Bob Woodward Blasts Trump and Others, Offers Advice for Journalists
(Kevin Remington)
Legendary journalist opens Parents and Family Weekend with present comparisons to Watergate.
By Andrew L. Thompson, ‘25
“Hate” has been one of the gravest problems in America, and it has not been exclusive to Donald Trump, Bob Woodward declared on Thursday, September 29th.
Professor of Journalism Toni Locy joined Woodward on stage as hundreds of viewers listened in Letitia Pate Evans Hall or via live stream.
Now an associate editor of The Washington Post, Woodward began his journalism career in 1970 after five years of service in the U.S. Navy.
He earned a national reputation following his and Carl Bernstein’s coverage of the Watergate scandal in The Washington Post beginning in late 1972. His first book, All the President’s Men, became a #1 national bestseller in the months leading up to Nixon’s 1974 resignation.
Since then, Woodward has shared in two Pulitzer Prizes: one for Watergate and one for coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He has written 21 books and countless headlines on the last ten presidents, the CIA, the Supreme Court, and more.
Woodward referenced all of these subjects through anecdotal tales and broad moral considerations in his interview with Locy.
After answering Locy’s first question about the biggest problem in America today, Woodward quoted Nixon’s unscripted farewell address, “Always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.”
Woodward compared this to an interaction he had with then-President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
Trump, showing clips from his latest State of the Union Address, told Woodward to “see the hate” in the expressions of Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Kamala Harris – all people who “hate me,” Trump said.
Woodward, however, did not sense any hate in Senator Harris, who looked “innocent and as indifferent as you can see.” Woodward reiterated that “Hate…is a moral catastrophe for the country,” and an issue that he sees largely – but not solely – in Trump’s actions and thoughts.
Later in the talk, Woodward criticized Trump for his handling of documents seized at Mar-a-Lago and for a general mishandling of sensitive information.
He also criticized the former president and his supporters for claiming that there were hundreds of thousands of cases of voter fraud in the 2020 election. “The reporting needs to be evidence based,” Woodward said, after citing a report that alleged voter fraud by deceased and incarcerated individuals in Nevada and Wisconsin.
While Woodward frequently compared Trump and Nixon, he also acknowledged, “The Republican Party…turned on Nixon because he was a criminal.” The journalist was shocked to learn that many of Trump’s voter base, however, still support the former president after January 6, 2021, an event Woodward calls an “insurrection.”
Woodward did make sure to “disentangle” Republicans like Lindsey Graham from claims of election fraud.
Democrats, too, faced some scrutiny in the talk.
Hunter Biden’s “schemes” were a big deal, Woodward said. “There is a lot of evidence of tax problems and of problems he got from being Biden’s son, it seems.”
Woodward also said that Trump was not always treated fairly. “The Steele dossier,” he said, “is totally bogus.”
Woodward later blamed disunification partly on Congress, who “has fallen down on the job.”
During the Q&A session following the interview, student Charlie Mlcek, ‘25, asked if the journalist had any tips on being a worthy public official.
“Do something you love and don’t be compromised,” answered Woodward.
Woodward also gave advice for aspiring journalists, using tales from his own career.
Journalists need to “develop a relationship of trust with people,” he said. They must be persistent and not be afraid to make late night phone calls or house visits.
Woodward also emphasized the importance of smoking gun intelligence for both reporters and investigations. Without a smoking gun, “What have you got?” he asked. “Nothing, you have nothing.”
This advice echoed in the ears of parents like William Owens, who connected Watergate to today. “The common thread is that we as citizens – and journalists in particular – always need to be on our toes because people in power will do pretty much anything to stay in power,” Owens said.
Although she was only a child when Nixon resigned, parent Paula Mlcek said, “We’re kinda the same'' today. She found Woodward’s reminder of this reality “very insightful.”