Watergate: An Old Review for a Major Issue of our Times.

Considering our Free Press has been under attack, that is, Israel's murdering of journalists, and lately, the DNC suit of WiKiLeaks, it seemed appropropriate to re-publish my review of Bob Woodward's Book, revealing "deep throat", the source for the criminal break-in into the Watergate hotel, the democratic headquarters, ending in the resignation of president Nixon.If it were not for this "whistleblower", and the fine investigative reporting of Bernstein and Woodward, this crime would have never been realized. 

Particularly under the Obama administration, those "leaking" crimes of the government, has been ruthless. We should naturally understand, that it is the free press's job to expose government crime, per the US Constitution, yet these criminals in high places, never see a jail cell, at least since G.H.W.Bush. The MSM are partly to blame, but it is the "permanent state", waging undeclared wars since WW2, that should be held accountable.  

This my old review of "The Secret Man: The Story of Watergate's Deep Throat" 

Unquestionably the most enduring mystery in American political history has been the identity of Deep Throat. Bob Woodward's book is also an inspiring story of investigative journalism intent on discovering the truth and exposing that truth during a tumultuous period in American history. 

This text is also about constitutional rights, and the necessary right of a journalist to protect their sources, which arguably is a fine ethical line that requires further debate. However Woodward protected the identity of Deep Throat for over thirty years, setting a professional precedent for him personally, gaining the trust of sources in Washington's political arena, that otherwise would have remained silent. 

For the most part, though, Woodward explores the multifaceted relationship with W. Mark Felt, (Deep Throat) the former number two man in the FBI. What was Felt's motivation to lead Woodward and Bernstein in the direction of criminal activities in the highest echelons of government, eventually leading to the disgraced downfall of a president? What did Felt have to gain? Woodward attempts in this highly readable text to examine these motivations and his own conscience in regards to exposing Deep Throat to the world.

Despite the passing of a third of a century, the Watergate scandal continues to remain fresh in the minds for many people across the world. Why? Watergate was a striking example for the common citizen that even those in the highest realms of power cannot escape the hands of justice. It also showed how a free democracy with a free press could question authority, exposing the abuses of power, seeking the truth, and justice being served.

The resignation of president Nixon in 1974 was instigated, the final death blow, the so-called smoking gun, by the infamous Nixon tapes, when Nixon ordered the CIA to ask the FBI to stop their investigation on false national security grounds. This blew the lid sky high, and the message was clear: the tapes recorded Nixon ordering the cover-up revealing the president and his cronies were lying and their attempt to bury the scandal.

Woodward paints an interesting picture of Deep Throat: a solid FBI man who had a great admiration for J. Edgar Hoover, and was passed over for the number one spot at the agency not once but twice. After Hoover died, Nixon, politicising the agency, appointed Patrick Gray number one, and Felt was left doing all the work with none of the perks. Later in the text, it becomes clear that Felt was not acting on a personal vendetta, but saw his beloved FBI being tainted with political skulduggery, and wanted to do something about it. I believe this was his initial motivation for developing his relationship with Woodward as Deep Throat.

This is an entertaining read as Woodward has that ability as a writer to combine journalism with a novelist's flair. The Secret Man fills that gap in American history, which has remained a mystery for over thirty years.