To a full-capacity crowd, journalist Bob Woodward spoke about a number of topics, including the faults of journalism, the war in Iraq and how his best-selling books came to fruition.
Woodward, brought in by the Kennedy Lecture Series, received the Carr Van Anda Award to a standing ovation. E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Director Thomas Hodson presented Woodward the award. Previous winners include Walter Cronkite, Seymour Hersh, Christiane Amanpour, Nina Totenberg and Mike Wallace.
Bob Schieffer (of CBS) has called Bob Woodward the best reporter of our time
maybe the best reporter of all time. We at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism agree Hodson said.
Woodward, currently assistant managing editor of The Washington Post, is best known for his and fellow reporter Carl Bernstein's coverage of the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation.
Woodward began his hour-long speech by admitting there are faults in journalism. Newspapers make a lot of mistakes and are not good at admitting them he said. Two propellants [are hurting journalism]: impatience and speed.
He cautioned the media and its desire to be the first to break a story and that journalists need time to get the best obtainable truth.
The Washington Post gave Woodward a year to investigate the Iraq war, which he called an immense luxury. Much of his research appears in his three books on the war.
For Plan of Attack, Woodward was granted White House access and received a rare opportunity to interview President George W. Bush about the Iraq war. Woodward compiled a 21-page memo of his findings that was given to the president.
Woodward said he asked Bush about 500 questions in three hours over two days and was told it was the longest interview a reporter was granted about a single issue.
Stakes are high
particularly in time of war
he said at a press conference before his speech. Accountability is the issue.
Even at 64 years old, Woodward said he's still learning. He wishes he would have been more aggressive in his investigation on Iraq and in retrospect would have led a team to the Middle East before the Iraq invasion to look for weapons of mass destruction.
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Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Bob Woodward spoke to a full house last night at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. He discussed politics, the Iraq war and his books.
