Wednesday, June 01, 2005
More On Deep Throat
I wonder why Mark Felt remained silent about his role in the Watergate investigation for more than three decades, then decided to go public. Some of his family members indicate that it made more sense for Felt to cash in on any monetary windfall from revealing his identity while he is alive, rather than others cashing in after his death.
I wonder if the current debate among journalists and government officials about the appropriateness of anonymous sources might have impacted Felt's decision to identify himself. He has been the most important and famous anonymous source for over 30 years, so he might have strong feelings on the subject.
Even if I am off base and Felt's reasons for going public do not include the anonymous source debate, his timing is bound to have some impact on that debate. While many consider Felt a traitor, I think most consider his actions appropriate, if not heroic. That should add some context to the current discussions about anonymous sources.
I wonder if the current debate among journalists and government officials about the appropriateness of anonymous sources might have impacted Felt's decision to identify himself. He has been the most important and famous anonymous source for over 30 years, so he might have strong feelings on the subject.
Even if I am off base and Felt's reasons for going public do not include the anonymous source debate, his timing is bound to have some impact on that debate. While many consider Felt a traitor, I think most consider his actions appropriate, if not heroic. That should add some context to the current discussions about anonymous sources.
