Date: 2025-08-21 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00004160
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What's the Matter with Bob Woodward These Days? ... Jon Stewart takes on the collapse of the famed Watergate journalist who's now a right-wing conspiracy theorist.
Burgess COMMENTARY
When I was younger, I was impressed by the revelations of prominent 'investigative' journalists. As time has passed and I have grown older, I am less and less impressed and today I think of them very unfavorably.
Part of the problem is that the media industry has changed. Good news costs a lot to collect, understand, edit and report. Deep investigations are exceptionally costly, and for all practical purposes these rarely take place any more.
The important 'fourth estate' of a healthy democracy is essentially no more. Instead there are opinionated pundits who play fast and loose with facts in order to promote their particular view of the world and their favorite ideology.
In my view, this is a dangerous state of affairs. Without the fourth estate, how does one get any sort of accountability ... transparency. One doesn't ... and that is a huge danger for democracy.
Peter Burgess
What's the Matter with Bob Woodward These Days? ... Jon Stewart takes on the collapse of the famed Watergate journalist who's now a right-wing conspiracy theorist.
On last night’s Daily Show, Jon Stewart took on the collapse of famed Watergate journalist, Bob Woodward.
Woodward riled up the press this week claiming the Obama administration issued him a “veiled threat” over a Washington Post op-ed he wrote saying the president “moved the goal posts” by demanding new revenue in budget talks.
Stewart expressed the hysteric tone of Woodward’s claims, after the former journalistic hero made media rounds riding on this senior official’s alleged threat.
“These Chicago-style thugs strong arming a formerly young reporter like this,” Stewart said. “If only we had the emails.”
Stewart proceeded to read snippets of the email exchange between Woodward and the White House’s muscle—economic advisor Gene Sperling.
“I apologize for raising my voice in our conversation today,” Sperling wrote, “I do truly believe you should rethinking your comment about saying that POTUS asking for revenues is moving the goal post. I know you may not believe this, but as a friend, I think you will regret staking out that claim.”
Jon ridiculed the notion that Sperling’s words could ever be conceived as a threat.
“And Woodward, if I ever see you on these streets of this town again,” Stewart said in a mock gangster voice, “I will wave to you because we are good friends.”
That Woodward’s response email begins, “You do not ever have to apologize to me,” makes assertions of threat victimization even more laughable.
Stewart observed, “Access means never having to say you’re sorry.”
Watch:
48 comments AlterNet What's the Matter with Bob Woodward These Days? Jon Stewart takes on the collapse of the famed Watergate journalist who's now a right-wing conspiracy theorist.
genedebs • a day ago This, along with Bradley Manning's revelation that both the Post and NYT both either turned down, or did not respond to his offer of the classified documents he eventually gave to Wikileaks, confirms that neither of these two esteemed 'news' organizations are any longer independent of the government - if they have been at all since the 1970's. They should both lose all their credibility as honest brokers of unbiased coverage of any part of government in the U. S. Woodward was never the truly crusading liberal journalist he was made out to be. He came from a patrician, establishment family, was ex-Navy, and at the time of Watergate, simply still had enough youthful idealism to believe that the President and his administration should not be above the law - how naive! Obviously, he's learned how to be a 'member of the club' in the past 40 years. It has always been Carl Bernstein who was the more muck-raking crusader in the Izzy Stone tradition, coming from a family who were members of the Communist Party in the 1940's - a true 'red diaper' baby. 17 2 •Reply•Share ›
teddyfromcd genedebs • 21 hours ago long ago -- must be a dozen years now -- I used to buy NYtimes every week -- no longer. I don't even bother to visit its website anymore . it should be called the 'nation's Premiere Imperial Paper'. after all - what's New York STATE called 'the Empire state' for , if not THAT? or what is the USA's remaining - along with just one tiny other american-influenced island in the pacific - to continue using the 'imperial' standard of measurements while the rest of the world had --- long, long ago - used the more accurate, clearer and simpler Metric system? amazing -- how the 'most advanced' technological' nation on earth is also the most BACKWARD mentally! Martin Luther King, Jr. was really right: 'We are a Nation of Technological and Scientific Giants and Intellectual and Moral Cowards and Midgets'. EXHIBIT A : BOB WOODWARD. 7 3 •Reply•Share ›
Yourstruly teddyfromcd • 20 hours ago Except that Woodward works for the Washington Post. And since Watergate, he's had some deal with them about what part of his reporting he would share and what he would publish in his own right. A really bad deal for the paper and its readers, if you ask me. 2 2 •Reply•Share ›
