In Memoriam
Bob Novak’s Angle of Repose
The Prince of Darkness’s Augustinian journey.
I only met Bob Novak once and relatively recently, at my daughter’s wedding, as he was a dear friend of the groom’s family. After offering him my personal appreciation for his writings over the years, the brief conversation turned to the newlyweds, the Illini, and other pleasantries.
I had read his columns all my adult life and several of his books. I was in complete agreement with him on issues ranging from his strong anti-Communism and social conservatism, supply-side economics, and his prescient opposition to the Iraq war which earned him an unjustified insult from David Frum who accused him of being part of a posse of so-called “Unpatriotic Conservatives.”
Reading all the heartfelt tributes to Novak as a reporter, controversialist and a human being, I am struck by the trajectory of his life and thought which seem to have come to a kind of Augustinian position, a place of rest, an angle of repose to use an engineering term appropriated by Wallace Stegner for his famous novel of the same name.
Bob Novak was an unsparing observer of the Washington circus, a very unedifying spectacle of the works of the City of Man. In later life he was drawn to the nearest thing to the City of God on earth, Roman Catholicism, at least from his perspective.
As a Catholic I was both surprised and heartened by this development. I was surprised because Novak’s public persona was curmudgeonly and fierce. There is a great line attributed to the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) in which he said, “Well, we’ve now made Bob a Catholic. The question is, can we make him a Christian?” Only later did I read the testimony of so many of his close friends who spoke of his kindness and sacrifice on their behalf.
I was heartened by Bob Novak’s conversion, as I am with all conversions, since, like many “cradle” Catholics, I sometimes become too immersed in the culture of Catholicism as just part of the furniture in your life, taken for granted, often losing that sense of the power and glory of Jesus who lived, taught, suffered, died and rose in untold love and mercy for us all. For a mature adult to take the plunge into faith is always a wonderful thing to behold and a jolt to a dormant spirituality of other persons of faith, often distracted by the cares of daily life and in need of spiritual rekindling.
As to this theory of mine that Novak developed a kind of Augustinian sense that the City of God was not of this world, recall Voltaire’s quip that the Holy Roman Empire was neither holy, Roman nor an empire. Some fabulists in the Middle Ages misread St. Augustine’s great text on the subject as justifying such a thing, thereby rendering unto Caesar the things of God. The City of God does exist, but not in the same dimension of time and space as the Terrestrial City. It is a thing to be longed for, strived for. As Richard John Neuhaus has written, we rely on that hope even as we do what we can to serve and work for the welfare of the city of our exile as the Old Testament prophet counseled the Jews in their Babylonian exile.
Tim Carney, who worked for Novak at the Evans-Novak Political Report late in the great man’s career, describes his change over time:
Novak earned the nickname the Prince of Darkness for being so pessimistic so young. Early in his career, his bleak outlook stemmed from a fear that freedom would fall to Communism — a worry he would shed by the time Ronald Reagan became president. Later in his career, Novak’s pessimism and reputation as a curmudgeon derived from something altogether different — he had lost faith in politics to make the world better.[Emphasis added]
Noting that Bob Novak was influenced by Whittaker Chambers, author of Witness and an ex-Communist, Carney states, “After Novak’s trust in politicians was steadily worn down by the gritty facts of politics, the old man found faith in God. I believe this is no coincidence.”
St. Francis of Assisi urged us to “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” Bob Novak would, no doubt, appreciate the irony that his very life itself, rather than his outstanding reporting and written words, may be his greatest gift to us all. May he rest in peace.
About the Author
G. Tracy Mehan, III served at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the administrations of both Presidents Bush. He is a consultant in Arlington, Virginia, and an adjunct professor at George Mason University School of Law.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (28) | Leave a comment
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Joe| 8.21.09 @ 9:01AM
Once again as if Catholics are the only Christians. Why don't you say turn to God and Jesus and not the Catholic Church, Humm?
S.L. Toddard| 8.21.09 @ 9:22AM
"his prescient opposition to the Iraq war"
Prescient indeed. He asserted that Iraq posed no credible threat and that a war against Iraq was therefore unjustified. We now know, beyond any d0ubt, that he was categorically and inarguably correct, and that the pro-war cheerleaders, the Bush administration and their supporters were - without a doubt - catastrophically wrong.
It is a tragedy - one that has cost us the lives of over four thousand soldiers - that the Liberal Internationalist Republicans ignored the wisdom of anti-war Conservatives like Novak, and that GOP supporters valued the prospect of talking tough and play-acting at "patriotism" over the lives of our soldiers. The unpatriotic anti-Americanism of the GOP and its supporters has cost America and the men sworn to defend it dearly.
