Rating: 
Summary: Detective fiction disguised as American history
Review: Though we all know how it ends, Woodward & Bernstein do a miraculous job of keeping the suspense up in this still highly relevant view of Watergate from the break-in to the indictments of Ehrlichmann and Haldemann. For the generation who came of age after Watergate, this is a fantastic first impression of the worst Constitutional crisis since the U.S. Civil War.
Rating: 
Summary: Disgraceful Work of Fiction
Review: If you want to see real investigative reporting, try reading "Silent Coup", according to which, the evidence is that Woodward and Bernstein used this piece of yellow journalism to make a name for themselves by telling a bunch of lies.Maybe one can read G Gordon Liddy's "Will" for an insider's view of Watergate. Of course, the Nixon haters represented by this book, and the self-promoting, self-protecting liars like John Dean (at whose feet both "Silent Coup" and "Will" lay the genesis of the breaking) will never read either. It would destroy their cherished historical revisionism and their cherished Hate-A-Republican-Forget-The-Facts attitude.
Rating:
Summary: Journalism 101 - The Honors Course
Review: There are good and bad kinds of bugging. The bad kind is when you eavesdrop on political opponents and violate laws and ethical codes. The good kind, as we discover in the opening pages of this classic of journalism as it happens, is when you are a reporter assigned a court case, and don't take no for an answer.
Bob Woodward is talking to a well-dressed lawyer who mysteriously popped into the courtroom to handle the defense of five equally well-dressed burglary suspects, caught the previous night at National Democratic Headquarters in the posh Watergate complex.
Why are you here? Woodward asks.
"I'm not going to talk to you." "I have nothing to say."
But the lawyer talks, a little, just enough to give Woodward some footing on what would turn out to be perhaps the biggest journalistic break in history, one that ruined a presidency and echoes to this day. Any national political scandal is almost automatically accorded the suffix "-gate," in memory of this.
People who think they know the story from seeing the movie really should read the book. The movie condensed a lot of the story, almost to the point of rendering it nonsensical. Watergate as a story really comes together from reading the book.
It's less the story of presidential misdeeds and more of how a couple of mismatched journalists stumbled their way to the scoop of the century, with hard work, stubborn persistance, and occasionally breaking the rules. People who criticize Woodward and partner Carl Bernstein for telling a self-serving story really haven't read the book. Like the part when, stalled for a new story after Nixon's overwhelming re-election, they start knocking on the doors of Grand Jury members legally precluded from discussing the Watergate case. Nothing is learned, and after the jurors complain to Judge John Sirica, the two brace themselves for a stern public lecture, maybe even formal charges.
But Sirica only notes the violations and leaves the reporters nameless. Woodward and Bernstein find themselves confronted by other members of the press asking questions. Woodward and Bernstein duck the questions, not without lingering irony. "They had dodged, misrepresented, suggested, and intimidated, even if they had not lied outright," the authors conclude, speaking of themselves in the third person.
Mostly, though, Woodward and Bernstein get it right. June 17, 1972 was not the most important date in history, though some Nixon haters will say otherwise. The burglary itself was small potatoes, indicative of a larger problem with illegalities permitted by Nixon and his senior staff, but it wasn't like Woodward and Bernstein destroyed the Fourth Reich.
They latched onto a story, kept digging, wouldn't take no for an answer, and made sure they had the facts. In the end they won a Pulitzer, and became heroes of the Fifth Estate. This book, warts and all, tells how, and offers worthy testimonial to all those who want to follow in their footsteps. No Journalism 101 course is complete without it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book, Excellent Reporters
Review: Watergate, among the most infamous scandals in American history, shocked the nation. All the President's Men's investigative style puts the reading in the exciting position of doubt. We know what happens-that is a matter of history books and lectures. The real story, therefore, is how. How did an odd couple of two young reporters, with no experience working together, manage to crack an embarrassing case of executive fraud? The answer comes with the turn of a page, the book's journalistic adventure eliciting great interest.
