Sore Throat

I have never been a Bob Woodward fan, and today's news that he withheld information from his own editors relevant to the Valerie Plame leak case -- at the same time he talked on Larry King Live and other outlets about the case while pretending to know nothing -- only confirms what I have long thought: It's all about Bob. Here's Woodward's side of the story.

I enjoyed Woodward's early work, particularly The Brethren, in which he and co-author Scott Armstrong let us peek under the judicial robes at the Supreme Court in a way that had never occurred before. But his journalistic style has evolved into simply this: "I'm Bob Woodward, dammit. Just trust me." But I don't -- nor should I have to -- trust Woodward or any other journalist. I should be able to read his work, see what the facts are, who is saying what, and decide for myself.

You can't do that with Woodward, though. Large chunks of his biggest recent stories, and even larger chunks of the books the stories come from, are not explicitly sourced. When Woodward is asked who told him something, or how he knows something occurred, he says that he has great sources, but he cannot tell you who they are, and thus you will just have to -- all together now -- trust him. He acts like some sort of journalistic Pontiff, someone who speaks ex cathedra and expects that the faithful will believe him simply because of who he is. That may not work so well anymore for Pope Bob (and it isn't working so well lately for Pope Ben either, but that's a post for another day).

There were two other interesting details that have now come out. First, Woodward often speaks to groups for large fees, $10,000 to $50,000 according to his booking agency. According to today's New York Times, that is a violation of Washington Post policy. Second, according to his own statement, Woodward sent Lewis Libby an 18-page list of questions that Woodward wanted to ask Vice-President Cheney. What?? He gives them the questions first? No wonder they give him the access they do.