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"ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN",
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(Carl Bernstein & Bob Woodward). Analysis of the Watergate book.... More...

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Paper Abstract:
(Carl Bernstein & Bob Woodward). Analysis of the Watergate book.

Paper Introduction:
The purpose of this research is to critically examine All the President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. The most popular account of the entire "Watergate" affair, the book remains an excellent example of investigative reporting. The book covers the eighteen month period during which Bernstein and Woodward, working as reporters for The Washington Post, systematically uncovered many of the details surrounding President Richard Nixon's illegal political activities. Woodward and Bernstein were assigned the story as it first broke in June of 1972, with the arrest of five burglars who had been apprehended while breaking into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. The reporters' subsequent investigation, pursued in true detective fashion, utilized fragmentary clues found n address books, telephone calls, informants, and

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Because its place in the public eyeis so visible and, practically, because being discredited could causeenough financial difficulties to be significant, the Post could afford noerrors. The impact of the news media on the entire case is one which isindisputable in its magnitude but food for argument as to its value. This aspect of the case becomes more and more crucial as theinvestigation reaches the top echelons of the government with theinformation provided by "Deep Throat." Still unidentified, "Deep Throat"provided the key links in the chain which the reporters followed. The seven were Haldeman, Colson, Mitchel,Strachan, Mardian, and Parkinson. Perhaps the main lesson All the President's Men is the power of afree press. staggering case against thePresident." With suitable irony, Bernstein and Woodward conclude theirbook with Richard Nixon's own words, spoken to the nation in January 1974."I want you to know that I have no intention whatever of ever walking awayfrom the job that the American people elected me to do for the people ofthe United States." It is evident from all that we have learned from the "Watergateexperience" that it is not particularly difficult for things to go wrong athigh levels of government. the legislative branch would have becomesupreme." Garraty notes that those Congressmen who voted against Johnsoncarried a "stigma" with them for the rest of their political lives and infact in some contemporary history books. . One manifestation of this tendency was the "Beaver Patrol" of ex-University of Southern California schoolmates from which Nixon seems tohave recruited his aides. ThePresident decided to "Stonewall it" and to attack those who were gettingclose to the truth. As Bernstein's and Woodward's story reaches its endthe pressure mounted against their efforts is frightening. BIBLIOGRAPHYBernstein, Carl and Bob Woodward. among them - used their power and influence tothreaten individuals, invade the privacy of citizens, and engage in generalintimidation and corruption for political purposes. This proved to be, as the authorsnote, enough evidence to build a ". The pressure on thereporters was severe; it was no less so on the editors and publisher of TheWashington Post. As historian J. . The purpose of this research is to critically examine All thePresident's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. As the authors point out it was alogical consequence that when cornered and obviously in danger of beingdiscovered the only decisions which could be made were non-decisions. The information provided byinformants had to be checked since there was often reason to believe thatthere were attempts to "trap" the reporters into publishing unsubstantiatedclaims. He further states thathad impeachment succeeded it would likely have become a "weapon" frequentlyused and kept the Congress, Judiciary, and Executive in constant conflict,with the result that ". Of particular interest in the case is the attitude towardsimpeachment of a president which is held by the majority of Americans. The most popularaccount of the entire "Watergate" affair, the book remains an excellentexample of investigative reporting. All the President's Men is a powerful and well written book whichshould be read by serious students as well as members of the generalpublic. According to the reporters, various governmental agencies - theF.B.I., C.I.A., and I.R.S. The first chargedseven of President Nixon's former White House and campaign aides withconspiracy to obstruct justice. The climax of the seemingly endless search came in March of 1974,when a grand jury handed down two sets of indictments. The fact that "Deep Throat" remains anonymous may be all thetestimony needed to convince doubters of the dangers involved in tellingthe truth during the years of the Nixon administration. Others would suggest that the danger is only to those whowould attempt to control or intimidate that power. The book covers the eighteen monthperiod during which Bernstein and Woodward, working as reporters for TheWashington Post, systematically uncovered many of the details surroundingPresident Richard Nixon's illegal political activities. The Post was attacked almost constantly throughout theaffair. This book is the carefully documented story of an investigation no lessfascinating than it was itself well documented. Finally the administration's defense rested on the idea it would beunpatriotic to oppose or disbelieve the President. This isparticularly the case with regard to the constant attempts at discreditingThe Washington Post engaged in by Press Secretary Ziegler. Whether or not credit is given or taken is