I spent a busy day digging a gigantic hole in the beach with my daughter and her cousins, so I thought I’d just be lazy tonight, and pile on the story about Robert Novak getting suspended from CNN for swearing on air and then walking off the set of Inside Politics.
Carville and Novak were both trying to speak while they were handicapping the GOP candidacy of Katherine Harris. Novak said the opposition of the Republican establishment in Florida might not be fatal for her.
“Let me just finish, James, please,” Novak continued. “I know you hate to hear me, but you have to.”
Carville, addressing the camera, said: “He’s got to show these right wingers that he’s got a backbone, you know. It’s why the Wall Street Journal editorial page is watching you. Show ’em that you’re tough.”
“Well, I think that’s bull—- and I hate that,” Novak replied. “Just let it go.”
As moderator Henry stepped in to ask Carville a question, Novak walked off the set.
Hmm. Under a little pressure these days, Bob?
You can view the clip on Crooks and Liars.
If you’re wondering why Novak got all pissy over Carville’s relatively innocuous comment… um… so am I. But I suppose it could be that he just didn’t want to answer any more questions about Valerie Plame… questions he knew were coming up from host Ed Henry.
That Novak should be disciplined for saying the word “bullshit” when he’s made a career out of spewing it, strikes me as a little odd… so I’m guessing that CNN suspended him for walking off the set, not for the cussing. Other pundits have criticized Novak for his lack of professionalism, but I’m not exactly sure what his profession is. CNN didn’t seem to think it was unprofessional of him to play the role of Karl Rove’s hatchet man by blowing the cover off a CIA operative… or to immediately roll over to the special prosecutor and give up Rove’s name, while other real journalists were willing to go to jail to protect their sources. But apparently, even professional hacks have their standards, and in walking off the set of a live show Novak finally tripped over the very low bar CNN had set for him.
Still, it’s probably all for the best. Outing CIA operatives and libeling Senate staffers is hard work, and Novak could probably use the vacation. So why not join me on the beach, Bob, and grab a shovel… I think you know what to do with it.