Break-In at the Watergate

Home , Archibald Cox, Barry Sussman, Carl Bernstein, David Young (Watergate), Egil Krogh, Mark Felt

Journalism During the Watergate Scandal By Olivia Hess Break-in at the Watergate

Aspects That Led The Burglars

To The Five men were arrested on June 17, The Plumbers 1972 afer being caught breaking into Washington Post the Democratic National Committee The plumbers were originally a covert Headquarters at the Watergate ofice Investigation: White House Special Investigations complex. These five men, pictured be- Unit, hired by Richard Nixon, to pre- low, were charged with attempted bur- vent the leaking of classified informa- glary and attempted interception of The Break-In tion to the media. However, this group telephone and other modes of commu- turned to doing illegal activities when nication (1). The burglars were hired by During Richard Nixon's second term a it began working with the Committee the plumbers to carry out the break-in, break-in occurred at Democratic Na- to Re-elect the President (CRP). The which was arranged by CRP. The break- tional Committee headquarters at the group was headed by John Erlichman; in was discussed under a project called 1. Watergate.info, "Watergate Bur- Watergate ofice complex in Washing- Others members included G. Gordon Operation Gemstone, a operation that glars," http://watergate.info/bur- ton D.C.. News quickly spread and five Liddy, who was recruited by White referred to a series of illegal acts initial- glary/burglars (April 2, 2016) burglars were found guilty of the break- House Counsel John Dean to perform ly suggested by G. Gordon Liddy, fea- in. Commotion in the Washington Post intelligence gathering for the CRP, E. tured above the picture of the burglars 2. Washington and Lee Yearbook ofice drew the attention of two Wash- Howard Hunt, Egil Krogh, David Young, (2). The funding for these clandestine (Lexington, VA: Washington and Lee ington Post reporters, Bob Woodward and CIA liason John Paisley. Once the acts was obtained by laundering mon- University, 1981), 99. and Carl Bernstein. Through the most unit branched out by doing work with ey through Mexico. intense investigative reporting ever CRP, their work became to harass seen at the time, these two reporters Nixon's opponents. They did this successfully connected the Nixon ad- through various measures, such as ministration to the burglary. Further in- wiretaps, burglaries and intercepted vestigation of the administration and mail. those closely connected to it led to the discovery of multiple abuses of political power by the Nixon administration. The investigative journalism during the Watergate scandal has contributed greatly to the way in which journalists in the 21st Century go about inspecting stories. G. Gordon Liddy, far lef, the General Counsel to the Finance Committee of CRP (2).

The Watergate Burglars (1). 2 Watergate Research Project Newspaper Te Investigation

