Editor's note: Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor, was a political consultant for Bill Clinton's presidential campaign in 1992 and was counselor to Clinton in the White House. He was a co-host of "Crossfire" on CNN with Robert Novak from 2002 to 2005.

Paul Begala says he admired Robert Novak for his skepticism about authority, work ethic and faith in his beliefs.

(CNN) -- In our innumerable debates, I delighted in calling Bob Novak "the finest mind of the 12th century." One time, though, he scowled and growled, "I prefer the 15th century. Spanish Inquisition. Those were the days."

Novak left this world on Tuesday, but he also left his mark. Needless to say I disagreed with Bob about virtually every political issue, and sometimes our on-air debates continued as profanity-laced shouting matches after the show ended. Despite our profound differences, though, we were friends. Here's why:

Bob was an iconoclast. He loved poking conventional wisdom in the eye. If all the media elite were perched on the same wire, Bob would land on the opposite wire and gleefully squawk at them.

Bob was an ideologue more than a partisan. One of the many sources of tension between us was the fact that I am a partisan Democrat who believes that, from time to time, my personal ideological agenda must take a backseat to advancing a broader progressive agenda carried by my party. Not Bob. He was a conservative first, last and always, and when he felt the Republican Party had strayed from his hard-core anti-tax, anti-government ideology he would hammer the GOP with the same withering ridicule he usually dispensed to Democrats.

Answer this series of questions:

1. Did Bob Novak always agree with the GOP?
2. Which party was he closer to?
3. What was his political ideology?
4. When did he die?
5. What show was he on?
6. Who was his co-host?
7. Were they friends?
8. Were their interactions usually agreeable?
9. What was Paul's ideology?
10. How long did they work together?
11. Did Paul ever work in politics?
12. For whom?
13. What's his occupation now?
1. no
2. Republican Party
3. hard-core anti-tax, anti-government
4. unknown
5. Crossfire
6. Paul Begala
7. I think they admired each other.Maybe not friends.
8. no
9. partisan Democrat
10. 3 years
11. yes
12. Bill Clinton
13. CNN political contributo