More Throat

Bob Woodward’s Deep Throat story went online this morning. It’s an interesting account of how he met Mark Felt before he even started to pursue journalism and of how the relationship between the two developed so everything was in place for Felt to step into the role of Deep Throat. Although Felt’s motivation for providing information appear to be mixed, it’s clear that he was risking his livelihood and reputation when guiding Woodward and Bernstein. Elsewhere at The Washington Post, Ben Bradlee responds to attacks on Felt’s ethics and integrity by Chuck Colson, G. Gordon Liddy, and Pat Buchanan (registration required):

I am really baffled by Colson and Gordon Liddy lecturing the world about public morality. Both of them went to jail after being convicted of misbehavior surrounding the Watergate cover-up. They were threatening and they paid a price for it. And as far as I'm concerned they have no standing in the morality debate.

Buchanan is a little different because he hasn't done time, but I'm not ready to be part of his indignation.

But maybe his response last night on Nightline was more succinct: “Give me a break.”