Correction: Reporter's shield

Eagle Eye Scott Bremner rightly corrects my mistaken assertion in yesterday’s piece on the reporters’ shield issue that Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein did not know the identity of Deep Throat. In fact, both did, as did their executive editor, Ben Bradlee and Bernstein’s wife.

However, the two Washington Post reporters would have been under no pressure by the U.S. Justice Dept. or the courts to reveal their source because there was no suspicion they might have been violating any law, since it was not known at the time that Deep Throat was a ranking FBI official.

Had that been known, it might have been a different story. But is there anyone who doubts Woodward and Bernstein would have protected Mark Felt’s identity to the death unless and until he either released them from their pledge or revealed it himself.