Columnist Robert Novak has ties to Anti-Kerry book

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August 30, 2004
Columnist Has Ties to Anti-Kerry Book
By JACQUES STEINBERG

Among the stoutest defenders of "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry," the best-selling book arguing that Mr. Kerry lied about his record of service in Vietnam, is the columnist Robert Novak.

In his syndicated columns and on the CNN program "Crossfire," Mr. Novak has lauded the book and referred to veterans who criticize Mr. Kerry - most notably John E. O'Neill, the book's co-author - as "real patriots."

Unmentioned in Mr. Novak's columns and television appearances, however, is a personal connection he has to the book: his son, Alex Novak, is the director of marketing for its publisher, the conservative publishing house Regnery.

In a telephone interview, Robert Novak said he saw no need to disclose the link.

"I don't think it's relevant," he said.

"I'm just functioning as a columnist with a point of view, and a strong point of view," he added.

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LOL! His son's friends' sister's boyfriends, cousins, dog once pissed on Kerry's leg. Novak should die because of that!

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Novak is a sleezy pig of a man.

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I agree. He knew exactly what he was doing with Plame... this doesn't surprise me one bit.

Cycloptichorn

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Novak makes Ann Coulter seem well reasoned in comparrison.

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BBB
Oh my, one might get the impression Dys doesn't like Novak. Shocked

p.s. I don't like him, either.

BBB Evil or Very Mad

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Quote:

Unmentioned in Mr. Novak's columns and television appearances, however, is a personal connection he has to the book: his son, Alex Novak, is the director of marketing for its publisher, the conservative publishing house Regnery.

Now, that's something I didn't know! Regnery is the main publisher of the most of the right wing hatchet books (ie coulter) we are blessed with. Editorial standards are comfortably relaxed, to put it mildly. Novak's team membership, already evident, is made rather more apparent here.

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Novak's ties to several books published by Regnery
Letter from David Brock to The Washington Post (8.31.04)

Michael Getler
Ombudsman, The Washington Post
1150 15th St NW
Washington, DC 20071-0002
[email protected]

August 31, 2004

Dear Mr. Getler,

I am writing to express my concern that The Washington Post continues to print columns by Robert D. Novak in which he praises books published by Regnery Publishing, Inc. without disclosing his ties to that company.

For example, on August 9, the Post ran a Novak column titled "Veterans Against Kerry," in which Novak praised and defended the book Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry and its authors, John E. O'Neill and Jerome R. Corsi. But Novak didn't tell his readers that his son, Alex Novak, is director of marketing for Regnery Publishing, which published Unfit for Command.

Novak's conflicts of interest go beyond his son's employment at Regnery. Novak himself serves as a trustee of the Phillips Foundation, along with Thomas L. Phillips and Alfred S. Regnery. Phillips is chairman of Eagle Publishing, Inc., of which Regnery is a subsidiary. Alfred Regnery is a director of Eagle Publishing and, according to Eagle's website, is "president of Regnery Publishing, Inc." Eagle Publishing also publishes the Evans-Novak Political Report, which is edited by Robert Novak.

I know that you and editorial page editor Fred Hiatt take seriously the need for disclosure of columnists' conflicts of interest. In fact, on January 11, 2004, you wrote:

Fred Hiatt, editor of the editorial pages, says: "In general, more disclosure is usually better than less, and I would hope columnists would bring any possible issues to my or Alan's attention [Alan Shearer, chief of The Washington Post's Writers Group]."

[...]

t seems to me that all journalists and commentators need to be scrupulous in making known any possible conflict of interests, real or likely to be perceived. Sometimes it needs to be done in print, but it certainly must be made known to editors, who can make their own decision before publication or distribution.

I hope that, in light of The Washington Post's stated desire for columnists to disclose their conflicts, the newspaper will refrain from publishing further Novak columns about Regnery books without disclosing his real and obvious conflicts of interest. I also hope the Post will make its readers aware of those conflicts that have already occurred.

I have attached an item from our website that contains additional information about Novak's conflicts of interest -- and his failure to disclose them. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

David Brock
President and CEO, Media Matters for America

Posted to the web on Tuesday August 31, 2004 at 5:08 PM EST

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Of course, Brock and Hiatt have it right...more disclosure is better than less, regardless of affiliation. Avoidance of such disclosure is just sleezy and dishonest.

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So let me get this straight, because his son works for the publisher, he can't comment on the books? I think that is stupid.

If would see an issue if he was to right a column on the company itself and laud praise on them for being so great, but he isn't reviewing the company, he is reviewing the books. I don't see the conflict of interest.

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Code:I don't see the conflict of interest

amazing, think that might be an exact quote of what Key Lay told his shockholders.

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Baldimo wrote:

So let me get this straight, because his son works for the publisher, he can't comment on the books? I think that is stupid.

