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Watergate

Learn about the Watergate scandal and how two reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, uncovered the truth behind the burglary that led to President Nixon's resignation.

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Watergate

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  1. Watergate How two journalists brought down a president Material property of the AR Dept. of Education Distance Learning Center. It may be used for non-profit, educational use only after contacting the ADE DLC at http://dlc.k12.ar.us ER

  2. June 17, 1972 During the early morning hours, a security guard notices that an office is being burglarized in the Watergate office building in Washington, D.C. He calls police. Five men are arrested, including a former CIA agent. All five men are wearing suits, ties and rubber gloves.

  3. Here’s what made it strange: • It was right before President Richard Nixon, a Republican, ran for re-election. • The office was the Democratic National Headquarters. • The men were only after file folders. All of the men had large amounts of cash in their pockets, supposedly as payment for the burglary.

  4. Bob Woodward • A reporter at the Washington Post. He was known for making a hundred phone calls each day and working on stories for hours and hours. • He was an average writer, but better at getting information.

  5. Carl Bernstein • A reporter at the Washington Post. He was messy, a chain-smoker and very pushy, doing whatever needed to get information for a story. • He was a better writer than he was at getting information.

  6. The day after the burglary, Woodward wrote a small story about a former CIA agent being arrested in connection with the burglary. As part of the story, he called the U.S. Attorney General to ask him if he knew anything about the burglary. He was told, “The burglars were not operating for us or with our consent.” Woodward hadn’t even asked that question.

  7. No other newspaper ran a story about the burglary. • Because Woodward was suspicious that the burglary was really a cover-up for something else, he began investigating the story. • Woodward found out that Bernstein was also interested in finding out what had happened. He and Bernstein asked their editors if they could work only on this one story.

  8. Sept. 15, 1972 • The five Watergate burglars, plus two members of the White House staff, are found guilty of planning and taking part in the break-in. • In addition to taking files, the men had tried to “bug” the Democratic National Headquarters. • Since two of the men had direct ties to the White House, Woodward and Bernstein tried to find out more.

  9. Over the next few months… • Woodward and Bernstein were able to prove that not only was the White House staff involved in the Watergate break-in, but other things as well. • The U.S. Attorney General, John Mitchell, controlled a secret fund for President Nixon to provide money for the break-in and other shady activities. • Some people who worked for Nixon had been threatened with their lives.

  10. Woodward and Bernstein worked for months to uncover the entire story of Watergate. In the end, President Nixon resigned. Most people in the U.S. said they didn’t trust the president, let alone the government.

  11. Was the Watergate break-in really such a big thing? • It wasn’t the break-in that was so bad. It was the cover-up of the break-in. • President Nixon went to great lengths to make sure he was not connected to the break-in, when he had actually ordered it. • This called into question the integrity and honesty of the president himself.

  12. Where did they get the information? • Woodward and Bernstein had many sources, some unnamed, but their most famous source was called “Deep Throat.” This was a secret source that had inside information about the president and the Watergate break-in. • They never revealed the man’s name.

  13. One of the biggest secrets in journalism history • Only three people knew Deep Throat’s identity: Woodward, Bernstein and their editor, Ben Bradlee.

  14. When will we know who Deep Throat is? • Many people guessed who Deep Throat is, but Woodward and Bernstein said they wouldn’t reveal the man’s name until after Deep Throat dies. • He hasn’t died.

  15. Mark Felt • FBI’s number 2 man • Served as the deputy director of the FBI • 30 year career

  16. Mystery is over • Mark Felt is Deep Throat • Deep throat’s identity became known in 2005 when he stepped forward and identified himself. • He identified himself. The reporter’s only confirmed it once Felt made the announcement

  17. The Pulitzer Prize in 1975 • Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, along with the Washington Post, received a Pulitzer Prize for reporting the Watergate scandal. • The Pulitzer Prize is the highest award given yearly in American journalism.

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