Robert| 8.21.09 @ 10:19AM
"his prescient opposition to the Iraq war"
I love these Monday morning historians who are all on board the 'Iraq was a mistake' meme.
I think Bill Clinton's complete ignorance of worldwide Islamic terror and Iraq's repeated violations of the cease fire agreement was a mistake.
Its way too damn early to call if it was a mistake, but that won't stop some from trying to influence the history writing.
S.L. Toddard| 8.21.09 @ 10:37AM
"I love these Monday morning historians who are all on board the 'Iraq was a mistake' meme."
"Meme"? We know for a fact that the WMD charge was false, nor was any evidence ever proffered that demonstrated a clear and present danger. Far from a "meme" it is a fact that Iraq was a mistake - we mistakenly went to deprive Saddam Hussein of WMD he did not possess.
As for "Monday morning historians" - we in the anti-war Right warned against this mistake consistently since before the war was decided upon. If people like you had listened to people like us then four thousand American soldiers would be home now, alive, raising their children and protecting their country.
I pray, sincerely, that supporters of the Iraq War might some day be able to wipe those soldiers' blood off their hands.
Helen Donnelly| 8.21.09 @ 2:40PM
Dear Joe,
I found it hard to believe that someone could actually find something negative about this article. Mr. Novak found in the Catholic church what he had been searching f0r. Is there something wrong with that, pray tell? What has your pants in a bundle? Be happy for a man who found what he had long been looking for in this life.
God Bless (and yes, I am a Catholic)
jr| 8.21.09 @ 5:02PM
From my ignorant perspective -- non-catholic protestant -- that Church was once a leader for the believing world. But over the years (pedephile for example) it has joined most of the organized churches is proclaiming the ideals of the leftists and socialists like those of Kennedy and Obama. This is not a free world! Those who do well work the hardest and do for others unlike what has been done to them. Free -- is one of LBJ's legacies -- helping those in poverty and health care -- well, I guess he didn't fix those either. Kennedy fixed the Cuban Castro problem.
Daisy| 8.21.09 @ 5:43PM
Joe, grow up! Mehan is a Catholic and is speaking from his own perspective.
jr, there are many millions of Conservative Catholics among us--don't count Catholics out. We are still a pro-life juggernaut and liberals know it.
Janet| 8.21.09 @ 8:18PM
Doesn't anyone remember what Novak (R.I.P) did to Scooter Libby? If Novak had just said the word, Scooter Libby's life would not have been ruined. Some Christian.
vatvince37| 8.21.09 @ 9:39PM
In response to Joe's pointed question: yes, Catholics, at least of the traditional stripe, do believe that the Church, through the Holy Ghost (or Spirit, if you wish) is Christ's only instrument on this earth. Further, I know of no other Christian church's founding that was established and stems directly from Jesus, not a man made variety. But I write about Robert Novak.
In the middle and late 70s, while assigned to Washington as a Foreign Service Officer, I would, accidentally, to be sure, meet Novak in the elevator of an office complex on Pennsylvania Avenue. Without fail, his demeanor was surly; his mien irascible: he never acknowledged a "Good morning," or did he ever say, "Good day," upon exiting the elevator. Still, something about him was puzzling, and, I suspect, I know now what it was: Novak was not at peace with himself, and that came only when he sought, and found, the spiritual solace that helps people in that situation. I cannot know if it was Augustianian in nature, but in later years, and here perhaps I project, that personal cantakerousness left him. Perhaps it was age and maturity; perhaps, as has been written, he now possessed that spiritual strength that saw him through his later years and his last crisis.
While it would be churlish to believe that Novak had become a new man, I do believe that he was a changed one, and, in the process, became another marvelous example of the inner power that comes to some men at the end of their lives.
Agnus Die, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem.
dag| 8.21.09 @ 9:57PM
Mr. Novak found comfort in the Catholic church and that is great. Any religion that people find comfort in should not be denigrated. As a non practicing Catholic I find problems with some of their teachings. But no one can deny that pro life is
is found a redeeming value by many people.
May Mr. Novak rest in the peace he deserves, America are worse for his passing and the quieting of his voice.
Nobama| 8.22.09 @ 2:24AM
Janet, don't blame Novak for George Bush's misdeed! Bush should have pardoned Libby and many of us are still p!ssed off at W for not doing so.
