Carville's lucky Novak didn't beat him to a pulp.

Thanks to CBC.ca and Yahoo!News for this one.


CNN has suspended syndicated columnist and political analyst Robert Novak and issued a public rebuke against him after he swore and walked off the set of a live show on Thursday.

At the time of the incident, Novak had been interrupted by liberal political strategist James Carville during a discussion of the upcoming U.S. Senate race in Florida on CNN's Inside Politics show.

CNN spokesperson Edie Emergy called Novak's behaviour "inexcusable" and announced that he had been suspended indefinitely. She also apologized to viewers.

Novak, 74, has apologized to CNN for his outburst.

Novak, well-known for his right-wing views, is the subject of a federal probe into the revelation of CIA officer Valerie Plame's identity. In a July 2003 newspaper column, Novak identified Plame, the wife of administration critic and former U.S. ambassador Joseph Wilson, as a CIA operative.

He and Carville were discussing the Republican candidacy of Katherine Harris for the Florida Senate on Inside Politics. Both were both attempting to speak at once.

"Let me just finish, James, please," Novak said, during the live show. "I know you hate to hear me, but you have to."

Carville, addressing the camera, said: "He's got to show these right wingers that he's got a backbone, you know. It's why the Wall Street Journal editorial page is watching you. Show 'em that you're tough."

"Well, I think that's bull---- and I hate that," Novak replied. "Just let it go."

CNN correspondent Ed Henry, who was moderating the show, then tried to step in to pose a question to Carville, but Novak walked off the set.

Henry said he had planned to ask Novak about his role in the investigation of the leak of the CIA officer's identity during the show.

Novak has repeatedly refused to comment about his role in the federal investigation, and had been warned that the question was coming.