Conservative U.S. commentator Novak dies aged 78 – Reuters (8/18/09):

Robert Novak, a conservative political columnist known as the “Prince of Darkness” and who unleashed a political firestorm by publishing the name of an undercover CIA operative, died on Tuesday. He was 78.

We of course prefer the nickname Jon Stewart gave him, “Douchebag of Liberty,” but I don’t imagine we’ll be seeing that in many of the obits.

My favorite Novak memories are from my childhood when my grandfather would yell at the television whenever he was on. He hated Novak more than Nixon and Reagan combined. So I come by my distaste for Novak quite naturally. So a few years ago when Novak started coming unglued, we had a bit of fun with it. The background:

[HENRY:] Now she [Katherine Harris] wants to move over to the United States Senate. Today she got the news that the speaker of the Florida House won’t challenge her for the Republican nomination. In the meantime, Harris is blaming unnamed newspapers for tarnishing her image by doctoring her makeup with Photoshop. — that computer program. Bob Novak, have you been investigating this make-up story?

NOVAK: No, but I’ve had the same experience that she did. A lot of my trouble in the world is that they’ve doctored my make-up and colorized me in a lot of newspapers on my picture. So, I sympathize with her.

Well, we decided to get in on the action:

…and then a bunch of readers joined in:

Bob Novak as Goldfinger? How I didn’t think of this sooner is beyond me. Nice one to Matt for the Spy Kids suggestion, too.

(L to R) Novak/Ann Coulter mashup by Malacandra. AstroNovak & W.C. Novak by Shelly L.

(L to R) Tattletale Novak by TWS. René Magritte “Memory” Novak by Sean Malloy. Novak the leper by Jim Sorenson.

(L to R) Nosferatu Novak by Charles Monaco. Wicked stepmother Novak by Norn Cutson. Katherine Novak (“Nothing fancy. Just fabulous!”) by Fletch.