It's just ONE of the reasons I yell--NO MORE BUSHES!!
janet| 8.22.09 @ 11:44AM
Nobama, Nothing was more disgusting than Bush not pardoning Scooter Libby (unless it was his not pardoning Jonathan Pollard). But that was after the fact. Novak could have prevented the entire horrible fiasco in the first place. I repeat: A man's life was completely destroyed for lack of one word from Novak.
Jewish Blood Rituals| 8.22.09 @ 6:44PM
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EN Aug. 20, 2009A A A
Israel Big Scandal: Israelis are killing Palestinians for Organs
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Quote of the day
How could it be? Where are all those organizations that work to save the human rights? Did they read what was written today in newspapers about yet again another crime against human beings and their right to decide…If you are asking "decide what", then continue reading...
Sweden's daily “Aftonbladet” published a report that said Israeli troops killed Palestinians and harvested their organs. The article headlined "Our sons are plundered for their organs," said Israeli soldiers harvested the organs of Palestinians after seizing them from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The report detailed how Israeli soldiers detained young men and after they died in custody returned their bodies with organs missing. The newspaper quoted several Palestinians as saying Israeli soldiers kidnapped their sons and stole their organs.
Interviewed by the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, on Wednesday, journalist Donald Bostrom said he wrote the article to push for an international investigation into the allegations.In his article, Bostrom discussed the case of Bilal Ahmed Ghanan, 19, who was accused of throwing stones at Israeli soldiers during the first intifada against the Israeli occupation.
The article says Ghanan was hiding in the mountains around the West Bank city of Nablus, fearing arrest. When he came down soldiers, shot Ghanan in the chest, legs and stomach, then took him to their camp on a military helicopter.Bostrom said he witnessed Israeli soldiers return the body to his family wrapped in green hospital sheets five days later. Bilal's chest had been cut open and organs removed. T
he article also carried a photograph of a dead Palestinian man with a line of surgical stitches running the length of his torso, apparently taken after an autopsy, as well as pictures of stone-throwing youths and Levy Izhak Rosenbaum, a New York resident arrested in an FBI sting last month and charged with plotting to buy a kidney from an Israeli and sell it to an American patient for $160,000.
At the same time that this organ campaign was going on, young Palestinian men were disappearing, and being delivered back to their villages five days later at night, dead and cut open," Bostrom wrote.Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon filed a formal protest with the Swedish government on Wednesday.
The story made headlines in Israel, where some commentators compared it to medieval accusations that Jews killed Christian children for their blood.
A Horrible, revolting crime done by the Zionist against the Palestinians... I call upon the entire word and specifically the Arabs organizations that work to preserve "human rights", to read the article and call for an inquiry...
Maybe will they be able to save those young Palestinians who deserve to live... As if it is not bad enough for them to be living in their own land, humiliated by the occupation, no it is not enough… They should also die and get their organs ripped away from their bodies for the Zionist to make money and live..what a bad irony!!
STOP ANTI SEMITIC HATE| 8.22.09 @ 8:04PM
Shame on you leftists for your hatred toward the Jewish people.
Nobama| 8.22.09 @ 8:06PM
Janet, Novak might have been punished by the prosecutor if he'd said anything in public. It was Bush's responsibility.
Pingback| 8.23.09 @ 5:16PM
Currents » Blog Archive » Robert Novak’s Witness | NET NY links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
George True| 8.23.09 @ 9:48PM
S.L.Toddard: The worn-out claim that Saddam did not have WMD's isn't quite true. You are conveniently overlooking the fact that Iraq had a stockpile of 550 metric tons of high-grade yellowcake uranium. It was removed from Iraq only a year ago amid great secrecy and security. It was transported to Canada where it was processed into uranium for nuclear reactors.
Iraq certainly possessed the ability to quickly reconstitute their nuclear program once those pesky UN inspectors were permanently gone. Saddam himself told his American debriefers that he had fully intended to do so ASAP.
The yellowcake uranium Saddam had on hand was enough to make as many as several dozen nuclear bombs. And even a modest degree of processing would have at least made it suitable for use in a "dirty" bomb, actually many dirty bombs.
Daisy| 8.23.09 @ 11:26PM
George True, Why doesn't anybody talk about the truckloads of secreted material the Russians got out of Iraq before the war? It was taken to Syria somewhere in the Becca Valley, right? I remember that--and now it just disappeared. I don't get it.
Pingback| 8.27.09 @ 11:58AM
repose | Most Popular Daily Trends, News, Searches links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 9.9.09 @ 11:10PM
The American Spectator : Bob Novak's Angle of Repose links to this page. Here’s an excerpt: