Deep Throat vs. Linda Tripp: The Legacy of Whistle-Blowing in America
By Kristinn S. Taylor
kristinn@bellatlantic.net
Rightgrrl Contributor
August 8, 1999
While watching MSNBC recently, I noticed they were playing up the 25th anniversary of Richard Nixon's resignation from the presidency. One of their stories was about a young man who says that Carl Bernstein's son told him who he thought Deep Throat was. Mr. Bernstein, in an "interview" by Katie Couric on NBC's Today show, responded that his son had heard that from his mother, Nora Ephron. He further stated that she was mistaken, and that he and his then-fellow Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward had never told their wives the identity of "Deep Throat."
The media has worshiped at the altar of "Deep Throat" for 25 years. They slavishly praise the work of Bernstein and Woodward, and willfully engage them in their coquettish game of the secret identity of "Deep Throat." They suffer no excoriations from their brethren in the major media for keeping his identity secret, even five years after Mr. Nixon's death.
The character "Deep Throat" is celebrated in our major media and leftist culture as the ultimate whistleblower, a man who helped to save our Constitutional republic by exposing the crimes of the Nixon administration.
Let me say here that regardless of his motives, Mr. Nixon did commit crimes in office that were worthy of impeachment and removal.
Fast-forward from 1974 to 1999. The equivalent to "Deep Throat" in the impeachment of Bill Clinton--Linda Tripp--is poised to stand trial for blowing the whistle on the current president. In contrast to "Deep Throat," Ms. Tripp has been demonized by the press. She did the same thing that "Deep Throat" did: gave a reporter for the Post-Newsweek group information that the president of the United States was committing impeachable offenses.
The difference in her case was that she was exposing a president who is beloved by the major media and our dominant leftist culture. It seems not to matter to them that Bill Clinton lied, perjured, obstructed justice and abused the powers of his office like Mr. Nixon did (except for the perjury). To them, the greater offense was to "betray" a friend, not betray your oath to the Constitution as president.
"Deep Throat" lives in revered obscurity, while Linda Tripp stands trial. Bernstein and Woodward still milk Watergate, and stand tall against those who dare to draw comparisons between Presidents Nixon and Clinton.
Two whistle-blowers: One remains private; one publicly told the truth. One is celebrated; the other is prosecuted. One exposed a Republican; one exposed a Democrat. The media's reaction to these two whistleblowers only further proves its pervasive and unfair bias.
This article copyright © 1999 by Kristinn S. Taylor and may not be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of its author. All rights reserved.