Renowned journalist Carl Bernstein says the kind of reporting that exposed the Watergate scandal is needed now more than ever to examine President Donald Trump.
Bob Woodward says his recent reporting on the Trump White House revealed a president who seems to make policy decisions on a whim…with little regard for the truth.
Bernstein and Bob Woodward broke the Watergate stories that drove President Nixon from office in the 1970’s.
They discussed the state of journalism in the Trump era at Macomb Community College in Clinton Township Wednesday
Bernstein says using anonymous sources, in particular, is vital to get information to the public – even at the risk of it being criticized as “fake” news.
“There’s no other way to do it. And it’s really an effective way of getting to the best obtainable version of the truth. And it’s not just about reporting on the presidency or malfeasance around the President. I think it applies to almost all really good reporting in which there’s a lot at stake for the participants.”
Woodward says Trump’s style sets him apart from other presidents…and not in a good way.
“The governing. Just take North Korea. Started out by saying ‘Oh my nuclear button is bigger than yours.’ So…the more you look at the substance…the more you have to worry.”
Both Nixon and Trump have painted the media as an enemy, when reports put their presidencies in a negative light.