The Washington Post has sunk to lows never imagined. It is national tragedy. There was a time, however, when The Post, Publisher Katharine Graham, and Executive Editor Ben Bradlee inspired a generation of journalists and editors to uncover political corruption and speak truth to power.
Yes, watch the political thriller "All the President's Men" (1976) to get a reasonable outline of the grave consequences and enormous pressure the paper was under when it exposed the corruption and mendacity of the Nixon Administration during Watergate. It should be noted, however, that Graham, who faced more personal and professional risks and abuse than anyone at the paper during Watergate, was nowhere to be seen in the movie. Did Director Alan Pakula and his screenwriters somehow think the public wouldn’t accept a woman as the central hero? Yes, quite likely … and quite ghastly.
The Post played a key role in publishing the Pentagon Papers, as well, though following The New York Times' lead. The two papers exposed the duplicity of multiple Administrations during the hideous war in Vietnam. Their work shifted public opinion about the war, ultimately helping to end it and saving countless lives in the process.
The Post back then was a family-owned newspaper. Sure, Graham and Bradlee had personal relationships with presidents, diplomats, military officials, and countless others in leadership positions, but they put journalism and the needs of the nation first. The paper was not part of a gargantuan, global Amazon enterprise, as it is today, whose owner simply doesn't care about democracy, morality, ethics, and the state of his nation. Just money. Only money. Always money.
The contrast with Katharine Graham is breathtaking. Consider the just-released documentary "Becoming Katharine Graham." Ironically enough, it's streaming on Prime. She put it all on the line in the early-mid 1970s and risked losing everything at the hands of criminal-politicians engaged in corrupt, treasonous behaviors. It was a time, unlike now, when we could count on the Fourth Estate to protect us from those determined to destroy democracy for their own gain. We've lost that safeguard to giant media corporations who shrink at the sight of courageous journalism. It was a brand of truth-telling about Watergate that finally forced reasonable Republican U.S. Senators - yes, they existed back then - to meet with Nixon and force him to resign. We've lost that safeguard, as well.
Sure, Bernstein and Woodward get the lion's share of credit for Watergate. None of it would have been possible, however, had Graham been the kind of publisher who conveniently forgot about civic virtue and put her business interests above those of her nation.
If you don't want to engage in real journalism, then get the hell out of that business.
Image courtesy of The Washington Post.