The 1970s were best known for two things: hippies and the Watergate. It is likely that most everyone has heard the story of the president who was involved in the scandal of the century. But, even more interesting than the scandal, was how the story unraveled.
Bob Woodward was a young journalist working for the Washington Post. He had been working at the Post for less than a year when the news broke about a botched break-in at the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in D.C. Soon after, Woodward was teamed up with veteran journalist Carl Bernstein.
In a time when there were no smartphones or internet, these two journalists fought to uncover one of the biggest scandals in history. It was a scandal that went all the way to the top, ending with President Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon was elected president in 1969. Despite some people not feeling that they were the best people for the job, Woodward and Bernstein pushed on. Without the ability to hop online and fact check, they were able to break down every barrier before them.
With several government offices such as the CIA, FBI and the IRS working against them, this was no easy task. Doing all of their work by hand, spending countless hours looking through hundreds of actual library cards, traveling door to door for interviews, the unlikely duo was able to do the impossible. Because of their efforts, they were able to link what started out as a botched robbery to a string of abuses of power by the president and his officials. It was scandal that led to the resignation of President Nixon in 1974.
Some might ask how is it that two small-time journalists were able to carry this out? The answer is simple: they never gave up. They followed the leads, they checked the facts, they wrote the story and in the end, they changed history. In a time where the characters of journalists and the media were in the limelight, Bernstein and Woodward proved that not even the White House could hide the truth.
Nominated for eight academy awards, “All the President’s Men” is based on the book written by Woodward and Bernstein. Although many know the story of the scandal that took down the president, they may not know who broke the story or how it got out. Woodward and Bernstein worked for the Washington Post and together, using every resource available to flush the facts of what took place prior to and after the botched break-in at the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate complex.
Some in the industry considered it a non-story, but Woodward wanted to proceed. With the help of Bernstein, they began to uncover hidden details. After hundreds of phone calls and interviews, the pair began to see that things wouldn’t add up. Lies were told, threats made, recanted statements all added to the journalists’ growing suspicions. With the help of Woodward’s mysterious secret informant, Deep Throat, they find a connection between the robbery and a member of the White House staff.
“All the President’s Men” is action packed as Woodward and Bernstein rendezvous everywhere from empty parking garages and back alleys to employees’ living rooms. As they struggle to get the evidence needed to blow the top off the secrecy, Woodward and Bernstein “followed the money” all the way to the president and uncovered one of the biggest scandals in history. “All the President’s Men” breaks the barrier between what you think you know and what the government wants you to know. Not even the White House, however, could hide facts forever.
