Novak and Begala Visit Alabama - But Ride Separately

From the "Political Skinny" in yesterday's Mobile Register:

Conservative commentator Robert Novak made it plainly clear last week that he's no fan of Democratic strategist James Carville, as Novak cursed and walked off the set of CNN's "Inside Politics" amid a debate with the famed Louisiana political consultant.

Apparently Novak and Democratic operative Paul Begala may not be fast friends either, according to organizers of the Business Council of Alabama's governmental affairs conference.

Novak, recognized these days for his July 2003 column that outed a CIA operative, and Begala, who aided Carville in mapping out President Clinton's victorious 1992 campaign, headlined the BCA event held this weekend in Point Clear. The pair hosted CNN's "Crossfire" before it was canceled, and have more recently appeared together on "Inside Politics."

According to one BCA official earlier last week, the two were scheduled to travel to Mobile aboard the same plane but insisted on traveling from the airport to Point Clear in separate vehicles.

"They can fly together, but they won't ride together," the official said with a smile.

On Saturday morning, Marty Sullivan, spokeswoman for BCA, said the two wound up taking separate flights out of Atlanta on Friday due to some cancellations.

CNN suspended Novak indefinitely after he used the word "bull----" on the air before leaving the set in the middle of the show. A CNN spokesman told the Associated Press that Novak's behavior was "inexcusable and unacceptable."