leak probe," U.S. News and World Report printed a blind quote from a "senior White House adviser" insisting that "Rove is cool as a cucumber.") But who can blame them? Possible criminal indictments hang over the heads of some of the most senior Bush administration officials; Robert Novak's 40-year career in journalism appears to be permanently stained by his infamous July 2003 column; President Bush has lost the trust of the majority of the American people; and now new public opinion data has discredited the canard that Americans aren't interested in the leak investigation.

NOVAK WAS ABOUT TO BE ASKED ABOUT PLAME CASE: Novak's outburst came abruptly, in the midst of a ho-hum discussion about Florida Rep. Katherine Harris. But was it really just James Carville's teasing that set him off? Perhaps not. "Inside Politics" host Ed Henry ended the segment with the following foot-note: "Thanks, James Carville. And I’m sorry as well that Bob Novak left the set a little early. I had told him in advance that we were going to ask about the CIA leak case, he was not here for me to be able to ask him about that. Hopefully, we’ll be able to ask him about that in the future."

The Progress Report

[Ron Lambert]

It is not surprising that Novak would be so sensitive. This case has been hounding him for two years, and he does face the prospect, however unlikely he may hope it is, that he could spend time in prison for whatever part he played in outing Vallerie Plame. This just goes to show that being a journalist does not give you absolute freedom to say anything. You still have to be an honorable human being and a law-abiding citizen. This case, along with the Dan Rather debacle, should provide serious cautionary lessons for all journalists about how far is too far over the line.