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Bob Woodward
Webcom.com ^ | 1996 | Lisa Pease

Posted on 04/19/2004 5:37:17 PM PDT by GailA

The Legacy of Deep Throat

Whatever his background, whatever his connections, one cannot trust what Woodward says as fact. Take, for instance, his account in Veil of his last interview with dying CIA Director William Casey. Havill tracked down Casey's family, friends, hospital security staff and CIA guardians and found that the visit Woodward described was impossible. First of all, Casey was under 24 hour guard by several layers of security: CIA members, hospital security, and Casey's family. And Woodward had already been stopped once while trying to see Casey. According to one of Havill's sources, Woodward was not merely asked to leave, as Woodward reported in his book, but was forcibly shoved into the elevator. And Woodward's story kept shifting. Woodward told a Knight-Ridder reporter that he had gotten in by flashing his press pass. To Larry King, Woodward claimed he just "walked in." But even assuming he somehow managed to get by all of that security, Woodward would still have been the only person to claim that Casey had uttered intelligible words in those last hours. The only other person to make such a claim was Robert Gates, who himself became CIA Director. The family, doctor and medical staff said Casey could not make words at this point, only noises. At least Gates questioned whether he might have been imagining he heard words. Woodward has never retracted his "conversation." In addition, Woodward once said that Casey sat bolt upright, which would seem highly implausible given his rapidly deteriorating state. Onetime CIA Director Stansfield Turner, a friend of Woodward's since 1966, said Woodward told him he'd walked by Casey's room and Casey had waved to him. Casey's bed was positioned in such a way in the room as to make that impossible too.

Likewise, Woodward does not seem to demand authenticity from subordinates. Under his watch as Assistant Managing Editor of the Metro desk, the Post suffered a humiliation of the highest proportions at the hands of one of his hires, Janet Cooke. It was this incident that knocked the Post from its perch as "America's leading newspaper," as it had been called in the wake of its Watergate reporting.

Janet Cooke was a gifted writer with a knack for capturing the essence of the streets of D.C. She went to the Post for a job, and Woodward hired her. More illustrator than reporter, she painted vivid images, if not entirely accurate ones. The latter trait soon brought her trouble.

(Excerpt) Read more at webcom.com ...


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS:
Please see site for full article bob woodward
1 posted on 04/19/2004 5:37:20 PM PDT by GailA
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To: GailA
Please see site for full article bob woodward

Why?

I don't see webcom.com on the FR Excerpt and Link Only or Deny Posting List.

2 posted on 04/19/2004 5:47:47 PM PDT by hole_n_one
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To: hole_n_one
It's copied righted and is author's request must be honored as this is not a news site. It was best to err on the side of caution, not wanting to cause Jim any more trouble on copyright stuff.
3 posted on 04/19/2004 5:53:55 PM PDT by GailA (Kerry I'm for the death penalty for terrorist, but I'll declare a moratorium on the death penalty)
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To: GailA
It's copied righted and is author's request must be honored as this is not a news site.

When you write "this is not a news site", I assume that the "this" you're referring to is webcom.com and not FR.

4 posted on 04/19/2004 5:59:52 PM PDT by hole_n_one
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To: GailA
Not sure what to think of Woodward. His other book on Bush, called Bush at War was a positive look at the decisions that led up to the war on terror. In fact, he speaks about how right after the attack on 911 the administration wondered for a few minutes if Iraq was involved. There was no concern on Woodward's part then about the decisions being made.
5 posted on 04/19/2004 6:04:59 PM PDT by ladyinred (Kerry has more flip flops than Waikiki Beach)
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To: ladyinred
Can You Trust Bob Woodward? (NEWSMAX)

It affirms what this author is saying.

6 posted on 04/19/2004 6:09:32 PM PDT by GailA (Kerry I'm for the death penalty for terrorist, but I'll declare a moratorium on the death penalty)
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To: hole_n_one
The authors web site.
7 posted on 04/19/2004 6:10:18 PM PDT by GailA (Kerry I'm for the death penalty for terrorist, but I'll declare a moratorium on the death penalty)
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To: GailA
Perhaps you can seek Pease's permission to post the full text on FR.

6 months from now, there's no guarantee that the complete text will still be available via the link.

8 posted on 04/19/2004 6:15:31 PM PDT by hole_n_one
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To: hole_n_one
copy it to your hard drive, also the NewsMax article says much of what she said about woodward's lying.
9 posted on 04/19/2004 6:25:10 PM PDT by GailA (Kerry I'm for the death penalty for terrorist, but I'll declare a moratorium on the death penalty)
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To: GailA
Thanks for the link Gail, WOW!
10 posted on 04/19/2004 7:54:36 PM PDT by ladyinred (Kerry has more flip flops than Waikiki Beach)
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