海角大神

Bob Woodward and his 鈥淎ll the President鈥檚 Men,鈥� which outlined the revelation of the Watergate scandal, had its share of critics, many of whom doubted the existence of Woodward鈥檚 secret source 鈥淒eep Throat.鈥�

According to a new book, they weren鈥檛 alone: even Ben Bradlee, legendary Washington Post executive editor, questioned whether Bob Woodward was completely 鈥渟traight鈥� in recounting elements of the landmark scandal in his best-selling book 鈥淎ll the President鈥檚 Men."

For 鈥淵ours in Truth: A Personal Portrait of Ben Bradlee,鈥� Jeff Himmelman (an associate of both Bradlee and Woodward) was given full access to Bradlee鈥檚 files and embarked on a fruitful exploration of the legendary editor鈥檚 misgivings.

Himmelman鈥檚 account does not call into question the veracity of Woodward鈥檚 reporting, but it does suggest 鈥渢hat even a relationship as close as that of Woodward and Bradlee was not immune to moments of doubt,鈥� writes the Washington Post.

New York Magazine website ran an excerpt of the book Sunday that鈥檚 been drawing ire from readers, pundits, and even Woodward himself.

鈥淵ou know I have a little problem with Deep Throat,鈥� Bradlee told journalist Barbara Feinman in an unpublished 1990 interview, according to Himmelman鈥檚 account. 鈥淒id that potted [plant] incident ever happen?.... And meeting in some garage. One meeting in the garage? Fifty meetings in the garage? I don鈥檛 know how many meetings in the garage.... There鈥檚 a residual fear in my soul that that isn鈥檛 quite straight.鈥�

(In 鈥淎ll the President鈥檚 Men鈥� Woodward and co-author Carl Bernstein wrote they would move a potted plant marked by a flag to the rear of Woodward鈥檚 balcony to signal to his source, 鈥淒eep Throat,鈥� that he needed to meet immediately. He and 鈥淒eep Throat鈥� met in a garage, later revealed to be located in Northern Virginia.)

Woodward said of the excerpt, 鈥淚t is a total dishonest distortion of our discussions, Jeff鈥檚 and mine.鈥�

After reading the excerpt, Woodward went further, providing The Post with a transcript of a 2010 interview of Bradlee by Himmelman. In the interview Himmelman asked Bradlee whether he doubted any parts of Woodward鈥檚 reporting.

鈥淲ell, I mean, if you would ask me, do I think that he embellished, I would say no,鈥� Bradlee replied, according to the transcript. (Himmelman told the Post this exchange is also included in his book.)

And although critics have questioned Woodward鈥檚 reporting and the very existence of Deep Throat, decades of investigation after the scandal and its coverage have confirmed Woodward鈥檚 reporting, notes the Post, most notably with the 2005 disclosure that 鈥淒eep Throat鈥� was W. Mark Felt, the No. 2 official at the FBI at the time.

Bradlee鈥檚 take on the book centering on his own doubts about his star reporter?

鈥淚 love Bob, and I love Jeff, and I trust them both, and let鈥檚 move on,鈥� he said Sunday night in a comment relayed through his wife journalist Sally Quinn.

Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.