Arm in arm with Legendary Reporters

I remember my dad, a hardworking laborer, coming home after a long days work as a mechanic at International Harvest (Navistar) and tuning into some hearings on  t.v.   At first glance it seemed kind of boring.   A bunch of men in business suits talking about secret recordings and Former President Nixon.   I didn't really know what it meant, I was just a little girl, but it was clear it was important to the adults in my life.

The significance of Watergate didn't really sink in for me until government class in high school.  Not just the crime of what had taken place, but the role of two newspaper reporters, who began following the trail of a single tip and ultimately unraveled a case that brought down a President and his administration.

Fast forward.  Now 40-years after that reporting, I found myself sitting immersed, mesmerized and deeply inspired as I listened to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein talk about the investigation that  made their names legendary.   As I took it in, my heart smiled inside.  They were talking my language!   Digging into records, following a trail, and trying to factually report the twist and turns.

My heart pounded as they recounted the grey days of doubt, the efforts to side-track and stonewall their reporting efforts, and the "head against the wall" moments when scared witnesses refused to talk.   I could relate.  On a much smaller scale, I experienced similar feelings trying to get to the truth of what happened to Carol Jenkins.  No I wasn't going up against the Commander in Chief of a nation, but I was dealing with people who had the power to investigate me, even arrest me if I broke the law.   Right then and there, I felt the connection with these men as investigative reporters trying to uncover what was hidden.

Equally fascinating was the story behind the story, focused on their incredible publisher, a woman, named Katherine Graham.  They personally talked about her strength in the face of battle.  She was nothing short of heroic!   She stood steadfast at a time when women's voices were just beginning to be heard.

It was an incredible night of sharing by Woodward and Bernstein.  I don't even know how long they talked, I only know I wanted more.   Their work is what I believe our forefathers wanted to ensure transparency and truth.

As I departed the convention center, inspired like a new student of investigative reporting, I couldn't believe who was right there within my reach, and my grasp.  Woodward and Bernstein were making their exit too.   I told them I was an investigative reporter and wanted to snap a quick picture of them.   Within seconds, to my delight, we were all locking arms, as the smile in my heart now beamed across my face.  Here I was, 40-years after the fact, arm in arm with the duo that captivated my dad's attention and now mine!

What a moment...what a responsibility I feel as their words were not lost on me.  I'm proud of
"The Girl in the Yellow Scarf," it also reminds me, to follow the trail and report the facts, whatever they might be.  (Check out the photo at "The Girl in the Yellow Scarf" facebook page)