WashPost ace, boss admit “f— up” on WMD coverage

BALTIMORE – Bob Woodward, one of the godfathers of modern investigative reporting, today admitted — before a gathering of the nation’s investigative journalists, no less — that The Washington Post fell short in debunking the Bush administration’s assertion Saddam Hussein held weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

With ex-executive editor Leonard Downie Jr. at his side during a packed showcase panel at the Investigative Reporters & Editors annual convention, Woodward characterized  as a “fuck up” The Post’s failure to aggressively challenge former President Bush’s primary argument for going to war in Iraq in March 2003.

“One of the mistakes we made is that we didn’t talk enough,” Woodward said, with Downie nodding in agreement.

It was obvious the pair wanted to address the issue themselves off the bat to avoid criticism at the hands of their brethren. It worked.

Woodward said he had gotten wind that Mr. Bush’s weapons of mass destruction argument was suspect (no WMDs were ever found by coalition troops or investigators), but he was distracted by other issues in the lead up to the Iraq War and failed to discuss the matter with Downie or other editors of The Post. Of the many “unanswered questions” surrounding the lead up to the coalition invasion six years ago, “Some weren’t asked,” he said.

Again, Downie concurred, telling the panel titled Accountability Reporting and Digging Deep that “Editors must have their antennae up and stay alert,” and ”Reporters must not disengage” in the process of dissecting complicated stories.

“Stay in your editor’s face,” said Downie, now The Post’s vice president at large, adding there are often too many layers between reporters and editors in many newsrooms.

Their plan for full disclosure apparently succeeded. There were no follow-up questions on The Post’s WMD ”fuck up” from the IRE faithful.

And, befitting a true godfather, the faithful had lined up for Woodward’s blessing: his autograph on copies of “All The President’s Men” and his other books – all sold out at display tables.