Devil Dingo Cafe genedebs • a day ago Genedebs -- Excellent summary. Woodward became one of the most pompous stenographers of the American Imperium decades ago. He is the quintessential Beltway insider when it comes to 'reporting' from the Royal Court. It is his mendacious gravitas in the service of power that it is truly pernicious, not this little public hissy fit. 6 3 •Reply•Share ›
kimbutgar • a day ago He just destroyed his reputation as a journalist when he went on Hannity the next day and complained. Now he will be viewed as the Faux partisan hack from now on. Woodward no longer has any creditability. And I don't think he realizes what he did. He's just another Fauxbot now. 14 4 •Reply•Share ›
JVR kimbutgar • 17 hours ago What is it with you lot that Woodward is not good enough? He is clearly an independent thinker, and made some points about the current administration as he saw it. Are you so ideologically blinkered that you cannot accept that he may have made a valid point? So enslaved to an ideology and an idea? I am reminded by a comment by another former American Leftist (David Horowitz), who upon realizing what trash modern leftist thought in the US really is, remarked when he lost all his former friends, that the 'idea', the 'utopian vision' so clung to by the Left, trumps everything including friendship, honesty, humanity, and in some cases even life itself. Comments such as yours, and also some of the others here, is proof of how far the Western Left has regressed in 50 years. Your ideas are beyond decadent. 3 2 •Reply•Share ›
CBid13 JVR • 17 hours ago What is it with you? Woodward's making a silly and baseless claim that he was threatened by the Obama administration for being critical of them. It's untrue. If you don't see that as seriously damaging to his own credibility instead of being some kind of legitimate complaint about the administration, then you're a fool. And quoting an ass-clown like David Horowitz will only succeed in getting you some well-deserved ridicule and scorn. 5 2 •Reply•Share ›
JVR CBid13 • 16 hours ago Really? Dis Lanny Davis, a Bill Clinton man, lie as well? Is he also a persona-non-grata? 2 1 •Reply•Share ›
CBid13 JVR • 14 hours ago Yawn. Another strawman to add to your ongoing, rapidly growing collection. Maybe next time you should just throw in a couple of Spiro Agnew or Nixon quotes so you're at least entertaining... 1 •Reply•Share ›
JVR CBid13 • 13 hours ago Strawmen, silly, baseless, untrue, ass-clown, scorn, ridicule, etc. As I said, the intellectual decadence of the modern left is beyong belief. And you are a caricature of yourself. Amazing. 0 2 •Reply•Share ›
CBid13 JVR • 9 hours ago And your typing skills are either fucking terrible or you can't spell worth a shit, trollboy. You do realize, don't you, how incredibly amusing it is to see you actually quote David Horowitz and then parrot the phrase 'intellectual decadence' as if Right-wing ideological under-pinnings have ever been considered to be anywhere near the high water marks of intellectual or philosophical thinking? You've tried to utilize strawman arguments in this very forum. Woodward made a silly and baseless claim that was untrue. Horowitz is an ass-clown. You deserve scorn and ceaseless ridicule. O, the fucking decadence... 0 •Reply•Share ›
JVR CBid13 • 3 hours ago Indeed, .... fucking... shit... strawmen... silly... baseless... ass-clown... scrorn... ridicule. You are a true caricuture of the brainless modern Left. Woodward made a point, and Lanny Davis backed him up. What is so hard to understand about that? Ps. Your are not in the intellectual nor the moral class of Horowitz (or for that matter, Woodward), but far below. Now that I think of it, J Stewart is a clown half the time. 1 •Reply•Share ›
prisonersforprofit • a day ago lol, 'because access means you never have to say you're sorry'. who didn't know real journalism was dead after 9-11? 7 1 •Reply•Share ›
friendnotfoe • a day ago Yes, one does ponder that question exactly what is up with Bob Woodward these days? Pretending that he felt threaten by that e-mail he received when the two men are friends and the tone was hardly threatening. Deception doesn't become him. 10 3 •Reply•Share ›
TheSeekerDewd • a day ago Isn't it likely that Mr. Sperling was talking about the wrath of the people; and not The White House? Poor Mr. W. 'Not enough attention these days? Man, yer getting it now, huh?!? !!! 6 4 •Reply•Share ›
kanawah • a day ago Sounds like senility or Alzheimer is setting in. 5 3 •Reply•Share › JVR kanawah • 17 hours ago Really, you wish Alzheimer's on him? Where is the humanity in you that you always claim the mean-spirited right lacks? 2 1 •Reply•Share › CBid13 JVR • 17 hours ago I didn't see any 'wishing' there, Ace... It was a simple observation, maybe not a very accurate one but still an observation. But, by all means, continue to distort and construct your strawman. 2 1 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren CBid13 • 2 hours ago He is a troll, ignore him. We have an old rule here at AlterNet: Do not feed the trolls. We find ignoring them to be the best policy, after a take down or identifying them as a troll, of course, then we try to just ignore them. Responding only encourages them. We also have recently received a moderator so you now can flag them for removal. From time to time we have had serious problems with trolls, so PLEASE, don't feed them! Thanks. 