Jeff Koopersmith

Robert Novak's Millstone
It's time to head for the farm
by Jeff Koopersmith

Oct. 1, 2003 -- NEW YORK (apj.us) -- As someone who is continually a target for ultra-right attacks, I had some trouble, over the past few days, deciding what to say about columnist Robert Novak.

I was loath to be predictable, awkward about a call for his head being "inevitable."

Then I realized I was confusing my solemn belief that Bob Novak was entitled to protect his source(s) for his terrible transgression -- by revealing the name of Ambassador Joseph Wilson and the fact that she worked, for many years, for the Central Intelligence Agency as a covert operative -- and his personal responsibility for his act itself.

Let me make it clear that I believe Mr. Novak should never reveal his source(s).

Never.

Make no mistake: it is not that I think that evil sources should be protected. Rather, it is my conviction that building trust with those sources in order to deliver truth should be the overriding concern of the journalist -- of anyone, really.

Let me tell you an illustrative story in a very personal way.

During my lifetime I've had three wonderful friends. One of them is a terror -- an atrocious womanizer. Let me call him "Frank." If I said that this fellow was afraid to have a daughter for fear he would seduce her I would not be lying. He is "the source" in this illustration.

My other friend, "Jack," was married to a beautiful girl whom I had dated as well in high school. She was terrific and very high spirited.

You can predict the rest: Frank seduced Jack's wife and they had a short-lived affair which Frank then boasted about -- to me.

I wrestled, over and over again, about whether to tell Jack about these troubling events. In order to tell Jack the story I had to reveal my source. I could not do that -- for Frank's sake, for Jack's wife's sake, and for the possible sake of their marriage.

Like Robert Novak, I had a difficult choice, but in the end I made the correct one -- as Novak should have. I didn't report it -- to anyone.

I was not naïve enough to believe that this marriage would not survive a bit of horseplay. Most do. In the end, Jack found out about the affair and he confronted me asking whether I had known. I did not lie, although I should have. Our friendship lasted, but it was strained and will be forever. Jack divorced his wife shortly thereafter.

Everyone lost but Frank who has no sense of guilt.

Mr. Novak has these sorts of intimate relationships -- real friendships -- with men and women in high places all over Washington. Today, were he to reveal his source(s), these friendships might vanish or become artificial and unreliable. If we continued to rely on Mr. Novak's connections to get at the root of a story, we, the people, would lose something -- and this is his function, his contribution to us.

Yet Mr. Novak had another choice -- the same choice that I had with Jack and Frank.

He had the choice to remain silent -- knowing full well that his source told him the story of Mrs. Wilson to not only sully her reputation but hopefully to send a message to anti-Bush messengers that criticism of the White House at this level would not be tolerated and that those who dared to reveal its deceptions would be "taken care of."

Mr. Novak cannot blame anyone but himself for his revelation.

Thus, Mr. Novak, who I am sure is prepared to go to prison if he has to, will not reveal his sources.

On the one hand, he is therefore principled. On the other, he is not.

Mr. Novak, unfortunately for him, his readers, and his viewers, is known widely and well as an ultra-right-wing apologist and activist. He makes few bones about it. He is vicious in his attacks against anything liberal, progressive or non-neoconservative.

This is his metaphorical millstone.

Robert Novak, we must all now believe, eagerly and willingly participated -- and I must assume from his own personal invitation and conviction even if prompted by his source -- in the blackmailing, terrorizing and vilifying of a man who did nothing more than serve his country at its invitation, and this man's wife, who has also served her country at great personal risk of physical and other harm through nearly three decades.

There is nothing, nothing at all, that excuses him.

Mr. Novak knew precisely what he was doing. He is not a tyro. He knows specifically that "outing" any employee, agent, or contractor of the Central Intelligence Agency puts that person at deep personal risk -- not only for their own torture and/or assassination but the potential murder of everyone around the person so exposed.

It has happened before.

Mr. Novak cannot now pretend that Mr. Wilson's wife was not jeopardized. He cannot rely on his reputation to weasel out of his profound personal responsibility here.

He should feel humiliated, not arrogant as he today poses.

Robert Novak has no alternative but to resign from his positions in the print and broadcast news media and retire to contemplate the professional life he has now reduced to rubble.

JEFF KOOPERSMITH is a political consultant, opinion research authority, policy analyst, and self-described "renegade lobbyist."