All the President's Men (1976)

All the President’s Men, directed by Alan J. Pakula, centered on the 1972 Watergate scandal. After The Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Berstein covered the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, they began to unravel a larger series of operations tying the burglars to figures from the White House. Their investigations ultimately unveiled President Richard Nixon’s corrupt schemes aimed to sabotage the administration’s Democratic party opponents and keep himself in position.

The Washington Post journalists Carl Berstein and Bob Woodward review their notes on the burglary. Photo from Alamy.

The film mainly showcases the influential capabilities journalism possesses. Through the practice, people are made aware of true events, even those being intentionally concealed for ulterior motives. Press freedom plays a crucial role in making public affairs known for transparency’s sake and in serving justice to those who abuse their power.

However, achieving this is no easy feat. Woodward and Berstein represented journalists and their efforts in seeking the truth as the movie explained the long and repetitive process their job demanded. It placed emphasis on searching for leads, finding reliable sources, and fact-checking information to name a few aspects of a journalist’s challenging routine.

In the movie, the deeper connections between the burglary and the corruption of the Nixon administration were not simply handed to the two reporters; they had to tirelessly follow the trail of money used for financing wiretapping and burglary operations to discover the criminal activities of Nixon and his conspirators. Their perseverance and thirst for justice are primarily the reasons that motivated them to succeed.

However, the more Woodward and Berstein looked into the scandal, the more their investigation proved to be far from comfortable. They faced many difficulties that hindered them from getting the story. Many people denied having any relation to the suspects or knowledge to their activities. When contacting the listed employees of Nixon’s Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP), the majority of them slammed the door in front of their faces or abruptly ended the call.

It was suspected that the higher ups had been threatening their staff members to conceal their actions, creating dead-ends. The few brave CREEP employees who agreed to speak up did not even disclose full information, but instead gave hints on who were responsible for the money laundering. Whistleblower Deep Throat also followed the same evasive strategies, telling them to simply follow the money. This left Woodward and Berstein to make the connections for themselves and think critically about the entire operation without any room for errors.

The Post published an article revealing the four men from the White House who controlled the fund for the Watergate break-in. In response, the government accused the publication of “shabby journalism” that presented incorrect information aimed to sway public opinion against Nixon. The criticism made a number of editors wary of continuing the story.

Editors of The Wasington Post review the article before it heads to printing. Photo from Ozy.

With the conspirants from the White House now closely eyeing the two writers, Deep Throat warned Woodward that their lives were now in great danger. Both Woodward and Bernstein were now fearful, yet cautious of the possible surveillance set up to gather information of their knowledge. They now had to be more vigilant to the threats that prevent them from delving deeper into the covert operations of the Nixon administration. It was possible that they could be harmed if they were to be successful in uncovering the truth.

It cannot be denied that journalism is a challenge; it requires a tremendous amount of work to discover the truth, involving persistence and assertiveness from its writers. They constantly have to back up their facts and verify them from multiple sources (even if some may be fearful of speaking up).

Journalism is also a learning process that cannot be done instantly. Reporters have to repeatedly revise their work to ensure the information is accurate and the wordings are not misleading. Even the smallest of details have to be correct in order to prove the overall credibility of all the points from the story.

Through investigative reporting, people who abuse their position and power become accountable for their actions. This type of journalism is crucial in a time where political corruption has consumed the government, large corporations, and other powerful systems. It is the right of the people to demand transparency in order to truly know what they are doing.

If hidden agendas are purposely being concealed, revealing these benefit the community. With the public being more knowledgeable about corruption, they can put a stop to exploitation; they spark change within the system to ensure a better society that values justice.

This served as the exact conclusion to All the President’s Men. The government officials involved in unlawful activities for Nixon were proven to be guilty and sentenced to prison. In 1974, Nixon resigned from his position and Gerald Ford took over as president. Thanks to the resourcefulness of investigative journalists like Woodward and Berstein, the public’s best interest is kept at heart, fostering a stronger sense of transparency and accountability in the community.