During the first couple months of investigative reporting, Woodward and Bernstein were Failures of FBI strongly questioned and doubted by other newspapers. Despite During the Watergate trial of G. Gordon these doubts, the duo continued Liddy and James McCord, Washington to explore the watergate scandal. Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward began looking over the ex- hibits and papers filed as evidence with The Source the court. Woodward called the phone numbers listed in the address books of On June 19, 1972, Washington Post the burglars. One of the first people he journalists Bob Woodward and Carl called said, "The FBI? They never, nev- Bernstein received information from a er contacted me. I never talked to government oficial who was given the them." Woodward was appalled that nickname "Deep Throat". During a the FBI had made such a fundamental phone call with Woodward and Bern- investigative failure of not calling every stein, Deep Throat told the journalists single person listed in the books. that former Nixon staf member and Woodward and Bernstein wrote a long former CIA agent Howard Hunt was un- analysis of the trial, titled "Still Secret: doubtedly involved in the scandal. This Who Hired Spies and Why," observing Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (4). bit of information gave the two journal- that the Liddy and McCord trial is no- ists enough leverage to call an investi- table for "questions that were not gation of all of the White House's activ- asked, answers that were not given, ities, which significantly sped up a trial witnesses who were not called to testi- Intercepted Letter that would have otherwise been an ex- fy, and some lapses of memory by ceptionally slow and lengthy one. Deep those who were" (6). At the bond hear- During their investigation, Woodward Throat, later revealed as W. Mark Felt, ing for Liddy and McCord afer the trial, and Bernstein intercepted a letter writ- is the most famous anonymous source Judge John Sirica stated he hoped the ten by James McCord, one of the bur- in American history. Felt was the num- proposed Senate investigation would glars, to Judge John Sirica. In the letter ber two oficial at the F.B.I who helped find out what the trials did not. McCord stated, "there was political Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein pressure applied to the defendants to bring down Richard M. Nixon. To main- plead guilty and remain silent" (7). tain the secrecy of their source, Wood- Throughout the letter McCord wrote ward would ofen take numerous taxis that he preferred to speak with the and walk long distances to meet with Judge himself and not anyone in the Felt in the middle of the night. Their government, whose decisions would book All the President's Men confirms have been afected by President Nixon that Felt mainly afirmed information (8). The discovery of this letter allowed 3. Carl Bernstein, and Bob Woodward. Woodward and Bernstein received the court system to successfully find G. All the President's Men (New York, NY: from other sources (3). Gordon Liddy guilty on accounts of Simon & Schuster, 1974), 132. conspiracy, burglary, and wiretapping Democratic headquarters. 4. Columbia Journalism Review, ed., "The Moments," Columbia Journalism Review, http://www.cjr.org/feature/ the_moments.php. (March 22, 2016).

5. Tim Weiner, "W. Mark Felt, Watergate Deep Throat, Dies at 95," The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/ 2008/12/19/washington/19felt.html? _r=0. (May 3, 2016).

6. Bob Woodward, and Carl Bernstein, "Still Secret - Who Hired Spies and Why," The Washington Post, https:// www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ still-secret---who-hired-spies-and-why/ 2015/09/21/24102d0a-6075-11e5-9757- e49273f05f65_story.html (May 4, 2016).

7. Watergate.info, "James McCord's Letter to Judge John Sirica," http://watergate.info/1973/03/19/mccord-letter- to-judge-sirica.html (January 24, 2016).

W. Mark Felt with his wife, Audrey, on NBC's "Today" show in Washington in 1978. (5) 8. Ibid. Watergate Research Project Newspaper 3

Bob Woodward's notes from one of the many early morning parking garage meetings with Deep Throat (9).

9. Harry Ransom Center, "Mark Felt Notes," http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/web/woodstein/deepthroat/ felt_notes1.html (May 4, 2016). 4 Watergate Research Project Newspaper Media

