Columnist Novak Cited for Hitting Pedestrian
EmailABC News’ Theresa Cook and Pierre Thomas Report: Columnist Robert Novak said he felt "terrible" after an incident in which he allegedly hit a pedestrian with his black Corvette while driving to work in downtown Washington Wednesday.
ABC News affiliate WJLA interviewed Novak at the scene, but he told them "I don’t really know" what happened.
Asked if he hit a pedestrian, Novak said, "That’s what they [police] said, yes. I didn’t know I hit him."
Fire officials tell ABC News the pedestrian is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Novak said the man is at the hospital.
The incident occurred near 18th and K Streets Northwest, police told ABC News. According to Novak, a bicyclist stopped him down the street from the scene to tell him that he hit someone.
The 77-year-old conservative writer, interviewed after he exited the passenger seat of a police cruiser, said his citation was for "failure to yield the right of way."
Novak, who was unhurt, said "I feel terrible," and mentioned that he’d try to check on the man’s condition later.
After receiving the citation and briefly speaking to reporters, Novak returned to his vehicle and drove away.
According to the Washington Post’s "The Reliable Source" column, this was not Novak’s first pedestrian run-in.
Dubbing him "Road-Rage Bob," the column reported in 2001 that Novak lobbed an expletive at a pedestrian crossing the street in downtown Washington.
Novak explained the incident to the paper, saying, "He was crossing on the red light. I really hate jay walkers. I despise them. Since I don’t run the country, all I can do is yell at ‘em. The other option is to run ‘em over, but as a compassionate conservative, I would never do that."
"The Reliable Source" also quoted Novak in a column two years later, after he retuned from a Florida trip in which he completed some race car driving lessons that he had won in a charity auction.
"I’ve wanted to be a race car driver all my life, and anyone who has watched me drive can tell you that," told the paper in 2003.
As for any basis for road rage title the column had given Novak: it "was a figment of your imagination," he told the paper.
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Corvette, nice!!
Posted by: david | July 23, 2008, 12:34 pm 12:34 pm
What a total waste of a beautiful corvette!
Posted by: dgfiit | July 23, 2008, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
Yeah, Novak is so old he can’t remember hitting someone…it’s not like he was driving a bus…damn
Posted by: Frankie Boy | July 23, 2008, 12:42 pm 12:42 pm
The ABC reporter said that the man was on his hood of Novak’s car so there’s no way he didn’t know he had hit someone. Novak is a scumbag with a known reputation for having run-ins w/pedestrians, particulary jaywalkers.
Posted by: Liz | July 23, 2008, 12:43 pm 12:43 pm
Novak thought he was driving the Obama BUS
Posted by: nowaty | July 23, 2008, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm
Novak is a Republican. They don’t ever take responsibility for anything they do. Laws and rules are for other people, they don’t apply to them.
Just deny you know anything about it, regardless of all the evidence.
Posted by: Truth Matters | July 23, 2008, 12:55 pm 12:55 pm
Was he drunk? Was he given a breathalyzer?
Posted by: Question | July 23, 2008, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
It’s hard to imagine Novak feeling “terrible” about the consequences of his actions. The man is a right-wing sociopath, incapable of compassion. But like most right-wing sociopaths, he fools a lot of the people a lot of the time.
Posted by: Bill | July 23, 2008, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
These are the same people who NEVER can manage to put themselves, their spouse, or their kids in jail when they ACTUALLY HIT SOMETHING or SOMEBODY, but always the first ones to want to ignore the reality of someone else’s perfect driving record and preemptively put them in jail for having beer on their breath… The worst part is that everyone is so brainwashed by the MADD commercials in the last 20 years that we’ve lost our ability think logically. Chumps like this walk away with a “citation”.
Posted by: jason | July 23, 2008, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
Only non-life-threatening injuries? Maybe he could be elected to a house seat from Mass. but if he wants the senate he’ll have to show more commitment.
Posted by: Peter | July 23, 2008, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
This should come as no surprise – after all, this what his party has done to the country.
