Novak's Strange Exit

Theories abound as to why Bob Novak walked out of a live interview on CNN yesterday. Mickey Kaus and others point out that a copy of "Who's Who in America" was sitting conspicuously on the table (the book from which the NY Times suggested Novak learned Plame's name). Ed Henry was clearly planning on asking Novak about the leak (indeed he warned Novak that he would before the interview). This has led to speculation that Novak walked off the set to avoid embarassing leak-related questions. I'm with Josh Marshall, though, I don't buy it. Novak has successly dodged such questions for years, and he had warning.

I think there's actually a very simple explanation. If you watch the video clip, Novak seems to be in fairly good spirits and comfortable, bantering back and forth with Carville like old times. In fact, he may have been too comfortable. I think he just temporarily forgot that he was on television and not at a bar. The word "bullshit" just slipped out. When he realized what he'd said, he got flustered. He's a veteran of television news and was embarassed that he'd made such an amateur mistake. He didn't know what to do, so he reflexively got up and left. I really think that's all it was. I don't think it had anything to do with the leak or the book or Ed Henry's questions. And he didn't look angry. I think it was embarassment, pure and simple.