Although Woodward’s and Bernstein’s work to expose the scandal was ultimately a success, many doubted their credibility, process, and motives. Most of the public ignored the journalists at first. Additionally, many other newspapers disregarded the story. Howard Simons, Post Managing Editor, stated, “We used to ask ourselves: ‘Where are the AP, the UPI, the New York Times, Newsweek?’ It was months of loneliness.” [2] The White House called the journalists' investigation misleading. The Post’s publisher, Katharine Graham was concerned with the government’s "unveiled threats and harassment." [3] Although Time was also printing stories on the scandal, the White House only targeted the Washington Post. Starting with a White House briefing by Ron Ziegler and continuing with former Senator Bob Dole and representative Clark Macgregor, many individuals close to the White House attacked the Post’s credibility and the Post's writers. Bernstein mentioned that, at the time, he felt like his "life was in danger". [4]
After Nixon’s reelection in 1972, Post reporters were denied access to White House events and crucial sources. The Nixon administration even gave exclusive stories to the Post’s competitors including the Washington Star. Nixon misused his power to block license renewal for television stations owned by the Washington Post Company. Nixon stated, “The Post is going to have damnable - damnable - problems out of this one. They have television stations, and they’re going to have to get them renewed.” [5] The Post soon began to feel the economic effect as the share value of a stock decreased from $38 to $21 in December 1972. [6] People also questioned the credibility of the Post's anonymous sources. Even the Post’s editor Ben Bradlee, mentioned that he had “a little problem with Deep Throat” [7]. The opposition only drove Woodward and Bernstein to investigate further. [8]
"We were being very careful. As the stakes increased, and as the White House looked more and more threatened, and Nixon himself looked more threatened, and his office became threatened, we just were determined that we weren’t going to make any silly mistake." - Ben Bradlee [9]
Footnotes:
- Header Image: Biography.com Editors, "Richard Nixon Biography," The Biography.com website, accessed February 5, 2017, http://www.biography.com/people/richard-nixon-9424076.
- Rodger Streitmatter, Mightier than the Sword (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2016), 186.
- Washington Post Staff, "The Watergate Story," The Washington Post, accessed January 24, 2017, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part1.html.
- Bob Woodward, "Question & Answer," Bob Woodward, accessed January 16, 2017, http://bobwoodward.com/question-answer.
- Streitmatter, Mightier than, 185.
- Streitmatter, Mightier than, 186.
- Julie Moos, "Ben Bradlee Expresses Doubts about Deep Throat Details in Watergate Coverage," Poynter, April 30, 2012, accessed January 30, 2017, https://www.poynter.org/2012/ben-bradlee-expresses-doubts-about-deep-throat-details-in-watergate-coverage/172114/.
- Washington Post Staff, "The Watergate Story," The Washington Post, accessed January 24, 2017, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part1.html. Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, All the President's Men (New York, NY: Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, 1974), 161-163.
- Harold Weisberg Archive, "Clark MacGregor's Statement on The Washington Post," The Harold Weisberg Archive, Digital Collection, accessed February 5, 2017, http://jfk.hood.edu/Collection/White%20Materials/Watergate/Watergate%20Items%2000480%20to%2000669/Watergate%2000513.pdf.
- Academy of Achievement, "Benjamin C. Bradlee," Academy of Achievement, last modified January 4, 2017, accessed February 5, 2017, http://www.achievement.org/achiever/benjamin-c-bradlee/#interview.