0 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren JVR • 2 hours ago Troll. Why do trolls do it? http://www.flayme.com/troll/#W... I believe that most trolls are sad people, living their lonely lives vicariously through those they see as strong and successful. Disrupting a stable newsgroup gives the illusion of power ... 0 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren kanawah • 2 hours ago That is what it looked like to me too. He seemed honestly confused. I wondered if he was taking some kind of drugs that are starting to catch up to him. Ambien maybe? 0 •Reply•Share › Paul451 • 18 hours ago The man's only real claim to fame was once being part of uncovering a genuine political conspiracy and a coverup that brought down a President. And not just a minor coverup of a bribe or sex scandal, but the real deal. Is it any wonder that he wants to imagine he is still living that life? [By comparison, Bernstein seems much more interesting, and has chased genuine political corruption instead of imagined fantasies.] 4 3 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren Paul451 • 2 hours ago But it makes him such a good mouth piece for the president! Propaganda is so much more successful when the source is trusted, I bet there are a lot of people who don't want him to give that up. Hasn't he been a part of the cover up? 0 •Reply•Share › CitizenWhy • a day ago What's up? He's into the Sarah Palin Get Rich Big Business Plan. Say crazy anti-Obama things on Fox News, go on the right wing speaking circuit, collect big fees, get rich, be followed by the fame stream media. A way for this lost soul to become 'relevant' again, lol. 4 3 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren CitizenWhy • 2 hours ago He reminds me of Chomsky. They should have a debate to see which of them is more ... 0 •Reply•Share › chetdude • a day ago He was ALWAYS a republican, wasn't he? Why the surprise? He was a gwbush ass-kisser long before this... 4 3 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren chetdude • 2 hours ago But think of the great access he has had all of these years, it made for a very successful career. 0 •Reply•Share › teddyfromcd • 21 hours ago Bradley Manning's Full Statement to the court, detailing his actions and reasons are in Commondreams. it's amazing , to say the least, and shows above all: beyond his obvious intelligence and actually trying to follow the orders and training -- eventually being led by his own conscience, step-by-step , to what he did -- that this is a man who is MOVED by human suffering. it really stands out in his remarks. and what also stands out is his concern that goes beyond HIS already difficult situation, mentally and emotionally. even with those: being very friendless in his barracks, shunned by his workmates, coming home on a brief leave only to find his boyfriend had become distant, getting more and more 'shut down' by superiors or those he repeatedly tried to contact - Manning's conscience stood strong. He really is more of a 'man' than all the big-muscled people with their guns and helicopters and their superiors around him put together . ------------- as for Woodward - well , what else is there to say ..........WEASEL. no wonder his former colleague - bernstein had a falling out with him. the real 'scandal' is not about woodward's 'complaint' about supposedly getting 'threatened' from the obama white house.......... they are, after all, of the SAME imperial american class. the real scandal is Woodward's Complaint that Obama's sequestering of the budget will 'ONLY' leave ONE Air Craft Carrier in the Mediterranean.......!!! how DARE HE? doesn't HE know , as Emperor he ought to have MORE air craft carriers to protect america's Empire??!! that's the real scandal, although it's not REALLY surprising. they are -- for all their 'quarrels' in public -- woodward/white house, white house/democrats against 'GOP' -- all of them are the SAME class of Imperialists , Warmongers, Liars, Torture Masters and Enablers, and american exceptionalists Still Living in the Bizarro World of The American 'wonderland' that thinks the World is America's to play with...........and waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy behind reality no matter how much they try to ':create' and 'Design' it. Example: China is already preparing , after gradual, careful management - to launch the YUAN as the Currency of Trade to be used in the already in process 'BRICS'-led Global Bank that WILL be used by the majority of the world's populations in due time. give it -- five years at most - 2 even. THAT will ensure the US-led 'western' sanctions habits are FINISHED. 3 2 •Reply•Share › libproud • a day ago Woodward has been a douche for at least the past fifteen years.Someone needs a lapdance!!!!! 4 4 •Reply•Share › JVR libproud • 17 hours ago A douche? This is the opposite of being mean-spirited? 1 1 •Reply•Share › CBid13 JVR • 17 hours ago Who said anything about not being 'mean-spirited?' Why should any tactic from the GOP's own playbook be considered off-limits? I mean, you know, besides outright lying and cheating... 