Cancer Claims Robert D. Novak
Longtime journalist and political pundit was 78
Robert D. Novak, a conservative columnist and cable news pundit, died August 18, 2009, at his home in Washington, D.C., following a long struggle with brain cancer. He was 78.
As a nationally syndicated columnist, Novak wrote the “Inside Report,” first with Rowland Evans and later solo, where he reported on Washington news inside the Beltway. He continued the column until his health forced him to retire last summer.
Novak was also well known as a pundit and commentator on CNN’s political roundtable show Crossfire. When CNN launched in 1980, Novak joined the network as a political analyst and soon began a show with Evans called Evans and Novak. He also executive produced and appeared on the show Capital Gang, and was a regular analyst on Inside Politics.
He left CNN in December 2005 after 25 years. In 2006, he went to work for Fox News as a political analyst, and in 2007 he wrote his memoir titled, The Prince of Darkness: 50 Years Reporting in Washington.