I usually avoid talking about politics here, but this is big news. Deep Throat, a confidential source during Watergate, has revealed his identity! Bob Woodard, Carl Bernstein and Ben Bradlee have all confirmed that W. Mark Felt is their source. See the Article in the Washington Post.
I was in junior high, I think, when I found a beat up paperback copy of a book called "All the President's Men" by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. I'd never had any real interest in Watergate, but for some reason I can't recall, I picked it up and read it. This book changed my life--kind of. It made me want to be a journalist, to uncover corruption and uphold the freedom of the press to keep politicians honest. Reading this book led me to take a journalism class in high school and to be a journalism major in college. (I later switched from journalism to advertising) But I've always maintained that attending the School of Journalism gave me the background I needed to write novels.
Anyway, one of the most interesting things about the Watergate scandal and the investigation by Woodward and Bernstein was the identity of Deep Throat. Every time I reread their book, I would try to pick up clues. Every time I saw references to Deep Throat in the news, I would read the article or make sure I watched the report because I wanted to know! So this news today is a huge thrill for me. I've been going between channels, watching coverage and it's fascinating.
My opinions on some of this? I can't believe anyone is saying negative things about Deep Throat. I've heard several men, including Pat Buchanan, say that what Felt did was a disgraceful thing. Wrong! What Felt did was save the Constitution of the United States of America from a corrupt White House. We need more men like W. Mark Felt and more reporters like Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. These men are heroes.
I've mentioned several times that I'm not into celebrity, but I would love to talk to Woodward and Bernstein and listen to everything they had to say about reporting, not just Watergate. Can you just imagine the stories they have to tell?
Anyway, Watergate, and the Washington Post's coverage of Watergate, changed America. And Deep Throat was instrumental in the investigation. Very interesting stuff.
(Just a little side comment. A national news station went around Washington D.C. asking people about this. The reporter talked to a young woman who, honest to God, did not know who Deep Throat was. Watergate and Deep Throat are synonymous. I'm absolutely shocked that anyone living in America doesn't know this information.)