According to an article written by Leonard Downie, the "dogged inves- Reporters vs. Nixon tigative reporting by Woodward and Bernstein and their colleagues even- Many news reporters were not very tually helped probe other news me- fond of Richard Nixon. If the media had dia, federal investigators and liked him, he could have benefited Congress to act, leading to more rev- from the media's ability to prevent cer- elations, criminal prosecutions, Sen- tain stories from being written. Mem- ate hearings and ultimately Congres- bers of the press, both fueling Nixon's sional impeachment hearings" (9). early career and destroying him later, abandoned standards of objectivity. In the end, this relationship fueled disas- ter by pushing the country towards the The Post Stories events that occurred during the Water- gate Scandal. For months following the break-in, Woodward and Bernstein wrote front Former President Nixon had a way of page stories that revealed connections dealing with reporters that was difer- between the burglary and CRP. ent than any other President before him. While intimidating journalists and Their first story, the Dahlberg story, avoiding White House reporters, are was released on August 1, 1972. This now common presidential practices, story included the detailed discovery of they were originally Nixonian tactics. a $25,000 cashier's check from Kenneth The resignation of Richard Nixon is Dahlberg, Nixon's Midwest campaign seen as a victory for the media; Re- finance chairman, that had been de- porters successfully destroyed the life posited into the bank account of one of of a man that made their career's espe- the Watergate burglars (10). The re- cially dificult . Investigations done by lease of this article sparked three in- Woodward and Bernstein helped ex- vestigations. Without Woodward and pose the President's criminal activities Bernstein's investigative skills the cov- which resulted in his eventual er-up of the Dahlberg story could have downfall. succeeded. In an interview with David Frost in May The most important story was released 1977, President Nixon admitted "I A snippet of the famous Dahlberg Story by Woodward and Bernstein (12). on October 10, 1972. This story, the brought myself down" (15). Acknowl- Segretti story, disclosed that the bur- edging that he made a mistake and glary at the Watergate hotel was part of was, therefore, removed from ofice by a political spying program run by the journalists who jumped at the oppor- White House (13). In their book All The tunity to take down a man they saw as President's Men, Woodward and Bern- a sneak. stein wrote, "Watergate could have been scheduled before the president's re-election chances looked so good and perhaps someone had neglected to pull the plug" (14). 13. Harry Ransom Center: The Universi- ty of Texas at Austin, "Segretti Story," 10. Leonard Downie, "The Newshound http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/ Bites." The World Today 68, no. 4 (2012): exhibitions/web/woodstein/post/seg- 21. rettistory_detail.html (May 4, 2016). http://www.jstor.org/stable/41962776. 14. Bernstein and Woodward, All the 11. Barr y Sussman, "Kenneth President's Men, 58. Dahlberg's Role in Watergate," The Hufington Post, http://www.hufing- 15. The Guardian, "I Have Impeached tonpost.com/barry-sussman/kenneth- Myself," http://www.theguardian.com/ dahlbergs-role-in_b_1005342.html theguardian/2007/sep/07/greatinter- (May 4, 2016). views1 (May 5, 2016).

12. Harry Ransom Center: The Universi- 16. Brian Stelter, "David Frost, Inter- ty of Texas at Austin, "Dahlberg Story," viewer Who Got Nixon to Apologize for http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/ Watergate, Dies at 74," The New York exhibitions/web/woodstein/post/ Times, http://www.nytimes.com/ dahlbergstory_detail.html (May 4, 2013/09/02/world/europe/david-frost- 2016). known-for-nixon-interview-dead- Former President Richard Nixon with David Frost on the first day of their at-74.html (May 2, 2016). interview in 1977 (16). Watergate Research Project Newspaper 5 Te Cover-Up The Tapes The Hearings

