Deep Throat in a 24 Hour News Cycle

I was disappointed to find out Deep Throat's identity from CNN last night rather than from the Post this morning. He's such a figure from the print media; he's Woodward and Bernstein's boy, not Wolf Blitzer's.

I must admit with some guilt that his arrival in the media -- this happy 91-year old with cute family -- was similarly less exciting than I expected. Then I read the Post this morning -- I would have loved to have been a reporter there in the last 24 hours! -- and realized why. We have become so acclimated to the quickie news cycle, to the waves of whistleblowers and tell-all books, that Deep Throat the idea, the secret, is far more interesting than Deep Throat the man. It is far more surprising that Bradlee, Woodward, and Bernstein kept this secret for 30 years than that Malt was actually Him. It's also rather intriguing that Felt went to Vanity Fair rather than to his boys in DC to break his silence. That's an interesting move.

What will be especially fascinating is the reaction of Nixon's people over the next few days. Nixon himself mentioned that he thought Felt was the mole, so I imagine there will be some heated tempers among the Geritol set this week. I look forward to the fireworks. It's too bad I'll get most of it from cable news. Times have changed.