Robert Novak and Ted Kennedy

Robert Novak


I just finished reading an article by Robert Novak in today's Orange County Register. The piece deals with his illness and the reactions of various people to his plight. Predictably, some people have cheered his illness (he has a brain tumor). Yet, the primary focus of Novak's article was on those who have reached out to him (principally from the left).

First and foremost, Novak had kind words for Ted and Vicki Kennedy, who befriended him and counseled him to him to undergo surgery. Novak subsequently had his tumor removed by Dr Allan H. Friedman, surgeon at Duke University Hospital, who had performed similar surgery on Kennedy this summer.

Novak contrasted the reaction of the Kennedys (Ted Kennedy has long been the object of critical writing by Novak) to that of others who cheered his illness. He mentioned "mad bloggers" who "professed to take delight" in the fact that he had a brain tumor. One needs look no further than the Daily Kos, much of whose readership chimed in with zero sympathy for Novak and listed the names of other conservatives who "should be afflicted with brain tumors". (The Daily Kos has apparently taken down those comments after initially publishing them.)

I remember reading a reader comment recently on the Kos accusing many conservatives (presumably blog readers) of writing horrible things about Ted Kennedy when his illness was announced. No doubt that is true given that blogs attract viewpoints of all types. Yet, I don't think it was typical of the conservative reaction. Certainly, the conservative blogs that I read (plus mine) all wished Kennedy a speedy recovery, as have the conservative talk show hosts that I listen to (Hannity, Elder, Medved, etc). In fairness, the liberal blogs, including Daily Kos, also published reader comments expressing opposition to Novak as a commentator, but also regret at his condition.

Novak, in his article, mentioned that Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame have come out with this comment about him:

"We have long argued that responsible adults should take Novak's typewriter away. The time has arrived for them to also take away the keys to his Corvette."

In fairness, it was not stated exactly when the Wilsons made that statement. It appears it was made immediately after Novak's traffic accident, in which he (apparently unknowingly) struck a pedestrian with his Corvette on July 23rd. The discovery of his tumor came days later. (Interestingly, Newsbusters is reporting that the Washington Post deleted all mention of the Wilsons from Novak's article.)

The point of this posting is simply this: When our political opponents are stricken with serious illness or death, then it is time for the politics to stop and for us all to join together in wishing the person and/or his/her family well in their time of trevail. Cheering for the illness or death of people should be reserved for the Adolf Hitlers, Saddam Husseins or Pol Pots of the world-not for those with whom we politically disagree.