Novak: I ‘Try Not To’ Ever ‘Criticize A Source’ In My Column, Especially Karl Rove

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http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/16/novak-sources /

Novak: I ‘Try Not To’ Ever ‘Criticize A Source’ In My Column, Especially Karl Rove

On CSPAN’s Q & A last night, conservative pundit Robert Novak revealed that he tries to never criticize sources in his column. “That’s the way the world works. Very few reporters will admit that,” said Novak. “That’s one of the unusal things about this book.”

Throughout the interview with CSPAN president Brian Lamb, Novak also discussed who some of his most consistent high-level sources have been over the years, including senior Bush aide Karl Rove, of whom Novak said he “never enjoyed such a good source inside the White House.”

“Karl Rove has been a source since he was a young fellow as a consultant in Austin, Texas, in I guess the 1970s,” said Novak. Watch it at link~

During the interview, Lamb asked Novak to describe his relationship with a number of his top sources, including Weekly Standard editor William Kristol. “I thought I was a personal friend of Bill Kristol and he was a super source. I never would have revealed it,” he said. Novak and Kristol had a falling out recently and Kristol has since become a target of Novak’s poison pen.

While Novak’s “super” sources such as Rove have come under little or no criticism from him over the years, Novak noted that he has made a point of criticizing officials, including Henry Kissinger and former Nixon chief of staff Bob Haldeman, who have refused to be his sources. “You said that Bob Haldeman…was treated more harshly because he refused to contact you,” queried Lamb. “I think so. … I think he deserved it,” replied Novak.