Robert Novak Watch: The Prince of Darkness Moves to Fox News

TVNewser Blog has FLASH: Bob Novak Becoming Fox News Channel “Contributor”

This story suddenly becomes more interesting: As soon as Bob Novak’s contract with CNN runs out on Dec. 31, he will become a contributor to the Fox News Channel, the AP scoops. FNC spokesman Brian Lewis confirmed his signing with the network to David Bauder. “Novak said the switch to Fox had nothing to do with finding a more comfortable home for his views.”

“I don’t think that’s a factor,” Novak said. “In 25 years I was never censored by CNN and I said some fairly outrageous things and some very conservative things. I don’t want to give the impression that they were muzzling me and I had to go to a place that wouldn’t muzzle me.”

The ASSociated Press continues:

Commentator Robert Novak, who hasn’t been seen on CNN since swearing and storming off the set in August, will leave the network after 25 years and join Fox News Channel as a contributor next month. Novak, 74, said Friday he probably would have left CNN anyway when his contract expired this month even if it hadn’t been for the incident.

The suspension actually served to eliminate a delicate problem for CNN, which had received some criticism for keeping the political columnist on the air with his involvement in the CIA leak case.

A Novak column in July 2003 identified Valerie Plame as a CIA agent eight days after her husband, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, accused the Bush administration of manipulating intelligence before the Iraq war. Novak wrote that two administration officials were his sources, but he hasn’t identified them and Plame’s outing sparked a special prosecutor’s investigation.

Novak walked off the set in August during a political debate after James Carville said that he’s “got to show these right-wingers that he’s got a backbone.”

Novak quickly apologized, but CNN never let him back on the air. A CNN correspondent, Ed Henry, said he had been about to ask Novak on the air about the leak investigation, but Novak said that had nothing to do with why he walked off.

“I’m sorry it ended that way but I am confident if it hadn’t happened that I would still be leaving CNN,” he said. The network has been de- emphasizing political content, and canceled the long-running debate show “Crossfire.”

Flap is glad that Novak is moving over to Fox News and looks forward to many years of reporting and commentary from one of the finest of political pundits.

Flap has had the pleasure to meet Novak (at Pat Buchanan’s home) and found him to be erudite, engaging and very much the “Prince of Darkness.”

See you in January Bob…….