Journalism relies on risks. It requires individuals that prioritize uncovering and dispersing the truth over social repercussions for their actions. Few are willing to take such a leap, putting everything in jeopardy for a headline and a series of paragraphs that could change the world in a matter of minutes. Yet, one man has done it repeatedly for the entirety of his career without blinking an eye: Bob Woodward.
Woodward, best known for his part in the discovery of the Watergate scandal, has made a name for himself as a reporter for the Washington Post and as a best-selling author. He has paved the way for investigative journalists for over four decades and continues to exhibit the essence of what it truly means to be a writer in today's complicated news environment.
Early Life
Born in 1943 in Geneva, Illinois, Robert Woodward, better known as Bob, grew up in a family dedicated to the public and to writing. His father was a jurist and was well known for his legal writings. Assuming that law was in his future too, Woodward attended Yale University and studied history and English literature. He was a part of the ROTC and after graduating in 1965, served as a communications officer on a five-year tour of duty.
He chased the idea of law once more after returning from his tour, turning to Harvard Law School in 1970. It wasn't long before he realized he preferred writing more than he did legal statutes. On a whim, Woodward took his first risk, a choice that would set the tone for the rest of his career. He decided to target the editors of The Washington Post and asked for a two week internship writing for their papers. While he left with stories unprinted at the end of the 14 day period, he impressed the editors enough to land a referral and job at the Montgomery County Sentinel. He wrote for the weekly papers for a little under a year, honing his skill just enough to have the Post knocking at his door with another offer.
His first year at the Post would change his life forever.
Watergate
Woodward had been working for the Post for about nine months when he made an unbelievable discovery. Having been assigned to the crime beat, he had access to info and sources regarding local and national activity. One night, he received a call about a burglary at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex. Partnering with a fellow Post reporter, Carl Bernstein, Woodward began to ask questions. 
The crime was dismissed by the White House as a third rate burglary and yet, Woodward and Bernstein couldn't seem to believe that the story they were feeding the public was true.
The crime was dismissed by the White House as a third rate burglary and yet, Woodward and Bernstein couldn't seem to believe that the story they were feeding the public was true.
Together, the pair began to track down sources, tracing leads all throughout the reigning government. They opened doors no one thought was possible and wrote continuous stories suggesting a connection between the Nixon Administration and the scandal. Yet, they were still missing the damning piece that drew a line between the burglars at the DPC and Nixon. Then, a source stepped forward and changed their entire investigation.
Kept hidden until 2005, Mark Felt, the FBI Associate Director, had given the journalists a lead that he knew would give them the break they needed. He asked to be kept secret and never named, but came forward over 20 years later. Woodward and Bernstein agreed and were directed towards the trail of money that lead from the burglars back to the Nixon Administration.
In October of 1972, a story was broken that listed in detail the Watergate scandal. It described that the break-in was just a small part of a larger plan that Nixon had created in order to sabotage those against him. They even found that it was paid for by the CRP, or the Committee for the Re-election of the President, and that some of the government's most prestigious positions were behind it all.
In 1973, The Washington Post received a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the Watergate scandal.
From Editor to Author
After the drama of Watergate began to die down, Woodward was named the assistant managing editor in 1979. He wrote for a number of years, even receiving another Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of 9/11. Yet, after years of writing at the Post, he became better known for his work done outside of the company that brought him fame.
After the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s, Bernstein and Woodward had published a book together that became a #1 national bestseller. It was titled All the President's Men and was even made into a movie starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. 
The books didn't stop there, as Woodward would go on to release a series detailing the Bush administration after the attacks on 9/11. Titles like Bush at War, Plan of Attack, State of Denial, and The War Within, all offered deeper insight on the American response in Afghanistan, the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and even a harsh criticism of the president.
He then went on to focus on the Obama administration and the Trump administration, producing several other bestsellers regarding Trump's efforts to stay in office despite losing the 2020 election and the tension between Congress and the Obama administration over what was best for the country financially.
Even while he uncovered and exposed secrets to the public through his novels, he continued to produce front page stories for the Post that bolstered his legacy as an investigative journalist.
Legacy
Bob Woodward will forever be considered one of the greatest journalistic heroes of all time. His efforts have solidified the role of the fourth estate as the watchdog for government and forced the American people to ask questions they would have never considered.
His writing has made waves in the world of reporting and inspires future journalists to continue to take the risks necessary to do what is right.
Sources:
https://norman.hrc.utexas.edu/fasearch/findingAid.cfm?eadid=00365
https://www.bobwoodward.com/biography
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bob-Woodward
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