# Could Robert Novak stick his nose any further up Pres. Bush's ass? I doubt it! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 22, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949 "2005-09-22T21:41:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/1 "2005-09-22T21:41:38Z")
I rarely read Robert Novak’s columns these days, but the title seemed intriguing. In reading through the article linked below, however, it became obvious that Novak was using it as clumsy platform to stick his nose so far up Bush’s ass a colonoscopy would be needed to find it. What a grotesque performance. Why is he doing this? Is he on the outs with the Bush Administration because of the story he broke on CIA agent Valerie Plame and wants to grovel his way back in? [Bashing Bush in Aspen](http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20050922.shtml) Portion below > [@](#): > > I was surprised that the program indicated the first panel, on stem cell research, consisted solely of scientists hostile to the Bush administration’s position. In the absence of any disagreement, I took the floor to suggest there are scientists and bioethicists with dissenting views and that it was not productive to demean opposing views as based on “religious dogma.” The response was peeved criticism of my intervention and certainly no support. > > I do not see myself as a defender of the Bush presidency, and I am sure the White House does not regard me as such. But as a member of the second panel consisting of journalists, I felt constrained to argue against implications that Hurricane Katrina should cause the president to rediscover race and poverty. My comments again generated more criticism from the audience and obvious exasperation by Charlie Rose. Indeed, after the closing dinner Saturday night, the moderator made clear he was displeased by my conduct. > > After the first two panels, I feared I was the odd man out in accepting Teddy Forstmann’s invitation. But during a break, one of the president’s closest friends – who had remained silent – thanked me profusely for my comments. That set a pattern. Throughout the next two days, men and women who were mute publicly thanked me privately for speaking up. When I said nothing during one panel discussion, some people asked me why I was silent. > > Longtime participants in Forstmann Little conferences (this was my first and, after this column, probably my last) told me they had not experienced such hostility against a Republican president at previous events. Yet, they were sure a majority of the guests had voted for Bush. > > This analysis was reported to me over lunch by a financier who regularly attends these events. When he thanked me for my comments and said he shared my sentiments, I asked why he did not express them publicly at a session. He replied that he did not feel able to articulate what he felt. Critics of the president who are vocal and supporters who are reticent comprise a massive communications failure. > > U.S. News & World Report disclosed this week, with apparent disdain, that presidential adviser Karl Rove took time off from the Katrina relief effort to be at Aspen. He was needed as a counterweight. I settled in for serious fireworks, expecting Bush-bashers to assault his alter ego at the conference’s final session. However, direct confrontation with a senior aide must have been more difficult than a remote attack on the president. It would be a shame if Rove returned to Washington without informing George W. Bush how erstwhile friends have turned against him. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/2 "2005-09-22T21:47:49Z")
Wow, that was a fun little trip into un-reality. What did I learn? 1. Novak isn’t a Bush backer. 2. Some Righties are unhappy with Bush and Novak, a Bush non-backer felt the need to defend someone he doesn’t back. Well, obviously all them righties are traitors and must be executed. Immediately. -Joe, vive la France! ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/3 "2005-09-22T21:58:08Z")
> [@Novak](#): > > I do not see myself as a defender of the Bush presidency what _would_ one call it then? the Bush sycophant? the Court Jester? ass kisser? love slave? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/4 "2005-09-22T22:14:33Z")
For this, a pitting? Really, really, really weak. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/5 "2005-09-22T22:22:40Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > For this, a pitting? > > Really, really, really weak. Because it’s a lapdog being a lapdog or you have something more to it? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/6 "2005-09-22T22:24:47Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > For this, a pitting? > > Really, really, really weak. Is there a better forum for expressing annoyance at Olympic level unctuous political brown nosing? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/7 "2005-09-22T23:15:34Z")
News flash: Novak is a conservative. That he says nice things about fellow conservatives, even for the purposes of playing buddy-buddy, should be about as appauling as Al Franken giving Fahrenheit 911 a good review. Hell, it wasn’t even a good pitting. The solitary jab at Novak (the colonoscopy thing) couldn’t even break a glass jaw. And it fails to make any sense on the Plame thing: does the OP really believe that Plame’s identity was leaked for the purpose of NOT appearing in the press, and that the White House was actually pissed at Novak for printing a _leak_? (My god, what _has_ the media come to? Journalists printing things that well-placed White House sources tell them to print! Think of the children! What happened to the good ol’ days when syndicated columnists would keep leaks secret?) Really, really lame pitting. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/8 "2005-09-23T03:12:07Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > News flash: Novak is a conservative. That he says nice things about fellow conservatives, even for the purposes of playing buddy-buddy, should be about as appauling as Al Franken giving Fahrenheit 911 a good review. Not even a little bit. Novak, as a conservative, is absolutely **NOT** required to unquestioningly march in lockstep with whatever the current Pubbie squatting in the White House says should be done. However, Novak does. And not only does he do so, he expects the same complete unquestioning fanaticism from every other Rightie out there. And he’s apparently shocked and disgusted that _anyone_ could possibly concieve to do otherwise. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/9 "2005-09-23T03:40:47Z")
The grand jury in the Plame investigation adjourns on October 28. Novak is hedging his bets in case the prosecutor takes aim at him for any reason, in the hope of a Presidential pardon. Suck Bush’s cock now, and avoid sucking a hundred cocks in Leavenworth later. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/10 "2005-09-23T12:45:39Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > The grand jury in the Plame investigation adjourns on October 28. Novak is hedging his bets in case the prosecutor takes aim at him for any reason, in the hope of a Presidential pardon. Suck Bush’s cock now, and avoid sucking a hundred cocks in Leavenworth later. And what is the crime that you think Novak committed? The law requires that someone have authorized access to the identity of an agent before they can be punished for publicizing the agent’s identity. Rove’s the one on the hook, not Novak. Get your facts straight. > [@Merijeek](#): > > Novak, as a conservative, is absolutely NOT required to unquestioningly march in lockstep with whatever the current Pubbie squatting in the White House says should be done. However, Novak does. And not only does he do so, he expects the same complete unquestioning fanaticism from every other Rightie out there. You base all of this opinion on one column quoted by the OP? So if I found a single column of his that criticizes the White House, would that make you wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/11 "2005-09-23T12:54:59Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > And what is the crime that you think Novak committed? The law requires that someone have authorized access to the identity of an agent before they can be punished for publicizing the agent’s identity. Rove’s the one on the hook, not Novak. > > Get your facts straight. What “fact” have I not got straight? I don’t know what the DA will do, and neither do you. The fact that reasonable people can debate whether Novak might be subject to charges means there is a possibility this won’t go the way Novak wants it. If the grand jury adjourns without charging Novak, I will gladly accept your point. But it is not now a certainty, no matter how earnestly you argue it. If Novak didn’t also believe that, he wouldn’t have a team of lawyers to protect his interests. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-robert-novak-stick-his-nose-any-further-up-pres-bushs-ass-i-doubt-it/322949/12 "2005-09-23T13:28:22Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > The fact that reasonable people can debate whether Novak might be subject to charges means there is a possibility this won’t go the way Novak wants it. [GQ discussion on the law.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=243550) If you know of anyone who is knowledgable about the law and believes that Novak is at any way at risk for prosecution for leaking Plame’s name, tell me who that is. But saying that “reasonable people can debate” can debate this topic seems to be the exact same talking point that the intelligent designers use to try to bluster their view into some legitimacy, when, in fact, there isn’t any real debate at all.