Posted by: malik | July 23, 2008, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
I had to drive my bosses corvette once -the line-of-sight was terrible. I can totally believe he could hit someone and have no clue.
Posted by: BMurphyNYC | July 23, 2008, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
Thanks for sharing that evil Bob wasn’t hurt what about the guy without a metal car to protect him? Add Bob’s not knowing you hot someone to ur list of not knowing things Bob!
Posted by: EJS | July 23, 2008, 1:49 pm 1:49 pm
Only the most cold and callous would try to make an incident like this political. It has nothing to do with politics. It has everything to do with a man who thinks he’s above the law. Novak is only sorry that he got caught.
Posted by: Liz | July 23, 2008, 1:52 pm 1:52 pm
So Robert Novak hits a pedestrian with his car and doesn’t stop to help the victim? Just more of that Republican “compassionate conservatism” at work I guess!
Posted by: Michael | July 23, 2008, 2:07 pm 2:07 pm
Lucky thing he was driving a Corvette, unlike Sean Hannity who thinks every American should have a $56,000 Yukon Hybrid like his, and can’t understand why everyone doesn’t rush out and buy one, otherwise the pedestrian probably would have been ‘smushed’.
Posted by: devilkev | July 23, 2008, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm
Talk about watering down a story. Non mainstream media have quotes from the bicyclist who chased Novak down. He was clearly fleeing and the cyclist had to get in front and block him. According to this Good Samaritan, Novak was still trying to flee when being confronted.
Why doesn’t ABC give us the real story?
Posted by: Janet Place | July 23, 2008, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
To Jake Tapper:
Obama today said he was on the senate banking committee.
Only problem is he isn’t.
You haven’t posted on this. Why won’t you post on this HUGE gaffe.
If McCain said this you liberal reporters would have all gone to your battle stations.
Posted by: Steve | July 23, 2008, 2:51 pm 2:51 pm
I bet the pedestrian looked like Valerie Plame.
Posted by: Richard Rasmussen | July 23, 2008, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm
He’s 77 years old and driving a Corvette? Maybe he needs to be retested to see if he is still 100% capable of safely driving a car. It’s not a bad idea. And if the car he is driving is such that he does not have a clear view of pedestrians and traffic around him, perhaps he needs to drive a car that will enable him to drive in a safer manner. Lord knows he probably has the money to buy one.
Posted by: jsp81355 | July 23, 2008, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
I knew he would do something like that. He is unbalanced.
Posted by: tom | July 23, 2008, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
It is about attitude too. He looks at humanity with such contempt, he wouldn’t care anyway. He will probably pay his way out of it.
Posted by: tom | July 23, 2008, 2:59 pm 2:59 pm
Cheney and Novak are the evil twins of DC. They can both hop into their black corvette and ride off into the sunset together. Novak is an angry, bitter old ultra conservative GOPer with DC insider connections. You can tell he has absolute contempt for the average American and might just as soon run them over.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | July 23, 2008, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
Where is Obama’s circus trip report?
no achievement, no record, thin resume. The only thing left is himself — his family, his daughters, his great uncles, his parents, his grandparents. What else haven’t we heard?
Obama is confused with the fact that electing a president is to serve the country not to make him a symbol for admiration. His ego is to explode soon,and the MSM bias is to backfire!
Annoy media, no obama
Posted by: amy | July 23, 2008, 3:10 pm 3:10 pm
To Steve,
The idea of a liberal media is a myth. McCain recently said in a speech, (yes, it is on tape) that there are big problems on the Iraq/Pakistan border! They do not border each other. And we should trust him on foreign policy!
None of this was never reported in the mainstream media despite being recorded.
Posted by: Janet | July 23, 2008, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
So thats why there was a backup getting into work today…
Posted by: Bob z | July 23, 2008, 3:41 pm 3:41 pm
Probably should not be driving if he can’t tell whether he hit someone or not.
