Can Bob Woodward be redeemed?
In a world (and an American political system) awash with hate, smallness and wasted opportunity, not to mention a monster’s serving of sorrow and unnecessary cruelty, it was always one of the smaller tragedies. Still, watching Bob Woodward, one of the undisputed heroes of two generations of journalists, turn into a stooge for the worst president in American history has been painful.
(Note, henceforth in referring to Bush as being the worst president in history I’m dropping the “arguably,” “quite possibly,” “many historians believe” caveats; at this point it’s indisputable).
Now, with the publication of his new book, State of Denial, Woodward appears to have taken one very large step back from the road he’s been traveling toward becoming one of the greatest journalistic sellouts in modern times. But is it enough to redeem him? Is redemption even possible at this point?
Regular readers of this site know that I’m a softy at heart; because of that, I suppose, I’m a big believer in the power of redemption both for people and for nations (especially this nation I was born into and deeply love).
But with Woodward, I just can’t get around the feeling that he’s probably already beyond redemption, or at least complete redemption. Back when it really mattered, when there was still time to avoid, or at the very least reduce, much of the damage Bush has been doing to this country and the world in general, Woodward was happily (and profitably) playing the fool for the man. Only now that the whole corrupted temple is showing signs of crumbling even without his help, does he jump on board the bandwagon.
No, this isn’t redemption. This is just wanting to hang with the cool crowd.
September 30th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
It’s the nature of human-kind, I think, that we are capable of undisputed good as well as unspeakable evil at the same time. No soul is monolithic although we try to make our heroes and villians seem to be.
Bob Woodward was always a saint as well as a sinner. We just defined him to our liking from time to time.
hizzhoner.
October 1st, 2006 at 11:00 am
Once you make the journey to the “Dark Side”, return is impossible, no matter how you want to believe otherwise. To have anything but hate for those responsible for the deaths of almost 400 of my brothers who perished at the WTC is abhorrent to me. To support or comfort those who were duplicitous in those attacks, meaning the current regime, is an act that cannot be forgiven. Woodward picked his champion, let him live with him!