I haven't really done any kind of search for stories about this, so if any of you know, leave a comment or drop me an email, but--I wonder if the Washington Post's editorial staff doesn't feel just a wee bit betrayed by the fact that Deep Throat outed himself to Vanity Fair instead of them?
Well, here's one from Howard Kurtz, who says:
[…] Why did Woodward and Bernstein wait most of the day to confirm that Felt was the real-life version of Hal Holbrook? Sure, both reporters and Ben Bradlee took a pledge to honor the confidentiality agreement until Deep Throat's death. But a source coming forward and naming himself releases the journalist from the promise of confidentiality. In the end, it's hard to escape the irony that Vanity Fair beat The Post on the secret Woodward had kept for more than 30 years. […]
Paul Fahri makes the snub even more apparent:
[…] [Editor David] Friend said neither Woodward nor his Watergate reporting partner Carl Bernstein -- a Vanity Fair contributing editor -- knew about the story until Friend e-mailed them a copy of it yesterday morning. "We felt that if we let Bob or Carl know, The Washington Post would be out before us," said Friend, who was the lead editor.
In fact, The Post was scooped, after keeping Felt's secret for more than three decades.
Post Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. said yesterday that Woodward "did the honorable thing by sticking by his confidentiality agreement" with Felt. "He had agreed not to reveal his identity until [Deep Throat] released him from his pledge or the source died, and he did that. "
Although Woodward had checked in with the Felt family periodically, and is writing a book about his relationship with Deep Throat, Downie said Woodward was never told by Felt or his family that he was going public. "Bob was really kind of helpless" because Felt never indicated that their agreement was over, said Downie, who rushed back to Washington from a corporate meeting on the Eastern Shore when the story broke yesterday. […]
Oh, well, as some guy once said, "Follow the money."
Posted by Terry Oglesby at June 1, 2005 09:59 AMPerhaps Mr. Felt felt that Woodward and Bernstein had profited enough from his conscience.
They built careers from his work.
I would have given the story to the National Enquirer.
Posted by: Janis at June 1, 2005 10:15 AMHeheheheee. Or better yet, he could have started a blog just for the unveiling.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 1, 2005 10:25 AMI'm just glad this idiocy is over.
If you google my name, second thing that comes up is a discussion about how worthless the search for Deep Throat was.
Stupid damn Illinois journalism professor wastes his students' time having them search for the identity of Deep Throat when he should be teaching them how to cover a public meeting, and comes up with Fred Fielding, of all people.
Move along, kids.
Posted by: Janis at June 1, 2005 10:29 AMI'd be satisfied if they'd teach cub reporters the difference between the budget deficit and the national debt.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 1, 2005 11:05 AMI graduated from j-school knowing about John Reed but not how to file a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
Worthless bunch of nonsense.
I learned a lot of interesting things those last couple of years of school, but none of them had to do with, you know, gathering information. Or talking pictures.
Posted by: Janis at June 1, 2005 11:19 AMTaking pictures. 'Scuse, please.
Posted by: Janis at June 1, 2005 11:23 AMActually works either way--that videographer/videojournalist work is where a lot of teevee reporters start out.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 1, 2005 11:33 AM