If would see an issue if he was to right a column on the company itself and laud praise on them for being so great, but he isn't reviewing the company, he is reviewing the books. I don't see the conflict of interest.

Pay attention now.

1) No one said he or anyone else can't or ought not to comment on a book.

2) We are saying that because an immediate family member stands to financially benefit from his promotion of the book, that this ought to be mentioned up front.

3) We are saying also that because Novak himself stands to benefit financially from promotion of this book, or other Regnery books, that this ought to be noted up front.

4) This is what conflict of interest means (from dictionary.com, def 1)

Quote:

1 : a conflict between the private interests and the official or professional responsibilities of a person in a position of trust

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Gosh, that's pretty dys

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blatham wrote:

Baldimo wrote:
So let me get this straight, because his son works for the publisher, he can't comment on the books? I think that is stupid.

If would see an issue if he was to right a column on the company itself and laud praise on them for being so great, but he isn't reviewing the company, he is reviewing the books. I don't see the conflict of interest.

Pay attention now.

1) No one said he or anyone else can't or ought not to comment on a book.

They are saying in the letter that they don't want him reviewing the books from that company. Isn't that saying that he can't comment on the books? He isn't selling the books but has had a review of them as well as supporting the book for it's content. I would say this is within the realm of what his job is. The only reason this came to light is because of which book is mentioned in the letter. No other books are mentioned. I see this as an attack to stop support for the book and nothing else.

Quote:

2) We are saying that because an immediate family member stands to financially benefit from his promotion of the book, that this ought to be mentioned up front.

Does his son work on a commission or does he make a straightforward salary? If he makes a straightforward salary then this is a non-issue.

Quote:

3) We are saying also that because Novak himself stands to benefit financially from promotion of this book, or other Regnery books, that this ought to be noted up front.

How is Robert Novak going to make money from the book? Is it because he ahs a show and people might watch his show because of his support for the book? If that is the case then anyone who does TV should be allowed to write any articles for any newspaper or magazine because of a conflict.

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Quote:

They are saying in the letter that they don't want him reviewing the books from that company. Isn't that saying that he can't comment on the books?

For pete's sake...read it again.

Quote:

Does his son work on a commission or does he make a straightforward salary? If he makes a straightforward salary then this is a non-issue.

A salary? "We'll pay you twenty bucks an hour to write your book"? I suppose you might be referring to some possible agreement that, regardless of sales, an author would get only X dollars, but I'd love to see you find any/many examples of such a publishing agreement. And even if so, any writer would gain future value from high book sales.

Quote:

How is Robert Novak going to make money from the book? Is it because he ahs a show and people might watch his show because of his support for the book? If that is the case then anyone who does TV should be allowed to write any articles for any newspaper or magazine because of a conflict.

baldimo...if you want anyone to bother talking with you, please make some bloody effort to read a dozen paragraphs before speaking.

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Bal: go back and read the letter. It outlines what the conflicts of interest are and his obligation to disclose same.

No one is asking for anyone to stop publishing, just to have full disclosure.
You are for openness in your sources, right?

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dyslexia wrote:

Novak is a sleezy pig of a man.

Novak makes Ann Coulter seem well reasoned in comparrison.

are you feeling a little "floaty" today dys? Laughing

you're much more charitable than i am, brother.

novak is a treacherous traitor to his country via the plame game. he should be given a rope tie and then kicked off his own soapbox.

imho, of course.

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I am a kind and generious sort, but Bob Novak is still a sleezy pig of a man.

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Quote:

For pete's sake...read it again.

This was in the letter.

Quote:

I hope that, in light of The Washington Post's stated desire for columnists to disclose their conflicts, the newspaper will refrain from publishing further Novak columns about Regnery books without disclosing his real and obvious conflicts of interest.

Quote:

A salary? "We'll pay you twenty bucks an hour to write your book"? I suppose you might be referring to some possible agreement that, regardless of sales, an author would get only X dollars, but I'd love to see you find any/many examples of such a publishing agreement. And even if so, any writer would gain future value from high book sales.

I was referring to his son working for the company. Not the writer of the book, of course the writer of the book gets a cut of sales. That is part of what writing books is about. No one writes books for free.

Does his son make any money off of the book in general or does he just make his salary with the company. He gets a cut of the book sales then I could see a conflict, but if he only gets a salary for his job of marketing books then there is no conflict.

Quote:

baldimo...if you want anyone to bother talking with you, please make some bloody effort to read a dozen paragraphs before speaking.

I answered your statement of money being made. Here is your statement.

Quote:

3) We are saying also that because Novak himself stands to benefit financially from promotion of this book, or other Regnery books, that this ought to be noted up front.

If I misunderstood whom you were speaking about then you should be clearer about your statement. On the issue of his son making money I answered that above.

Columnist Robert Novak has ties to Anti-Kerry book

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