‘Prince of darkness’ sheds light on politics

By Scott MacKay

PROVIDENCE — Up close, Robert Novak looks as if he walked out of the television screen: three-piece charcoal suit, white shirt, red tie, toothy smile, blunt talk — all leavened by disarming humor.

At 76, Novak, who has been a Washington reporter, columnist, television commentator and permanent presence for 50 years, says today’s Washington and political establishment is light years from 1957, when he started as an Associated Press reporter.

Politics was more genteel; senators, representatives and presidents could disagree without becoming sourly disagreeable. Reporters could do their jobs — and speak frankly to sources — without being hounded by FBI agents and dragged before grand juries.

“It is a bad time,” said Novak. Politics in Washington is increasingly nasty and President Bush’s administration is mired in a second-term funk, with a “dysfunctional” attorney general and a White House staff that is “comatose.”

“The White House is in the bunker,” said Novak. “The Democrats have been out in the wilderness for 12 years and they are in a very bad mood.” continued →