Bob Woodward of the famed Watergate, “Woodward and Bernstein” duo reporters of the Washington Post has once again stepped into the limelight over the current sequestration issue.
Woodward in this writer’s opinion is a writer/reporter extraordinaire.
It’s true that my admiration for this great writer stems from my time working at a Miami Herald news paper (as a young editor and writer/reporter), the same time Bob Woodward was all over the news with his award winning investigative journalism over Watergate.
It is from Bob Woodward and Karl Bernstein’s Watergate investigative reporting that forced Richard Nixon to become the first United States President to resign while in office.
It was no secret that all of us wanted to be the next Woodward or Bernstein; no matter the desk you worked at or assignment given.
When Bob Woodward wrote the book, “All the President’s Men”, it was the proverbial icing on the cake; especially for those who had admired this man’s writing and reporting.
Bob Woodward has remained renowned and respected for his thoroughness and quality in investigative journalism ever since Watergate; continuing into the Iran-contra scandal of the Reagan/Bush administrations and the Afganistan/Iraq wars initiated by President George W. Bush..
For many of us from the “baby boomer” generation, Bob Woodward has practically attained sainthood among journalist.
He did what no journalist had ever done before; he brought down a sitting president.
To be sure there have been several challenges to Woodward over the years but through it all, he has always survived and come out on top.
Contrary to the comments of many political pundits, Woodward has always been a journalist first and never a respecter of parties or politics.
His reporting on the many scandals of the Clinton administration is just such an example.
He was also quite critical of the Bush administration of which he wrote several books, two of which are titled, "Bush at War" and "State of Denial".
Fast forward to 2013, Bob Woodward calls President Obama on the carpet for blaming congress over sequestration, stating that it was Obama who invented the “sequestration” and not congress.
The Obama administration threatened Woodward and stirred the media pot with inaccuracies about Bob Woodward’s comment.
Bob Woodward however, has stood firm and has not backed down on his original comments in his February 22, 2013 article in the Washington Post.
Woodward boldly denounced the administration's claims putting the blame on congress (although he has attempted somewhat of a diplomatic settlement to this conflict).
Woodward and those journalist like him are to be commended for their uncompromising ability to separate politics from investigative journalism.
Good or bad, like it or not, Bob Woodward's reporting in setting the record straight definitely had an effect on turning the tide of sequestration.
The sequestration now in effect, congress has at least demonstrated that America is still a two party system and that the end of the world has not yet taken place.
The administration continues to insist that Woodward's article was over stated and exaggerated the role of the President in the creation of sequestration.
The President and his administration should proceed with caution with regard to Woodward.
Obama might want to remember that the man he is toying with brought down an entire administration; he should also recall the words of author Edward Bulwer-Lytton, "The pen is mightier than the sword".
Those journalist who have been critical of this great journalist, should proceed with caution when saying things like Woodward has out lived his usefulness, or he should be brought down to the minor leagues like a tired old baseball player.
All of these critical statements towards Woodward are simply nonsense.
Bob Woodward still has much to offer journalism.
We should all desire his ability and persistence.
It is these qualities demonstrated by Bob Woodward which ultimately find the truth and isn't truth what we are all seeking?
© 2013 Dr. Lee W. Outlaw III
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