CNN's Beck falsely asserted that Novak "said it was an insider on the Clinton campaign"

On the November 19 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck, discussing Robert D. Novak's November 17 nationally syndicated column, in which he wrote that "[a]gents of Sen. Hillary [Rodham] Clinton [D-NY] are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama [D-IL], but has decided not to use it," host Glenn Beck asserted that Novak "said" his source "was an insider on the Clinton campaign." In fact, as Media Matters for America documented, during the November 19 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Novak acknowledged that his purported "source" was not involved in the Clinton campaign, referring to that "source" as "a well-known Democrat, but neutral so far" who was "told by an agent of the Clinton campaign" about the "scandalous information." Novak said he "then checked with another source who is neutral and said he had heard the same thing from Clinton -- Clinton people."

As Media Matters further noted, Sam Stein, political reporter for The Huffington Post, wrote of Novak's Fox & Friends appearance, "So Novak was not privy to the dirt itself, nor did he talk to Clinton's people. Rather, he heard it from someone who had heard it from someone else. Another secondary source, Novak went on to say, claimed to have heard the same thing." During the discussion with Beck, Democratic strategist Peter Fenn stated: "Here's the situation. Bob Novak, who's a friend of mine, I like him a lot, but you know, he doesn't have that -- his sources are usually the Karl Rove sources, the insider Republican sources." But contrary to the unsourced claim in Novak's column and his earlier statements, Beck responded with the false assertion: "He said it was an insider on the Clinton campaign." Fenn then responded, "That's what he says."

From the November 19 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck:

BECK: But first, when conservative columnist and generally good-looking man Robert Novak calls Hillary Clinton, quote, "such a good person," to me that's pretty much the same thing as seeing the four horsemen of the Apocalypse riding into town. You know what I mean? Armageddon, somebody check the Scriptures. Or it's just another day in the life of presidential campaign politics.

Well, the compliment came in response to questions about an unsourced item in Novak's column over the weekend, which stated that Clinton had scandalous information -- shh, but don't tell anybody. It's about her closest rival, Barack Obama. And that she had chosen not to disclose it because of that whole good person thing.

Obama was quick to respond, releasing a statement accusing the New York senator of dirty tactics and demanding that she, quote, "Either make public any and all information referred to in the item or concede the truth that there is none."

The Clinton camp went on with the second option and said there was no truth to the column, nor did they have any idea what Novak was talking about. And -- surprise, surprise -- blamed it on a vast right-wing conspiracy.

Democratic strategist Peter Fenn joins me now.

You know, Peter, I'm pretty -- they say that I'm the 18th most influential conservative in America. I don't know who these people are in this vast right-wing conspiracy.

FENN: Listen, just take it. It's a great accolade. What the heck?

BECK: It's a conspiracy. I don't get those calls. I want to be in the club. Which do you think it is, Peter?

FENN: Well, I'll tell you. I think this is a very tough time for these candidates. It's six weeks before the Iowa caucuses on January 3, and they're all walking on egg shells. They're all afraid anything's going to upset their apple cot --

BECK: Peter --

FENN: -- cart. So --

BECK: Peter, you know how much I love you, right?

FENN: Yeah. Right.

BECK: I love you.

FENN: Right. Right.

BECK: Right? You're a Democrat I love. I'm not going to let you get away with that. Come on, give me a real answer. Do you think this is a vast right-wing conspiracy or do you think this is Clinton playing politics?

FENN: I think -- look, I smell a little bit of a rat here. I'll tell you why.

BECK: So it's Clinton?

FENN: Well -- no. Here's -- no, no. Here's the situation. Bob Novak, who's a friend of mine, I like him a lot, but, you know, he doesn't have that -- his sources are usually the Karl Rove sources, the insider Republican sources. So, if --

BECK: But wait a minute. He said --

FENN: -- if the Clinton people -- if the Clinton --

BECK: He said it was -- wait a minute. Hang on just a second. He said it was an insider on the Clinton campaign.

FENN: That's what he says. And I, you know --

BECK: Is Karl Rove working for --

FENN: Well, you never can tell. You know, you've got to watch Karl. He's a little slippery.

—J.H.