It is important to remember that people criticizing "Deep Throat" are not all Nixon defenders. Few will criticize "Deep Throat" now, rogue of the media, but even fewer will defend Nixon (on Watergate). Ex-Donkey Blog has some thoughts on why the recently revealed "Deep Throat" is not a hero:

Felt should have gone into Director Patrick Gray's office and shared his information and concerns about the goings-on in the White House and recommended that the Bureau pursue an investigation. If Gray refused, the honorable thing would have been to resign his position and make a public statement outlining his concerns, which would have created the necessary pressure to force an FBI investigation into the matter. In this way he would have been true to both his obligations to the Bureau and the American public.

I am not old enough to remember Watergate, as my first taste of political scandal was Whitewater, and my first exposure to Watergate may have been in Forrest Gump:

Forrest Gump: [in the Watergate hotel; on phone with security] Yeah, sir, you might want to send a maintenance man over to that office across the way. The lights are off, and they must be looking for a fuse box, 'cause them flashlights, they keep me awake.

but I do understand the significance of "Deep Throat" especially in light of the "Newsweek lied" debacle. This is a "tipping point" in the media, and I there is no more ironic/appropriate time that "Deep Throat" reveal himself. The old guard of network media is not on the way out at this time, but there is competition. To every man a website, to every man a prinitng press.

I am about a quarter of the way through The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman and enjoying it immensely. So far, I would say it is a must-read for anyone concerned about politics and technology and the crossroads of the two.

Posted by Ryan S. on Wednesday, June 01, 2005 at 10:14 PM | Permalink |