Between the early months of 1971 and Each member of the Senate knew the July of 1973, President Richard Nixon seriousness of the Watergate Scandal, secretly recorded around 3,700 hours leading the Senate to vote, 77 to zero, of phone calls and meetings with mem- to create an investigative committee. bers of executive ofices. These record- Known as the Senate Select Commit- ings played a leading role in the resig- tee on Presidential Campaign Commit- nation of the 37th president on August tee Activities, the council was chaired 9, 1974. They remain the greatest trea- by Senator Sam Ervin, a democrat from sure of information ever lef by a presi- North Carolina. dent, as well as the most complex, con- troversial set of presidential records in Beginning on May 17, 1973, the Water- United States history. Alexander But- gate hearings were publicly aired on terfield, the former deputy assistant to television, receiving views from Ameri- Nixon, revealed the existence of the cans all over the country. During the White House Tapes. Once Butterfield Senate hearings, John Dean went informed the public that a taping sys- against the statement President Nixon tem existed, the Supreme Court made had made in a White House press con- Nixon give up the tapes. ference and confirmed that Nixon not only knew of the break-in, the Presi- While Nixon claimed that he was not dent had directed in the cover-up. aware of his administration's attempt to cover up the break in, the discovery As the hearings continued, Nixon dis- of the "Smoking Gun" tape stated oth- covered things were not going his way. erwise. This recording was the piece of Attorney General nominee Elliot evidence that stated Nixon's role in the Richardson was forced by the Senate Watergate cover-up. In this tape Nixon and American public to appoint Spe- said, "Don't, don't lie to them to the ex- cial Prosecutor Archibald Cox to super- tent to say there is no involvement but vise the Senate-run investigation into just say this sort of a comedy of errors, the Watergate burglary and related bizarre without getting into it" (17). federal crimes. His investigation led him to a confrontation with Nixon when he subpoenaed the tapes the President had secretly recorded of his Time Magazine cover depicting Nixon and the public's desire to impeach him Denial Oval Ofice conversations. Aware of the (18). troubling situation he was in, Nixon In the days of the Investigation of the gave Cox a direct order to stop looking 17. Watergate.info, "The Smoking Gun Nixon, his administration continuously for tapes and other materials. When Tape," http://watergate.info/ 18. Time Magazine, "The Push to Im- denied their involvement in the break- Cox refused to do so, Nixon fired him in 1972/06/23/the-smoking-gun- peach," http://content.time.com/time/ in. During a White House press confer- an incident that became known as the tape.html (January 29, 2016). covers/0,16641,1101731105,00.html ence on August 29, 1972, Nixon praised "Saturday Night Massacre" (21). (May 8, 2016). the work of his White House counsel, John W. Dean, in investigating the Wa- 19. Bernstein and Woodward, All the tergate case. It was at this press confer- President's Men, 79. ence that Nixon said, "I can say cate- gorically that [Dean's] investigation in- 20. The History Channel, "Televised dicates that no one on the White House Watergate Hearings Begin," http:// staf, no one in this administration, www.history.com/this-day-in- history/ presently employed, was involved in televised-watergate-hearings-begin this very bizarre incident." This state- (May 12, 2016). ment caused Woodstein to release ad- ditional investigative stories which 21. Bart Barnes, "Watergate Prosecutor quickly sparked more in depth investi- Faced down the President," The Wash- gations by the FBI and Congress. ington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/watergate-prosecutor-faced-down-the-president/ 2012/05/31/gJQAoxBQGV_story.html (May 11, 2016).

22. Steve Greenberg, "Nixon Double Peace Sign," Cartoon Movement, http://www.cartoonmovement.com/p/ 150 (May 7, 2016). Nixon's double peace sign political cartoon by Steve Greenberg (22). 6 Watergate Research Project Newspaper Te Aftermath

Nixon's Resignation Government Woodward and Distrust Bernstein Facing impeachment and removal from ofice, Nixon oficially resigned on Au- gust 9, 1974. The night before on Au- For many Americans, the summer of Afer writing quite possibly the greatest gust 8, Nixon addressed the American the Senate Select Committee hearings reporting story of all time, Woodward public over national television from the in 1973 was a time of anger and shock, and Bernstein have gone down in his- Oval Ofice. In his speech Nixon high- one that shaped, for better or worse, tory as two of the most influential jour- lighted his successes as president, hop- public attitudes toward government nalists ever. Their best-selling book, All ing to defend his record (23). Nixon ex- and leaders. The scandal led to a the President's Men, focused public at- plained that he had "never been a quit- widespread distrust of government tention on the young reporters, espe- 23. David A. Graham, "Nixon's Resigna- ter" and that leaving ofice before he that has changed the political calculus cially afer Hollywood turned it into a tion: 40 Years Later," The Atlantic, had finished his term was against every for many issues. The nation watched movie starring Robert Redford and http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/ fiber of his being. While attempting to the White House become isolated from Dustin Hofman. This film immortalized archive/2014/08/nixons- tell the public of his dedication to the the rest of the American government as the chain-smoking anonymous source resignation-40-years-later/375447/ American people, he also informed Nixon tried to save his presidency in called "Deep Throat," who met Wood- (May 11, 2016). them that he had done his best to up- the face of abuse of government power ward at night in deserted parking hold the oath he said when he took of- and attempts at cover-up. Each revela- garages afer first signaling for meet- fice, "consecrate my ofice, my tion of this scandal, to this day, gives ings with detailed codes. Released two 24. Jack Mirkinson, ed., "Bob Wood- energies, and all the wisdom I can sum- voters another reason not to trust their years afer Nixon's resignation, the ward, Carl Bernstein Weigh in on Wash- mon to the cause of peace among na- elected oficials. It appears that Ameri- movie caused Woodward and Bern- ington Post Sale, Jef Bezos," The Huf- tions." (25). To some Americans this cans are unable to look at government stein's fame to continually increase. ington Post, http://www.hufington- statement of upholding the oath came the same way again. The American public not only saw post.com/2013/08/06/woodward-bern- as a surprise because while he may them as the famous reporters that took stein-washington-post-sale-jef- have had the trust and friendship of down the president but also as celebri- bezos_n_3712090.html (May 6, 2016). foreign nations, he did not have the ties who were played by extremely well trust or amity of his own nation. known actors in the movie. 25. Graham, "Nixon's Resignation: 40 Years," The Atlantic.

