Bob Novak: Forever Your Hack

Slate points out another example of hackery by Novak, a slipup by NY Times editors, and a GOP lie-- all in one column. The best part is that it's all about more trouble for Tom DeLay.

"Robert Novak crows in today's column about congressional Republicans' united front in support of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. "Contrary to claims on leftist Web sites," Novak writes, "no Republican member has called for the majority leader's resignation."

The lesson you'd think Novak might have learned by now: Don't write your column until the game is over. As much as Novak must like his weekends off, he should have done a bit of touch-up on his Monday morning column before it went into print: On Sunday, Republican Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut called for DeLay's resignation.

"Tom's conduct is hurting the Republican Party, is hurting this Republican majority and it is hurting any Republican who is up for re-election," Shays told the Associated Press Sunday. "My party is going to have to decide whether we are going to continue to make excuses for Tom to the detriment of Republicans seeking election."

Lest there be any confusion, Shays' spokeswoman told the Los Angeles Times that her boss meant exactly what he said: He's calling for DeLay's resignation."