Before this assignment, I had known the name Bob Woodward, but I wasn’t fully aware of the massive impact he had on both the world of journalism as well as American politics. He is an inspiration to anybody that has an interest in investigative journalism, and his important contributions to breaking the Watergate Scandal will be discussed for decades to come. The courageous ability to spearhead a fight against the government and injustice is a skill that I hope journalists of both today and the future can possess.
Woodward’s background makes his story all the more incredible, as most of his upbringing was not dedicated to journalism. Instead, he was expected to follow in the footsteps of his father, a prominent jurist in the Chicago area. This actually seemed to be the case, as he went to Yale University on a Naval ROTC scholarship. He used his college years to attain a degree in history and English literature, before going on a five-year tour of duty. His first foray into the journalistic world came during his enrollment at Harvard Law School. Woodward decided that his passion was not for law, rather, it was in journalism, and so he pursued an internship with The Washington Post.
He was able to land a two-week unpaid internship, but none of his stories were published in the Post. Despite this, the editors saw something special in Woodward, and wanted him to get more experience before offering him a job at the Post. He ended up being referred to a local paper in Maryland, the Montgomery County Sentinel. Woodward’s work with the Sentinel was exceptional, and it took him less than a year to receive a job offer from the Washington Post.
One of the most fascinating things about Woodward is the speed at which he was able to accomplish incredible acts. Much like how it took him less than a year to get a job at the Post, it was in his very first year that he broke the massive Watergate Scandal. After nine months of covering the police beat, Woodward, with coworker Carl Bernstein, was able to connect a burglary of the DNC headquarters to the Nixon administration.
The scandal changed the world and the perception of the US Presidency forevermore, and Woodward’s work earned him countless accolades, the most prestigious being a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. After the scandal, Woodward continued his work with the Post, eventually working his way into the position of Assistant Managing Editor. However, his talent for investigations shifted from news articles into books.
Much like his investigative reporting for the press, his career as an author has been wildly successful. To this day, Woodward has authored 20 nonfiction books, 18 of which have been national bestsellers, and 12 of those made No. 1 nation bestsellers. He has more No. 1 national nonfiction bestsellers than any other modern author, an incredible feat for someone who grew up with no background in authorship or even journalism.
Woodward’s efforts will be felt for generations. It is investigative journalism like his that is equally frightful and inspiring. It raises concerning questions about what people in the government are willing to do, but it inspires that there are people out there brilliant enough and brave enough to find and expose such unjust acts. As the world of politics continues to become more volatile, and perhaps more corrupt, I sincerely hope that journalists will follow in the footsteps of Woodward.
Sources:
https:www.bobwoodward.com/biography
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