Rest in peace, Robert Novak

I heard the news from Mark Steyn (who was filling in for Rush on Tuesday) that Robert Novak had passed away, succumbing to the brain tumor with which he was diagnosed last summer.

I never got to meet Bob Novak or even hear him speak, but I felt a profound sadness, nonetheless. I fear we will not see his kind again. Novak was an old-school reporter who was fearlessly committed to integrity. He was, however, not afraid to brandish his conservative credentials, though this did not translate to protectiveness towards Republican politicians.

Robert Novak was famous for the scoops that he uncovered, and there was a new one almost every week. I read his columns religiously. They were always interesting and he could write like nobody's business. Novak was more than your standard-issue pundit; there was clout behind what he wrote and said because of the half a century he had spent becoming acquainted with the ways of Washington.

I think I first saw Novak on Crossfire back around 2002 or so; he was representing the Right and Paul Begala the Left. Candidly, Novak was a far more gifted writer than he was a speaker; he was not as glib on his feet as some (Tucker Carlson, for instance, whom I also like and yes, Paul Begala, whom I don't so much), but he always had something worthwhile to say or cover.

One of the last memories I have is of Novak covering the South Carolina Republican primary for Fox News. McCain had just won and Novak essentially predicted that this indicated that the nomination now belonged to McCain. Sean Hannity, who was anchoring at that moment, protested that surely this didn't mean it was all over for Mitt Romney and the other hopefuls? Novak replied that he had covered Republicans for 50 years and if South Carolina GOP voters were throwing their support behind a candidate, his nomination was virtually assured. We all know how that turned out.

Novak's story of his journey to the Catholic faith from agnosticism is one of the most moving conversion stories I have ever encountered. He details this in his memoir, as well. He was approached in 1996 by a young female student who asked if he had joined the church (evidently, she knew that he had looked into it). He replied that he had not and had no intention of doing so anytime soon. Her response was, "Mr. Novak, life is short, but eternity is forever." He was so shaken by this simple witness that he began a spiritual journey that lasted until his death.

It is sad that Novak's final years were marked by the controversy of the Valerie Plame/Joe Wilson non-story. Novak did nothing wrong in reporting the facts that he was given by the source he eventually disclosed: Undersecretary of State Richard Armitage. Yet, he was forced to expend $160,000 in legal fees while keeping silent as the situation unfolded. The whole thing was a sham and charade masquerading as justice, and it was fitting that Novak was ultimately cleared, but sad that he had to endure this pitiless ordeal. Plame was not even a covert agent and had not been for some time.

Bob Novak left a legacy behind him that represented the best that conservative journalism has had to offer. I have missed his columns for the last year and have feared that this day would come, all too soon. Tim Russert, Tony Snow and now Robert Novak. We keep losing men whose shoes are too big to fill.