Woodstein: a match made in reporting heaven
In May 1972, The Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward were assigned what seemed like a fairly boring story. A break-in at the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) headquarters at the nearby Watergate Complex hardly seemed like important, certainly not front-page news. But the story they uncovered changed the course of the Nixon Administration irrevocably.
These two young reporters noticed that the DNC robbery just did not make sense. They began to dig into the background of the robbers, tracing the money used to finance the break-in. This lead them to the head of the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CRP), John Mitchell. From there, intense investigative work revealed more and more of the White House's network of bribery and espionage.
However, this was not an easy story to break by any stretch of the imagination. Woodstein, as the duo was known, faced several challenges along the way. First, legitimate information was incredibly hard to find, and the two spent hours searching through telephone books, airline logs, building directories and various other sources in order to build the case. Nonetheless, national interest in their investigative series grew steadily, until the two committed a near-fatal error. They wrongly accused a Nixon's chief-of-staff, turning the nation against them.
However, months after incident, they discovered that the burglars who had been arrested breaking into the DNC headquarters with the goal of planting listening devices were doing so on Nixon's orders. As the various pieces of the puzzle came together, Americans were once again transfixed on the Watergate situation. Their reporting, while not solely responsible for Nixon's downfall, was instrumental in cracking the Watergate conspiracy. Woodstein's work, though, would have been impossible without a vital source: Deep Throat
These two young reporters noticed that the DNC robbery just did not make sense. They began to dig into the background of the robbers, tracing the money used to finance the break-in. This lead them to the head of the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CRP), John Mitchell. From there, intense investigative work revealed more and more of the White House's network of bribery and espionage.
However, this was not an easy story to break by any stretch of the imagination. Woodstein, as the duo was known, faced several challenges along the way. First, legitimate information was incredibly hard to find, and the two spent hours searching through telephone books, airline logs, building directories and various other sources in order to build the case. Nonetheless, national interest in their investigative series grew steadily, until the two committed a near-fatal error. They wrongly accused a Nixon's chief-of-staff, turning the nation against them.
However, months after incident, they discovered that the burglars who had been arrested breaking into the DNC headquarters with the goal of planting listening devices were doing so on Nixon's orders. As the various pieces of the puzzle came together, Americans were once again transfixed on the Watergate situation. Their reporting, while not solely responsible for Nixon's downfall, was instrumental in cracking the Watergate conspiracy. Woodstein's work, though, would have been impossible without a vital source: Deep Throat
An unexpected ally
Former FBI Associate Director Mark Felt a.k.a. "Deep Throat"
Woodward and Bernstein were lucky to have a source as well-connected as Deep Throat. Although his identity was kept entirely secret, even from The Washington Post's editors, his information helped to break the story.
Deep Throat was revealed to be former Associate Director of the FBI, Mark Felt in 2005. Woodward and Bernstein kept their secret for over 30 years, never revealing to anyone, even their wives, the true man behind Deep Throat.
Felt first met Woodward (then part of the Navy) by chance while waiting together in the West Wing. Felt and Woodward kept in touch with Woodward after he joined The Washington Post, and began feeding information from time to time. Felt leaked information of the press because he was absolutely disgusted by the way the Nixon White House was run. He believed that, if more of Nixon's conspiracies that could be exposed, the more likely things would be to change.
Felt died in 2008, at age 95.
Deep Throat was revealed to be former Associate Director of the FBI, Mark Felt in 2005. Woodward and Bernstein kept their secret for over 30 years, never revealing to anyone, even their wives, the true man behind Deep Throat.
Felt first met Woodward (then part of the Navy) by chance while waiting together in the West Wing. Felt and Woodward kept in touch with Woodward after he joined The Washington Post, and began feeding information from time to time. Felt leaked information of the press because he was absolutely disgusted by the way the Nixon White House was run. He believed that, if more of Nixon's conspiracies that could be exposed, the more likely things would be to change.
Felt died in 2008, at age 95.
All the President's Men
Theatrical poster
After Nixon's resignation, Woodward and Bernstein published a novel, All the President's Men, which described their investigation in to the Watergate Scandal. This book contained extremely detailed accounts of their informants, methods, triumphs, and struggles as they fought to break the story. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize and is considered one of the most important journalistic texts.
In 1976, a film adaptation of their novel was released starring Dustin Hoffman as Bernstein and Robert Redford as Woodward. This movie was very well-received and won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
(I would highly recommend it! It was crazy interesting, plus, young Robert Redford is kind of cute....)
-Anjali A.
In 1976, a film adaptation of their novel was released starring Dustin Hoffman as Bernstein and Robert Redford as Woodward. This movie was very well-received and won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
(I would highly recommend it! It was crazy interesting, plus, young Robert Redford is kind of cute....)
-Anjali A.
Works Cited:
Gale:
- "Woodward and Bernstein." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. U.S. History In Context. Web. 10 May 2013. <Source>
- "All the President's Men." American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 416-421. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 May 2013. <Source>
History in Context:
- "Watergate Scandal." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Sonia Benson, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca Valentine. Vol. 8. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 1669-1672. U.S. History In Context. Web. 9 May 2013. <Source>
- "Woodward and Bernstein." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998.U.S. History In Context. Web. 9 May 2013. <Source>
- "Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, reporters who broke the news of the Nixon campaigns involvement in..." American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2004. U.S. History In Context. Web. 9 May 2013.
- "Bob Woodward (left) andCarl Bernstein, the Washington Post staff writers who broke the..." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. History: Government and Politics. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2008. U.S. History In Context. Web. 9 May 2013.
- Mark Felt (August 17, 1913 – December 18, 2008). FBI photo.
- All the President's Men Theatrical Release Poster, 1976.