irrelevant to thisissue. It is worth speculating that this general attitude, among otherfactors, would account for the deliberate process in the gathering andpresenting of evidence in the Watergate affair. . Keeping only the bestintentions of sources of information regarding Watergate in mind one beginsto sense the caution with which it may have been necessary to proceed.Such speculation serves to make Bernstein's and Woodward's contributionseven more impressive. Vaizey has pointed out: "Nobody is indispensable in a constitutional regime; Churchill lost the election in 1945, before the war had ended. Clearly if asystem such as the one the United States has been struggling with for twohundred years is to survive no one man can be permitted to be inviolate.Probably nothing threatened the national security more than Richard M.Nixon. Certainly precipitousattacks on the President, no matter how strong the evidence, would havegained public acceptance over great resistance. . . They had "youthful high ideals" and a fierce loyalty totheir leader; they were also intensely ambitious men and were willing to doand say anything further their ends. All democratic leaders have to go eventually, anyway, because their reign is over, and they have lost public confidence. . In any event one maymake some small judgment by virtue of the vitriol expended upon attacks onthe media by such people as Spiro Agnew and Ron Ziegler. They had after all stayed in touch aftergraduation, worked in the same companies, and generally moved in the sameambitious circles. One of the most satisfyingaspects of the book is the manner in which the authors systematicallyrefute the administration's accusations of witchhunting. Henry Kissinger'stestimony to the grand jury eventually descended to this level althoughdisguised in jargon regarding threats to national security. One of the affects of this incident has been an historicalinterpretation of those events and issues surrounding Johnson which dwellon the "damage to the unity of the nation" idea. Shortly after this occurred the grand jury turned over to JudgeSirica a large volume of evidence which further indicted the President andsolidified the evidence which further indicted the President and solidifiedthe evidence which already existed. It is also clear that President Nixon increasing isolation from therealities of public office and the country, his reliance on aides, and hisparanoic tendencies had a profound effect on the course of the incident.Certainly these qualities characterized the Nixon administration andprevious posts in Nixon's career. Thereare those who would argue that the news media's power has reached adangerous level. It is increasinglyclear as one reads the book that the connection between the President andthese agencies was not at all casual and that the President's deliberateand illegal use of agencies not legally under his control for illegalpurposes had the effect of eroding the intricate, but apparently easilyevaded, system of checks and balances which junior high school governmenttextbooks are so fond of citing. As theybegan to trust their source more and more completely Woodward and Bernsteinmust have been tempted to shortcut a bit from time to time. Mr. Zieglerwas, in all fairness, forced by his President to stand in front ofreporters and lie foolishly almost daily. Certainly theywere tired, occasionally frightened, and busier than it seemed imaginable.But they did not do so; "Deep Throat's" stories always checked out and CarlBernstein and Bob Woodward provided a valuable service to the Americanpeople. Bernstein and Woodward were able to pursue their investigation in away which would have been impossible had they been forced to account fortheir activities to any agency of government. One historian, Garraty, has suggested that it is more thanlikely that conviction of Johnson would have destroyed forever theindependence of the executive branch of government. The significant question which is attemptedhere is whether or not the system or an individual president was theculprit. All the President's Men. The administration of President Nixon,his closest aides and confidantes in particular used these joint powersboth for personal gain and to protect itself when evidence of illegalactivities began to become public. Woodward and Bernstein were assigned the story as it first broke inJune of 1972, with the arrest of five burglars who had been apprehendedwhile breaking into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.The reporters' subsequent investigation, pursued in true detective fashion,utilized fragmentary clues found n address books, telephone calls,informants, and secret meetings with anonymous witnesses to various events. In1868, Andrew Johnson was brought before an impeachment court and acquittedby one vote. The questions of whether the immediate cause of their going is trivial or great is really of no consequence. . The second set of indictments chargedEhrlichman, Colson, Liddy, and three Cuban-Americans of conspiracy tocommit burglary of the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist. It is the inside story ofthe most compelling journalistic investigation in many years. No accusation couldbe reported unless based upon firm evidence. Thissecond set of indictments had the effect of removing the incident, and thePresident's implication, from the realm of the merely political. The publisher was urged repeatedly to prevent Bernstein andWoodward from writing their stories. Thus, the unwillingnessto impeach the integrity of a President even in the face of overwhelmingevidence. If the mediatakes a bit too much credit for exposing the President they may be excused,but it all might have happened a good deal sooner had the media been doingits job. Everything had to be checked and rechecked. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1974.----------------------- 8

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