I am one of the most famous reporters that has covered accountability in government. In fact, I am a primary reason that former President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974. My reporting on the Watergate scandal focused on governmental abuses, proving that no one is above the law, not even the government itself.
I am the right person to report for this job. I live and breathe journalism. “‘I loved the place. I loved the feel of the news room – the intensity, the mystery, the unexpected things that happened,’” I said once in an interview. [1] Along with the effort of my partner, Carl Bernstein, The Washington Post, was able to offer coverage unlike any other media outlet during the Watergate scandal. “It is difficult to exaggerate just how hard Bernstein and Woodward worked on the Watergate story…They worked all the time – and they believed in what they were doing.” [2] Perhaps one of the more important aspects of covering issues of transparency in government is to trust in the process and believe in the importance of your work. I have shown this in my experience, even after my big break during Watergate. I’ve covered the past ten presidential administrations, reporting in great detail and writing books about them. Maintaining transparency and honesty in an administration that works for the people is most important to me. “Even at my age, my first thought generally in the morning when I wake up is, ‘What are the bastards hiding?’” [3] The government is always hiding something, so we have to continuously work to uncover their secrets.
Throughout the Watergate scandal, I dealt with a highly confidential whistleblower, Mark Felt, who we called “Deep Throat” at the time. Felt provided us with vital information but wished to stay anonymous for safety reasons. [4] Bernstein and I were steadfast in ensuring that his identity was protected so that he would be safe from the government trying to threaten him. This case and coverage are similar in the consequences whistleblowers could face for speaking out. If people wish to stay anonymous, we would work to provide them with the same security we did with Felt. By doing this, we put ethical journalistic practices above financial gain.
[1] James Perry, “Watergate Case Study,” Columbia University, accessed 20 July 2022, http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/j6075/edit/readings/watergate.html. [2] Perry, “Watergate Case Study.” [3] Washington College of Law – AV, “Oversight & Accountability: Who Watches the Government?” Youtube Video, 23:48, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8pMsg74V_4. [4] Perry, “Watergate Case Study.”Image Credits:
Jillian Tamaki, Bob Woodward, Illustration, New York Times, 13 Sept 2018, https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/09/16/books/review/16ByTheBook/merlin_143233938_c80a6557-3952-4dde-84c6-16b92a9874bd-superJumbo.jpg.
Rick McKee, NSA Metadata, Illustration, Cagle Cartoons, 27 May 2015, https://www.cagle.com/rick-mckee/2015/05/nsa-metadata.