Evidently, CNN has suspended Novak and Novak is contrite.
I’m surprised. I saw him stand up and walk out -- I was multi-tasking but the TV was on -- and it seemed to me that he was just responding to Carville's abject rudeness. Carville was snarling something about Novak wanting to please far right-wingers.
I didn't blame Novak. I thought, "Good for him, there is some sh** up with which he will not put. Maybe this will teach Carville to keep a civil tongue in his mouth and to learn that all is not permissible in partisan debate."
Oh brother! "Abject rudeness" is the whole point of these televised exchanges. Robert Novak, who is a veteran of the McLaughlin Group, Crossfire and the Capital Gang has been on the giving end more often than the receiving end. With the rare opportunity to watch TV history live yesterday, I was lazily dozing when Novak stormed off stage. After watching it again on the Web, I still don't understand what Carville said that was so bad. It is difficult to spin the episode in such a way that Novak doesn't look foolish. That partisans such as May feel the need to spin on behalf of fellow pundits indicates the sad state of America's current political debate.
UPDATE: I spoke too soon. There is always competition in the Corner. Tim Graham: It's Clinton's fault.
2 comments:
I don't know. I got the feeling the pressure of these Plame investigations was getting to Novak and he did just lost his patience for the televised feces throwing. Maybe I don't watch enough but I thought Carville's shot was cheaper than usual. The most mysterious part of the exchange was Novak's terse "Let it go." Was he saying it to the host like "Let the fact that I just dropped a bomb on air go, and get on with television." or was it to himself like "Let go of this fake 'dignity' that keeps me glued to this chair I hate so much"
Maybe Robert Novak suddenly realized how low the show’s Nielsen ratings were.
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