The book's strength is in showing the sedulous effort of Woodward and Bernstein. Working hours on end, they managed to find reliable sources-including the mysterious Deep Throat. But even with an inside source, the work of getting through a political fortress is daunting. They had to go great distances to investigate and learn trust. Both Woodward and Bernstein started with the feeling that one was going to take off with the credit. They, however, soon realize that both have integrity. This book comes out strong in recognizing that honesty is a valuable policy. It didn't take misinformation to bring Watergate to the forefront of the news. Instead, Bernstein and Woodward went through the labor of verifying facts with other sources.
The book is also admirable in that it provides a model for what we should focus on. Deep Throat is respected by the literature, his identity still a mystery. He wasn't used as tool for the purpose of improving careers; Woodward shows special concern and expresses guilt when he believes that Deep Throat has gotten into danger on his account. We are also reminded that Nixon didn't need to approve and try to cover Watergate. His victory was a certainty. He was more worried about his interests political domination and compromised his integrity.
All the President's Men also brings a message of hope: we are a check and balance to government. Especially in a time of partisan domination of all branches of government, we need to investigate it. Two young reporters were able to challenge an administration that won the vote of the majority. While Nixon made speeches about the importance of law and order and the constitution, Bernstein and Woodward took the spirit of the law in their own hands and made a difference.
All the President's Men isn't just a great historical reference (although much can be gained in that regard); it's also narrative with an important lesson: dishonesty and deceit are defeated by honest hard-work. All the President's Men belongs on the shelf of any reader looking for an interesting, motivating thrill ride through the (in)famous mystery of the 1970's.
Rating:
Summary: All the President's Men
Review: All the President's Men is a well written and enjoyable book. Though their is a serious plot underlying the book, it is light-hearted and witty at times too. This book shows the ups and downs of taking on "the man" and everything that comes with it. Woodward and Berstein show what persistance and taking a few risks can do. They took a simple burglary story and discovered a whole different story behind it. Creating the story that has never been equalled since. Also, Woodward and Bernstein are the perfect foils for each other. They are so different that their differences play off of one another making the story more interesting and adding some wit. Without their competiveness with each other this story may never had broken. This story is like all about the American hero. The reporters found out something that needed to be brought to light and did just that, no matter what. They fought of doubters and liars and brought charges all the way up the line to the President of the Unided States. Theses are the kinds of people we look up to and this book did a good job of showing what the rode is like leading up to the top. Giving us a personal view of what it is like.
Rating:
Summary: Highly educating book on the real "democratic" process
Review: In reading this book, you will begin to see what really happens in a Presidential administration and how far some officials are willing to go to re-elect their commandeer and chief. Through the interconnecting leads and breakthroughs, Woodward and Bernstein lead you on an "edge of your seat" journalistic investigation. Their sources are numerous and evidence poignant. This book really shows you the ups and downs of journalistic investigations. This book shows the value of persistance and good reporting. I really enjoyed reading and reliving this historic event in the Nixon Administration. I gave it five stars for a high quality political mystery.
Rating:
Summary: A cautionary tale
Review: Bernstein and Woodward, with the backing of their newspaper, The Washington Post, investigated and exposed the greatest constitutional crisis of my generation, the Watergate burglary and its aftermath.
Yes, the president was a crook. But worse, he, and his cronies, spit on and sneered at the Constitution and the rule of law.
Fortunately, there were those who would not let our country be trampled on by those whose job it was to protect it. Katherine Graham and Ben Bradlee at the Post, Sam Ervin in the Senate, Barbara Jordan in the House, Judge John Sirica, are names that will always be honored for their part in saving the country.
Sadly, there are those today again in the White House who rate their own personal and political fortunes above what is right for the country, and who again reject the rule of law. Where are the media now? Where the voices raised against them? There is too much silence now. Didn't we learn?
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminuation, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution."
-- Barbara Jordan
Rating: 
Summary: All the President's Men a presidential success
Review: The story of Watergate is certainly the political story of a lifetime. In All the President's Men, Woodward and Bernstein give the complete and definitive story of the who, what, when, where and why of the fall of the Nixon administration. This non-fiction book gives thought provoking insight as to the role and power of informational media the free press.
