Robert Novak apologized to CNN viewers today, for storming off the set of Inside Politics and using an expletive in response to an exchange with James Carville. He did not attempt to justify or explain his actions, and did not use the excuse that pressure from the Plame investigation caused his patience to run short:

Robert Novak apologized Friday for swearing on the air and walking off a CNN set, but said it had nothing to do with the federal probe sparked by his revelation of a CIA officer's name in a 2003 column.

"I apologize for my conduct and I'm sorry I did it," he said in an interview.

CNN has pulled him off the air indefinitely. Novak said "I'll follow their guidance" on when he returns.

As Michelle Malkin notes, this is how to apologize and take responsibility, as opposed to the "I'm sorry you were offended" apologies of Dick Durbin and Armstrong Williams, among many others. Good for him, and I hope he returns soon if he learned how to handle himself as professionally as this apology suggests.

I also hope he apologized to Ed Henry and the Inside Politics crew. I think he can skip the apology to James Carville.

UPDATE: Jonah Goldberg has it exactly correct:

Novak screwed up. James Carville is obnoxious. The news here is that Novak screwed up. That it's understandable, human, enjoyable etc., doesn't change the fact that Novak gets paid large dollars to tolerate people like Carville. If you don't like Carville or don't think he's professional or polite, the time to take a stand isn't after nearly a decade of being on TV with him. Obviously, Carvill is full of the bovine excrement to which Novak alluded, but that's pretty much irrelevant. CNN was right to punish him and Novak was right to apologize.

Well put.

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» Supper: 8/5/2005 from basil's blog
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Tracked on August 5, 2005 5:01 PM