The story behind 'Deep Throat'

There were a series of stunning developments in the Nixon White House in the first half of 1973.

When Federal Judge John Sirica began handing out stiff prison sentences to the Watergate burglars, burglar James McCord started naming conspirators at the highest levels.

Soon Nixon's closest aides, H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, were forced to resign. White House counsel John Dean was fired.

In May, the Senate Watergate Committee began those nationally televised hearings. John Dean was a cool, methodical witness against his old boss.

During the hearings there was also this remarkable disclosure: There were tapes of the most sensitive and potentially the most incriminating conversations about Watergate.

“The tapes were dynamite with a fuse burning ready to go off. And ultimately did go off,” says Leonard Garment, then counsel to the president.

Only a few people knew what was on those tapes. In one of his most important leaks, “Deep Throat” revealed something that would help destroy Nixon's credibility.

Mark Felt, in the underground garage, tells Felt there is tampering with the tapes and that there are some erasures. 

A couple of days later in the courtroom, they announced the 18 and a half minute gap. In a convoluted, complicated case, everyone could understand this: If someone erased an incriminating tape, then the cover-up was for real.

The White House claimed the president's secretary, Rosemary Woods, accidentally erased that tape and released a photograph claiming to show how she might have done it. The photograph became a national joke —  the “Rosemary Stretch.” The clock was ticking on the Nixon presidency.

Woodward and Bernstein began to write their first book on Watergate, “All the President's Men.” Some of their previously anonymous sources agreed to be named. 

Was it time to tell the world the identity of their key source, “Deep Throat”? By now Mark Felt was retired from the FBI. Maybe he would come forward?

Brokaw: Did you say to Mark, "I really want to write your name. I want to tell everyone"?

Woodward: Yeah. "You're out of the FBI. Come on, let's tell this story. You should feel good about it." And it was, “No! Are you crazy, out of your mind?” He just said flat out, "No, no, no!"

The book came out in April, 1974, as the Watergate crisis was heading toward a dramatic climax. It was the first time that Mark Felt learned of his colorful nickname. In the book, Woodward also described in detail how and where they met and the nature of the critical information that Felt had provided.

Suddenly everyone was consumed with the guessing game: Who was Bob Woodward's secret source? Who was “Deep Throat”? 

Woodward: I was listening to the local radio station here. They devoted 10 or 15 minutes to reading excerpts about the meetings with "Deep Throat." And soon thereafter I called Mark Felt at home. The worst thing happened: He hung up. And it was just like a stab.

Woodward thought Felt was personally insulted.

Woodward: All of a sudden in this book, which was getting a great amount of attention, [he] is known as “Deep Throat,” one of the most celebrated pornographic movies of the era. I wouldn't want to be known as “Deep Throat” frankly in that sense.

Felt had taken a huge risk in talking to Bob Woodward. If the FBI man was found out, he could become a pariah in the FBI culture he so cherished.

And at the moment, Felt had plenty of other problems. As Bob Woodward's star was rising, the life of Mark Felt, the secret man, was taking a sharp turn in the other direction.

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