Woodward and Bernstein are two reporters for the Washington Post trying to scout out the facts of the National Democratic Headquarters break-in. What begins the story as a trivial robbery attempt by some Cubans, escalates to a scandal including of some of the government's highest authorities. Harassed and bullied by a desperate Republican administration, Woodward and Bernstein travel through the peaks and valleys that come from their investigation. The book is fast paced, giving insight to interviews with previously unnamed sources of those from the FBI, CIA, and other top government organizations, making it feel as if you yourself are searching for the answer to the question of Watergate. While the cast of characters is broad and occasionally confusing, the immense detail and care taken in the accuracy of content is astonishing and shows what painstaking work good journalism truly is.
A majority of the time, media is described as being primarily liberal in its writing. Bernstein and Woodward worked to print only bipartisan and factual reporting and kill the image of the typical news agency. By being able to print any and all of the dirt they can decipher about the cover up of Watergate, these two men are able to bring justice and change to the ethics of the White House. Not only had they delivered the truth to the American people, but they had also given light to the corruption that could take place when the government was left unchecked by a skeptical media.
All the President's Men should be on the reading list of every American. There is no true way to conceive of the strength and influence of mass media without following the exciting and nerve-racking story of these two average journalists who are simply out to find the truth and bring their story into the light. After reading this book informational media gains new perspective and appreciation.
Rating:
Summary: A Political Detective Story
Review: On June 17, 1972 Bob Woodward received a telephone call and was asked to cover a burglary of Democratic headquarters; he had just finished some stories on the attempt to assassinate George Wallace. All five burglars stood out against the usual suspects in police court; all had CIA connections. Page 21 tells of the investigation into McCord's activities; he worked full-time for the Committee to Re-elect the President. McCord followed orders unquestioningly, did not act on his own initiative. Two of the burglars had the name and phone numbers of Howard Hunt. This number led to Charles Colson, then to the R. Mullen Company. Pages 24-25 tell how address books and telephone numbers were used in this investigation, with off-the-record reports. While this burglary was bungled, how many others succeeded (p.26)? The purpose of the break-in was for "scandal, gossip" (p.27). [To find someone vulnerable to bribery or blackmail who could be used as a spy or saboteur.] There were too many coincidences in this story (some of these burglars were around when offices of prominent Democratic lawyers were burglarized). While a burglary usually means taking something away, it could also be used to plant incriminating papers. Days later John Mitchell resigned as manager of the Nixon campaign (p.30). Bernstein went to Miami, and found out that a $25,000 check donated to President Nixon's campaign was deposited to the bank account of one of the Watergate burglars (p.44). Page 45 gives an example of how confidential medical records are used in politics. The GAO audit determined that over $500,000 in campaign funds was mishandled (p.40). They learned about money-laundering (p.54). Page 55 explains how this is raised for protection money. Bob Woodward had a secret source ("Deep Throat") who confirmed information that had been obtained elsewhere (p.71). These reporters had different styles (pp.49-51). The big news was that Attorney General John Mitchell authorized campaign funds for apparently illegal activities (p.98)! Page 104 explains a clever denial. Both reporters had sources in the Justice Department who could confirm details (p.111). An unfair accusation in the 'Washington Post' could ruin careers. The Watergate bugging made little sense by itself, but could indicate part of a broader campaign (pp.113-4); page 116 gives an example. Page 127 tells how a faked letter could derail a successful campaign! The Nixon take-over of the Federal agencies was presented (p.130), as if it were subjecting the government and nation his personal whims. There was subversion of the electoral process (p.135). This was unprecedented in scope and intensity (p.143). Page 147 tells of an imposter who imitated the voice of a McGovern campaign official. There were other horror stories from the Muskie staffers (p.148). Control of the operations was traced to Nixon's appointments secretary, who had daily access to the President. The rest of this book covers events from 1973 until early 1974. Page 273 summarizes the connections (Chapter 13). A "third rate burglary" led to White House personnel. Further investigations lead to wide-scale illegal fundraising, and political sabotage that involves misdemeanors and other crimes. Most of those involved had little experience in politics. The idol with feet of clay came crashing down. Most people under 40 missed these events; learn about it from this book.
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