Posted by: Jim Bob | July 23, 2008, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
HEY AMY – WHAT DOES OBAMA’S RECORD HAVE TO DO WITH “ROADRAGE BOB” RUNNING DOWN A PEDESTRIAN? STAY ON TOPIC PLEASE!
Posted by: Macaca McCain | July 23, 2008, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm
Wow, an uber conservative who is totally unaware of what is happening around him and of the damage he is causing? How is that news?
Posted by: Sean | July 23, 2008, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
Maybe “roadrage bob” thought the pedestrian was Valerie Plame and he just wanted to finsih the job after pulling a hit and run on her career? lol
Posted by: brandon j. | July 23, 2008, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
McSame and Novak remind me of these guys:
http://www.blazesoftball.com/images/statler_waldorf_02_01.jpg
Posted by: brandon j. | July 23, 2008, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
Hardlabour – you must be one of those “compassionate conservatives” that Bush used to babble about. LOL Typical rethug – always blame the victim and cover up for the criminal.
Posted by: keefer | July 23, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
Another news souce reported the police spokesman said the pedestrian suffered a slight shoulder injurty and he is expected to be treated and released.
Nowhere can I find any mention of the pedestrian being on the hood of Novak’s car.
Sad that everybody is eager to condemn another human being based solely on sketchy facts, his politics or on what they believe they know of his personality, never having met or talked with the target of their vitriol.
Posted by: MizFW | July 23, 2008, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
No way he was sober.
Posted by: f man | July 23, 2008, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm
Sad that everybody is eager to condemn another human being
———————————
NOVAK IS NOT A HUMAN BEING!
Posted by: HP Boston | July 23, 2008, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm
Jay walking is a dangerous habit. If you don’t do it, you don’t get hit by the car.
Posted by: Mike | July 23, 2008, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
Hardlabour…”labour”? Man, you ain’t American…what’s the value of your insights? Or maybe you just can’t spell like a real American. sheesh
Posted by: pugnax | July 23, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
I have got a funny feeling that liberals are just like jay walkers. Sooner or later…..
Posted by: Mike | July 23, 2008, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
Well he got away with treason, why shouldn’t he get away with a hit and run?
Posted by: james | July 23, 2008, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
At first I was afraid he hit Phil Gramm, but according to Novak himself, Phil already got safely back aboard John McCain’s bus.
Posted by: Ricky | July 23, 2008, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
It’s my fault. I was jay walking, I am sure Mr. Novak was just trying to teach me a lesson…..
Posted by: patrick | July 23, 2008, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
Once any family member hits 70, it’s important to evaluate whether or not they have problems driving – memory, reactions, eyesight all decline dramatically. How old is McCain?
Posted by: Center One | July 23, 2008, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
Pedestrians need to have unquestioned right away as they are so much more vulnerable to injury than a motorist. If the pathetic management of the city would sync the lights then more people would wait, instead the nation’s Capital is a third world mess similar to Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland. Just lookout for the buses while dodging cars!
Posted by: Greg | July 23, 2008, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm
He didn’t know he assisted Libby and Cheeney in treason against the USA by outing a CIA agent, but hey…who cares???? A few years and this clown will be like many of this administration, fully involved in the throes of ALZHEIMERS, but hey…who cares????
Posted by: daddyblue | July 23, 2008, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm
Well, liberals are like sharks when they smell blood they attack viciously.
I think this will help to explain why they call themselves as the progressive. Yes, but only go backwards.
Posted by: Mike | July 23, 2008, 5:13 pm 5:13 pm
I disagree that jay walkers should hsve any right of the road. If they got hit, it’s their fault. They know exactly what’s gonna be the consequences before walking down there. They deserve whatever happens to them.
Posted by: Mike | July 23, 2008, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
Yeah
Posted by: peter lovejoy | July 23, 2008, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
did he hit Joe Wilson?
Posted by: todd | July 23, 2008, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
Quelle surprise. There’s a lot that Robert Novak “doesn’t see.”
Posted by: Jane | July 24, 2008, 6:48 am 6:48 am