Deep Throat goes public.

[zotz]

Well, there's something I didn't expect. The BBC are reporting that former deputy FBI chief Mark Felt has claimed to have been Woodward and Bernstein's secret source on the Watergate cover-up, and Bob Woodward has now confirmed it.

This is interesting not just because we now know who put the skids under Nixon et al, but because for a while Woodward and Bernstein were being accused of having invented the idea of a secret source to spice up their story (perhaps with the implicit goal of undermining their achievement in order to help the effort to rehabilitate Nixon). Not so, it seems.

Also I noticed today (after checking on what the Varyag's up to - it was moved to a dry-dock at the beginning of the month, apparently for major reconstruction) that not only have the States built an aircraft carrier named after Ronald Reagan, their next is apparently to be named after George HW Bush.

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

It would be too funny if it pulled out of the harbour and then started leaking through a bad weld and sank. Not that I'm advocating anybody making a weld bad for this purpose, of course, because people might die.

[zotz]

So springing a leak somewhere that would just leave people deeply embarrassed would be more to your taste? I see your point, but it's not too likely, I'm afraid. They're quite solidly built by all accounts.

But will the USS Dan Quayle be built before or after the USS George W Bush, that's the big question. We haven't had Nixon or an Agnew yet, either.

[burkesworks.livejournal.com]

We haven't had Nixon or an Agnew yet, either.

Those names, along with those of Hoover and Kissinger, would be fit only for prison hulks.

[zotz]

We seem to be naming one after Chooky, of course, so arguably I'm not in any position to criticise.

[steer.livejournal.com]

I just hope he doesn't have to Deep Throat anyone to prove it.

[zotz]

You know, I'm sure you could lower the tone of this dicussion even further with only a little effort.

[steer.livejournal.com]

Nah... that's as low as I go -- where's childeric?

Um... well, I guess I could start making incisive political comments but I'd have to do some kind of reading about the subject first.

[zotz]

where's childeric?

Given the subject matter, I'd rather not think about it, thanks.

[steer.livejournal.com]

Though actually I did miss a golden opportunity to make a "witty" remark about whether sailors would have preferred the younger Bush?

[zotz]

No, I think you got to that one in time. [Further comment redacted]

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

Well, there's the numerous humourous possibilities of an aircraft carrier called 'Bush'.

"Just coming in to the Bush now, sir!"

"Scramble the Bush!"

[thepaintedone.livejournal.com]

I suppose if you're looking for inspriation for one of the worlds most expensive and powerfull machines of war, Reagan and Bush are pretty good role models.

[grendelis.livejournal.com]

OK, I have to ask... how did they come up with the name Deep Throat?

I mean, were those guys/times really that naive? Or is it just in line with a culture where men can be called Randy without anyone laughing?

[zotz]

My guess from reading the Wikipedia article would be that it was originally an internal Washington Post joke that became public only after it was well-established. I would guess - though not having read them I don't really know - that the original articles published at the time didn't mention having a secret source inside the government.

[grendelis.livejournal.com]

not so much a bum licker, more a cock sucker then. yep, that's the level of newspaper humour. ;)