Scandals at Enron and WorldCom didn’t hinder Republicans in last week’s elections because most Americans didn’t think it was an issue, journalist-commentator Robert Novak told a Lawrence audience Thursday night.

“It was an issue that didn’t touch Mr. and Mrs. America,” Novak said. “This is not what the Democrats call a kitchen table issue.”

Novak, co-host of CNN’s “Evans, Novak, Hunt and Shields” interview program, was the speaker at the sixth annual Anderson Chandler Lecture, offered by Kansas University’s School of Business.

Appearing before an audience that virtually filled the Lied Center, Novak, a conservative noted for his no-nonsense, frank comments on political affairs, discussed the effect the economic troubles of the two corporate giants has had on politics and Americans.

Democrats hoped Enron links to Republicans and in particular President George W. Bush would lead to a GOP downfall, Novak said. Much to their chagrin, that didn’t happen, because the corporate scandal didn’t affect the public like Vietnam and Watergate did, he said.

Nevertheless, the scandals brought to light corporate America at its worse, and teaching ethics in university business schools isn’t the answer, Novak said.

“That has to be done in churches and at home,” he said. “You’re always going to have excesses that go too far.”

Republicans captured control of the U.S. House and Senate in last week’s elections because Americans didn’t want to desert their president during the war on terrorism, Novak said. The Democrats also lost because they pushed small-scale issues and Americans were afraid they would lose income tax cuts.

Toni Dixon, director of communications at Kansas University's School of Business, chats with CNN commentator Robert Novak Thursday in the Adams Alumni Center at KU.

Novak also spoke highly of Bush, who he said didn’t really begin his presidency until he showed his leadership qualities after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

But regarding Iraq, Novak said he thought there was hope a war could be avoided now that weapons inspectors would be returning to Iraq. Going to war without the support of most of the world’s other countries would have serious consequences, he said.

“We have a bigger problem, my friends, and that is al-Qaida,” he said.

Chandler, chief executive president and director of Fidelity State Bank and Trust Co., Topeka, who made the lecture series possible, attended Novak’s lecture. Bernie Nordling, 81, Lawrence, and his wife, Barbara, were special guests of Chandler.

Bernie Nordling said he had a chance to talk with Novak before the speech.

“He’s very personable,” Nordling said. “I’m very impressed with him. He calls a spade a spade.”

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