Robert Novak, 'The Prince of Darkness,' Dead at 78

Robert Novak, my friend, a Chicago Sun-Times colleague, and one of the most influential journalists in the country, passed away Tuesday morning after a long battle with brain cancer. He relished being known as the "Prince of Darkness"-- the title of his memoir -- but he was a nice guy under the gruff exterior.

Novak, 78, died at his home in Washington. His brain tumor was discovered in 2008.

"He was someone who loved being a journalist, loved journalism and loved his country and loved his family," Novak's wife, Geraldine, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Novak's reputation came not just from his perspective as conservative, but for his reporting work in newspapers and television. He was a mainstay on CNN for more than 25 years on shows such as "Crossfire" "Capitol Gang" and "Inside Politics."
Born Feb. 26, 1931, Novak was raised in Joliet, Ill., and never forgot his Illinois roots. He continued ties to his beloved University of Illinois throughout his life and helped endow a chair on western culture.

Novak's first reporting jobs were with the Joliet and Champaign-Urbana newspapers, working at the later while still a student. After serving in the Army, Novak joined the Associated Press in Nebraska, making his way to the AP bureau in Washington in 1957. From there, he vaulted to the Wall Street Journal, where he covered Congress.

On May 15, 1963, a new Washington insider column was born: Novak was asked by Rowland Evans, Jr. to team up for the six-times a week column. The Chicago Sun-Times was Novak's home paper since 1966. Novak took over the column alone after Evans retired in 1993.

Though known as a conservative, Novak developed relationships with folks on both sides of the aisle and had sources everywhere. Novak's career spanned some 50 years, but perhaps the most celebrated chapter started when he wrote a July, 2003 column outing undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame, which triggered an investigation resulting in the conviction of Scooter Libby, former chief of staff for former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Novak was born Jewish and became a Catholic as an adult. His funeral Mass is Friday. For more on Novak's life, and reaction to his death, check here.