"He did indeed exist"

Letters to the editor

December 23, 2008

Re “ ‘Deep Throat’ of Watergate scandal,” Obituary, Dec. 19

I just finished reading the well-researched obituary on W. Mark Felt, who was revealed to be the controversial "Deep Throat" during the Watergate investigation.

As an Orange County journalist who covered several Western White House news conferences during the Watergate era, I repeatedly came across people, before and after the publication of "All The President's Men," who maintained that Deep Throat did not exist.

According to those die-hards, Deep Throat was a fictional character created to allow Watergate reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to write what they wished without being held accountable. Several people told me that President Nixon would prevail, that he would go down in history as one of the greatest presidents of the 20th century.

Oh, if I could only talk to some of those people today.

Frank McAdams

Dana Point