# Deep Throat - Betrayed Himself?



## S (Oct 1, 2004)

The secret identity of "Deep Throat", the mysterious source for the Washington Post reporters in the Watergate days was recently revealed to be Mark Felt, a high ranking FBI retiree. Some have argued that Felt is a hero who took great risks to expose a dangerous administration while others (usually alumni of said administration) state that Felt should have followed proper channels and brought his story to a prosecutor instead of a reporter.
An interesting part of the story involves the promise of Woodward and Bernstein to never reveal the name of the source until his death. Mr. Felt had many times denied being "Deep Throat" and it was not until after he suffered a stroke that his family was able to convince him to go public (to raise money to pay tuition expenses of his grandchildren). Mr Woodward has expressed concern that Mr Felt was not able to make decisions and Ben Bradlee, a high ranking Post editor was quoted as saying "the guy has not got all his marbles". 
As someone who has had to take control of a parent's decisions due to Alzheimer's disease I understand the need to manage finances but I feel the decision to reveal Mr Felt was going too far. Was Mr Felt's link to history an asset to be maximized? The family obviously thought so but I am not so sure.


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