Robert Novak Retires, CIA Operatives Relax

Conservative blowhard columnist Robert Novak has announced his retirement due to last week's brain tumor diagnosis. Novak revealed his illness shortly after he committed a hit-and-run on an 86 year-old homeless pedestrian.

Novak has been diagnosed with cancer at least three times. He underwent surgery in 2003 to remove a cancerous growth on his kidney and was under medical observation for a possible recurrence.

He came under sharp criticism for a column in 2003 in which he identified Valerie Plame, the wife of a former diplomat who had become a Bush administration critic, as a CIA operative. The column led to a lengthy investigation that culminated with the conviction of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, a top aide to Vice President Cheney, on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. President Bush subsequently commuted Libby's sentence.

I've never understood why Novak never got charged with treason in the Plame scandal. Trivia: Novak's son is the marketing director for the publishing company that put out the Swift Boat Veteran's attack on John Kerry.