Deep Throat

I am too young to have an emotional connection to the Watergate scandal or the recent revelation of the identity of Deep Throat. But as one interested in history, I have followed the story. I don't really understand those who would criticize Felt for what he did. Chuck Colson says Felt should have gone through the chain of command. To whom? Above him was the director of the FBI, a Nixon appointee, then the attorney general, a Nixon stooge, and then Nixon. The guy was pretty far up the chain of command, and no one in that chain had much interest in addressing the role of Nixon and the administration in Watergate and the coverup. Pat Buchanan calls Felt a traitor because he revealed the depths of criminal activity in the White House. Apparently Buchanan, a presidential candidate on multiple occasions, thinks revealing criminal activity is a bad thing. I guess the he feels the president should be entitled to carry out whatever criminal activity he wishes in total privacy. How can a president engage in criminal activity if he has to worry that somebody will tell the press later?

On the question of Deep Throat's motivation for what he did, David Corn writes

Felt was pissed off at the Nixon White House for multiple reasons. He wanted the top slot at the Bureau. He also saw the Nixonites running amok. As John D. O'Connor writes in Vanity Fair, "Felt harbored increasing contempt for this curious crew at the White House, whom he saw as intent on utilizing the Justice Department for their political ends." It probably was difficult for Felt to sort out all his motives. But this is what happens with many whistleblowers. They often are propelled by several reasons. And they are company men (or women) before breaking the rules, customs and norms. Think of Jeffrey Wigand, the real-life tobacco whistleblower marvelously portrayed by Russell Crowe in The Insider.

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We could use such whistleblowers today--even if they stay undercover.

Indeed. We need more people who will step out and tell the truth and fewer people to slavishly tow the company line in order to protect their careers. Ultimately, regardless of his murky motivations, Felt did the nation a service by exposing the true nature of the president and the administration he ran.