Who Were The Sources For 'All The President’S Men'?

The sources for 'All the President’s Men' were crucial to uncovering the Watergate scandal. Deep Throat, later revealed as FBI Associate Director Mark Felt, was the most famous informant, providing key leads to Woodward and Bernstein. Other sources included anonymous government officials, former White House staffers, and documents obtained through investigative reporting. The journalists relied heavily on off-the-record conversations, cross-referencing tips to verify facts. Their persistence in cultivating these contacts allowed them to piece together the conspiracy, proving how vital confidential sources are in investigative journalism. The book shows how trust and meticulous verification turned whispers into history-changing revelations.

Reading 'All the President’s Men' feels like watching a masterclass in source cultivation. Woodward and Bernstein’s network included whistleblowers like Deep Throat, whose parking garage meetings became legendary. But he wasn’t alone—they tapped into a web of mid-level bureaucrats, Justice Department attorneys, and even Republican Party operatives who were disillusioned with Nixon’s corruption.

What fascinates me is their method. They’d approach sources sideways, asking about tangential topics to avoid suspicion. Some contacts, like Hugh Sloan Jr., the treasurer of Nixon’s re-election committee, provided concrete financial records that tied the break-in directly to campaign funds. Others, like the bookkeeper Judy Hoback, risked their jobs to leak documents.

The reporters also used “non-source sources”—people who confirmed details without going on record. This layered approach created a mosaic of evidence. The book underscores how real investigative journalism isn’t about gotcha moments but building relationships over months, sometimes with people who only reveal one puzzle piece at a time.

As someone obsessed with Cold War-era politics, I geek out over how 'All the President’s Men' details its sourcing. Deep Throat gets the spotlight, but lesser-known figures like Sander Vanocur, an NBC reporter who tipped Bernstein about the White House’s enemies list, were equally vital. The duo’s Rolodex included clerks, secretaries, and even a few bold GOP insiders who slipped them documents during lunch meetings.

Their strategy was brilliant: triangulate every fact. If one source claimed a detail, they’d find two more to back it up—like when they verified the slush fund through banking contacts and campaign aides. The book reveals how sources often spoke in code, forcing the reporters to decode phrases like “follow the money.” It’s a tense, real-life spy thriller where pens and notebooks were the only weapons.