Carl Bernstein (lef) and Bob Woodward (right) at the Washington Post (24). Watergate Research Project Newspaper 7 Journalism in 2016

In a speech given to Washington and Presidential Lee University alumni, in the spring of 2016, Carl Bernstein made it clear that Election it is a journalists job to find the "best obtainable version of the truth". With- out this the notion of the public good The 2016 Presidential Election has will be lost in American society. been all over the news for months. The media and journalists' investigative stories about the candidates, however, In the 21st century journalists are not appeared far too late in the election attempting to discover the truth but, process. There has been little coverage instead, to write an article that will ob- of the candidates lives and their tain the publics attention whether it is records. In times when high scale in- true or false. News sources such as vestigative journalism is necessary, re- People Magazine and the National En- porting similar to that done by Bob quirer are two types of news infor- Woodward and Carl Bernstein is the mants that only discuss celebrity and type of writing journalists in 2016 need entertainment gossip rather than sig- to employ. nificant world-wide knowledge. Few newspapers in 2016 are dedicated Tensions between the two parties (26). While the journalism that occurred dur- to investigative reporting. In the 21st ing the Watergate Scandal is an exam- century there are ofen deadlines that ple for future reporters to follow, the must be met, preventing reporters Coverage Access for afect of Watergate on the media ap- from searching for the truth. Journal- Accountability pears to have been somewhat short- ists ofen turn down a story that re- While there may not be enough investi- lived. Although it is constantly referred quires an abundance of time so that gation of the candidates, the scandal to as "the greatest reporting story of all they may write numerous short stories has led to more aggressive coverage of Journalists in the 21st century have be- time", the story and the investigative in the same amount of time, hoping to the White House and the president in- gun to trade access for accountability. motives used in Woodstein's reporting be paid more as a result of the extra ar- side of it. The relationship between the Reporters do not want to ask the difi- have not been successfully used by any ticles. White House and the media was forev- cult questions because they are too journalism since the scandal. If the er changed by Watergate. Watergate's caught up in being in the presence of press followed the steps that Wood- impact on journalism wore of too the rich and famous. If they worked ward and Bernstein took, the efect of quickly and that public-service inves- with the journalistic integrity that Woodstein's journalistic work would be tigative reporting was soon replaced by Woodstein did, writers would continue exponentially greater and the legacy of monotonous journalistic impulses. to grow and allow the legacy of Water- Watergate would live on. gate to live on.

26. Aaron Miles, "Politics, Social Media, and the 2016 Presidential Election," So- cial Media Today, http://www.social- mediatoday.com/social-networks/ aweiner/2015-08-18/politics-social-media-and-2016-presidential-election-in- fographic (May 8, 2016).

27. NPR Staf, "40 Years On, Woodward and Bernstein Recall Reporting on Wa- tergate," National Public Radio, http:// www.npr.org/ 2014/06/13/321316118/40-years-on- woodward-and-bernstein-recall-re- Bob Woodward (lef) and Carl Bernstein (right) at the Watergate Ofice Complex 40 years afer the break-in (27). porting-on-watergate (May 11, 2016).