1 1 •Reply•Share › MorganMandel • 21 hours ago Here comes the trashing of Woodward because he's not on your side anymore. 5 6 •Reply•Share › Max MorganMandel • 21 hours ago Or here comes the trashing of Woodward because he just made a complete ass of himself in the most public way possible and proved that he is the worst kind of pandering 'journalist'. And, frankly, aren't journalists supposed to at least pretend to be objective? But, hey, you say potato, I say irrelevant asshat. 8 3 •Reply•Share › landshark123 Max • 14 hours ago So a reporter can only be objective by always agreeing with the president, and if they don't they're not? 0 2 •Reply•Share › Riconui • 18 hours ago Woodward has been a shill for many years now. His access to the cheney/bush White House simply underscores that very point. Does anyone believe that he would be afforded that kind of insiders knowledge if the cheney/bush handlers didn't think he would be..... umm... cooperative? But I will give him credit for being a journalist, although since the reagan era, that has represented a pretty abysmally low standard. But Bob is up there, (or I guess, down there, is more apropos) with the worst of them. So I'm left to wonder, why the subterfuge, Bob? Selling a book or something? 3 3 •Reply•Share › wildthang • a day ago It is easy, he says it is the oldest trick in the book to threaten an author but really it is the oldest trick in the book selling business to drum up sales in a poor economy and besides no one can afford to read more White House insider trivia anyway. If they do it wont hurt Obama anyway, just advance our strategic national goals for which the press, media, and Hollywood must always be vigilant to protect. Since Bush they have had to be hyper vigilant because it is now permanent war deja vu all over again. Watergate was spoon fed to him too.. 3 3 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren wildthang • 2 hours ago I looked to see if there were any Woodward comments on 9/11 truthers and found a big zero. A guy that is that much of an insider must know a lot about how it was pulled off and covered up. I'd like to hear him dish the dirt on that, but I bet he won't. 0 •Reply•Share › Robert Orlando • 20 hours ago Woodward is CIA and always has been. It was the CIA who wanted Nixon brought down. 2 3 •Reply•Share › Vanco52 • a day ago I Am A Bit Tired Of The Political Hackers Locking My Device To Impede My Comments. Thanks Mr. Steward. Will You Please Ask Bob Woodward To Show The Country How Much He Was Paid To Tell These Fibs. 2 4 •Reply•Share › Joshua Gordon • 13 hours ago To me, anytime anyone of a governmental body ( police, judge, congressman,) tells a citizen that they ' may regret ' what they are doing, no matter how kind it appears they are trying to be, it is threatening. Just because Woodward was conciliatory in his email doesn't mean he didn't feel threatened. This is a way for the gov't to shift the focus of the conversation, and do some discrediting of the source at the same time. It is a classic strategy of the Gov't. Please do not write off what Woodward knows and respond exactly the way those in power would want you to. Don't forget what the gov't did to Scott Ritter... 0 1 •Reply•Share › facebook-1276854478 • 15 hours ago Woodward's use of (Sen.) Robert F. Bennett, the CIA's Mullen & Co. head during Watergate, and his not mentioning any of that says volumes. Deep Throat A few more thoughts about Watergate , By Bob Harris http://www.metroactive.com/pap... 0 1 •Reply•Share › RFinNH • 20 hours ago http://preview.tinyurl.com/a7e... 0 1 •Reply•Share › Toggle Switch • 3 hours ago What's the matter with Bob Woodward these days is that he's being targeted by right wing spin doctors fronted by Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz. Read his biography...it probably won't mention his brother Larry, who is COO at the New York Stock Exchange. They don't come more right wing than that organization....with the exception of the Fed. Been watching the Daily Show off and on for a few years. I never heard him talk abut his brother.....doesn't want the world at large to know who he hangs with. 0 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren Toggle Switch • an hour ago Thanks for sharing. That would explain this, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert trash 9/11 Truth, plan counter-Beck rallies http://www.infowars.com/jon-st... I never could understand what Jon had against 9/11 truth. Now we have a motive for him. 0 •Reply•Share › OdinMcHaggis • 9 hours ago Same thing thats wrong with media. They are propaganda outlets for the faux two party system. Reminds me of the fake fights and story lines in wrestling. 0 •Reply•Share › ca_rickf • 12 hours ago We all have been played by Woodward's Deep Threat. 0 •Reply•Share › sisterlauren ca_rickf • an hour ago He is not the only one. That is a team sport. 0 •Reply•Share › Fullblad • 13 hours ago genedebs has it dead nuts right. Woodward, if one looks at his connections to the covert world was handed the Watergate story as part of the place coup to remove Nixon. Woodward has been making his living all these years as a traitor to the ideals of democracy by being a paid for S.O.B. He is a CIA mouth piece and apparently without a conscience.. 0 •Reply•Share ›