Posts about Bob Novak

Pedestrians

Novak sorry he has cancer, not sorry he hit a pedestrian

by David Alpert   •   September 8, 2008 4:59 pm

Bob Novak has finally spoken up about hitting a pedestrian in July.

The first sign that I was in trouble came on Wednesday, July 23, when my 2004 black Corvette struck a pedestrian on 18th Street in downtown Washington while I was on my way to my office.

The person I hit, identified by police as Don, with no fixed address, was taken to George Washington University Hospital, where police said, "There are no visible injuries."

Identified by the police as Don? Did Novak never even speak to the man? Novak writes movingly about the struggles of having a tumor, but not about Don; Novak's only words about Don paint him as someone not worth thinking about (at least to Novak) and dismiss his injuries.

WashCycle writes:

He says his Corvette hit the pedestrian—like it did it on its own. What's missing from the article? Any sense that he's sorry that he hit Don—whose injuries, though not visible, were real and extensive. He's not worried about Don's safety, only his own. He never apologizes. Never says "I feel awful and I'm thankful I didn't kill anyone." No, the only victim in Novak's column was Novak and Don is just "the person [he] hit."

In fact, Novak seems more sorry about selling his Corvette ("which [he] dearly loved") than about having hurt a human being.

I'm sorry Bob Novak has a tumor, too; brain cancer is a terrible curse nobody deserves. Being hit by Bob Novak, one of the least compassionate men in Washington, is also a curse nobody deserves. Novak says he's received well wishes from many people including President Bush. What did Don get?

Pedestrians

Bob Novak hits pedestrian, tries to commit hit-and-run

by David Alpert   •   July 23, 2008 12:36 pm

Conservative columnist Bob Novak hit a pedestrian at 18th and K this morning, then tried to escape but was stopped by a bicyclist, Politico reports. Novak claims not to have known he hit the pedestrian, but according to the cyclist, Harkins Cunningham partner David Bono, the pedestrian was "splayed onto the windshield", and that after stopping, Novak "[kept] trying to get away."

Novak was already an aggressive driver who told the Post that he hates "jaywalkers" and would like to run them over, "but as a compassionate conservative, I would never do that."

Politico uses the word "accident" once in their article. I'd give Novak the benefit of the doubt that he didn't deliberately hit this person, but given his past comments and aggressive driving behavior, it's entirely possible some legal fault could be involved.

Meanwhile, Novak was cited for "failing to yield," which only carries a $50 fine today, but which the DC Council plans to raise to $250 and three points on the license. That bill passed first reading last week, and is the one to which Tommy Wells tried to add a fine for blocking a bike lane.

Thanks to Patrick for the tip.