After Nixon resigned in 1974, he engaged in a very aggressive war with history, attempting to wipe out the Watergate stain and memory. Happily, history won, largely because of Nixon's tapes.

The central dilemma in journalism is that you don't know what you don't know.

Deep Throat was a very unfortunate name given to the source by the managing editor of The Washington Post.

Way before Watergate, senior administration officials hid behind anonymity.

I have gone on the air and announced my telephone number at the Washington Post. I go into the night, talking to people, looking for things. The great dreaded thing every reporter lives with is what you don't know. The source you didn't go to. The phone call you didn't return.

I deal with first-hand sources. And give the people, even John Sununu, the opportunity to respond to what I've been told by first-hand sources.

Newspapers that are truly independent, like The Washington Post, can still aggressively investigate anyone or anything with no holds barred.