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Nixon's (still) the one

Let's Just Say He's "Deeply" Concerned

By Rick Horowitz

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" -- the scandal that brought down a president, and now one of its biggest remaining mysteries has been unraveled: the identity of the anonymous source known as 'Deep Throat.' So what do you think about it? Well, here in our studios to give us his opinion is certainly one of the most colorful figures from that whole Watergate era, Mr. H. Horton Hissy. Thanks for coming in!"

"Glad to be here."

"Let me say first of all, Horton -- may I call you Horton?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, then let me say first of all, Mr. Hissy, that you were intimately involved in the series of events that came to be called 'Watergate.'"

"That's right. And that's why I'm so offended by what we've learned in the past few days."

"Offended?"

"Absolutely! People are treating this Mark Felt guy like he's a hero, when he's anything but."

"How do you figure?"

"Just look at the facts: This was the No. 2 guy at the FBI, and he's sneaking around in parking garages?"

"Well, that's where he and Woodward -- "

"What kind of government employee sneaks around in parking garages? It's not right! And besides, he's a snitch. He took information that was supposed to stay private and he gave it to a reporter."

"Actually, he mostly confirmed informa -- "

"Whatever. He wasn't supposed to do it! The American people expect a lot better character than that, especially from their top officials."

"Do you think that's a widely held opinion, or just among people like you who wound up going to jail?"

"Oh, widely held -- definitely! Some of us just felt the impact a little more directly, that's all. But we're talking about standards here."

"Standards? What do you -- "

"And flower pots?! We got taken down by flower pots?! That's just wrong!"

"It sounds like you're more embarrassed you were caught than anything else."

"There's a right way to do something, and there's a wrong way to do something! If Mr. Felt had problems with the way the investigation was going, he should have followed procedures."

"Talked to his boss at the FBI?"

"Absolutely! That's why there's a chain of command."

"But wasn't his boss the one who was throwing damaging files into the Potomac River? I hardly think he -- "

"And if he didn't get any satisfaction there, he could have gone to the Justice Department -- "

"Which was part of the cover-up, wasn't it?"

"Or even straight to the president. He could have called up the president and said, 'Mr. President, I need to see you on a matter of the utmost importance.' You think he wouldn't have gotten in to see him?"

"But the president -- Nixon was at the heart of the cover-up! He certainly wasn't going to do anything to help crack it open!"

"See, that's the beauty of our system: checks and balances."

"But then -- "

"Want to see me hold my hand over a flame?"

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Posted 6/2/05. Get award-winning commentary from syndicated columnist Rick Horowitz twice every week. (And tell your co-conspirators!)


Send Rick a note!Rick Horowitz is a syndicated columnist, TV commentator, writing coach and public speaker.

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