Conservative columnist and television host. Born Robert David Sanders Novak, he worked as a reporter for the Joliet Herald-News while attending the University of Illinois, from which he graduated in 1952. He served in the Army during the Korean War, afterwards becoming an Associated Press reporter, and later covering Capitol Hill for the Wall Street Journal. In 1963 he began "Inside Report," a column with Rowland Evans, which featured behind-the-scenes conservative political items (dubbed "Errors and No Facts" by its critics). Evans retired from the column in 1993, but continued to appear on TV until his 2001 death. Novak continued the column and appeared on television shows including "The Capital Gang," "Crossfire," and "Evans, Novak, Hunt, & Shields." In 2003 he was involved in exposing the identity of Valerie Wilson, a covert CIA officer, in an effort to discredit her husband's investigation into the spurious claim that Iraq had attempted to purchase uranium for nuclear weapons from Niger, which if true would have helped justify the US war on Iraq. An investigation led to the conviction of Vice President Cheney's Chief of Staff, "Scooter" Libby, for perjury and obstruction of justice, but Novak cooperated with the prosecutor and was not charged with a crime. In July, 2008 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and curtailed his activities. In early 2009 he ended the last of his projects, the "Evans-Novak Political Report" newsletter, which had been published since 1967. In 2001 the University of Illinois created the Novak Chair of Western Civilization and Culture. Nicknamed "Novakula," and "the Prince of Darkness" for his dour personality and pessimistic outlook, Novak used the second nickname as the title of his 2007 memoir.
Conservative columnist and television host. Born Robert David Sanders Novak, he worked as a reporter for the Joliet Herald-News while attending the University of Illinois, from which he graduated in 1952. He served in the Army during the Korean War, afterwards becoming an Associated Press reporter, and later covering Capitol Hill for the Wall Street Journal. In 1963 he began "Inside Report," a column with Rowland Evans, which featured behind-the-scenes conservative political items (dubbed "Errors and No Facts" by its critics). Evans retired from the column in 1993, but continued to appear on TV until his 2001 death. Novak continued the column and appeared on television shows including "The Capital Gang," "Crossfire," and "Evans, Novak, Hunt, & Shields." In 2003 he was involved in exposing the identity of Valerie Wilson, a covert CIA officer, in an effort to discredit her husband's investigation into the spurious claim that Iraq had attempted to purchase uranium for nuclear weapons from Niger, which if true would have helped justify the US war on Iraq. An investigation led to the conviction of Vice President Cheney's Chief of Staff, "Scooter" Libby, for perjury and obstruction of justice, but Novak cooperated with the prosecutor and was not charged with a crime. In July, 2008 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and curtailed his activities. In early 2009 he ended the last of his projects, the "Evans-Novak Political Report" newsletter, which had been published since 1967. In 2001 the University of Illinois created the Novak Chair of Western Civilization and Culture. Nicknamed "Novakula," and "the Prince of Darkness" for his dour personality and pessimistic outlook, Novak used the second nickname as the title of his 2007 memoir.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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