RALEIGH — With the passing of Bob Novak in August, America has lost one of the 20th century’s last great reporters. He was the consummate “shoe leather” reporter who had what the old-school journalists referred to as a nose for a story.

Countless times over his 50-year career, Novak got the story first and he got it right.

What separated Novak from the rest of the pack was that Bob knew “everybody who was anybody” in the nation’s Capitol, national politics, and capitals around the world. His Rolodex of sources was massive and it gave him a leg up on his competition. What also gave Bob an edge is that he did his homework. Whether reporting on the budget, defense issues, national security, or foreign policy, Novak was armed with the facts.

Prior to becoming a journalist, Bob served in the Army during the Korean War and rose to the rank of lieutenant. After the Army he became a reporter for The Associated Press and then for The Wall Street Journal.

In 1963 he teamed up with Rowland Evans to start “Inside Report,” which became the longest-running syndicated column in U.S. history. Their column appeared in hundreds of newspapers around the country. The column was required reading for all serious students of politics, no matter what side of the fence you were on.

Many will remember him as a political commentator on CNN’s “The Capitol Gang,” “Crossfire,” and “Evans and Novak.” He also appeared more than 200 times on “Meet the Press” and was a guest on the other Sunday talk shows numerous times.

In his early years in Washington, Bob supported the candidacies of both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. In fact, he considered Johnson a friend. Through Johnson, Bob met his future wife Geraldine, who, at the time, was a secretary for Johnson.

Many may not realize that despite his conservative views, Bob was a registered Democrat. Bob always said he maintained his Democratic registration so that he could vote in the primaries in Washington, D.C., — where he was a resident.

In his autobiography Prince of Darkness (a nickname his colleagues conferred upon him), he wrote what can only be described as extremely candid assessment of his life. Bob completed his memoirs in 2007 and the book was instantly a favorite read for all serious students of politics. As a character in an Oscar Wilde play once said, the work reflected a life “crowded with incident.”

His autobiography was also a rare insider glimpse into official Washington. It revealed up close and personal reflections on some of the most influential and powerful leaders of our time, from JFK to George W. Bush.

After his death, some in the media tried to portray Novak as a partisan. Nothing could be further from the truth. Al Hunt, the Washington executive editor of Bloomberg News, said it was difficult to pigeonhole Novak. “Bob was known for his very tough and hard-line views,” Hunt said, “but he was also a great reporter who liked a good story even more than his ideology.”

Novak has been described as pugnacious and combative. His friends knew the “off camera” Novak — the Bob Novak who loved his family, his faith, and his country. And let’s not forget University of Maryland basketball. And his friends knew that if you were down, Bob would be there for you.

Above all, Bob Novak was a patriot. Bob often said, “Love your country, but distrust your government.” How appropriate for today’s times.

He will be sorely missed.

Marc Rotterman, senior fellow of the John Locke Foundation, served in the Reagan Administration from 1981-84.