Student Reflects on Bob Woodward’s Visit to Campus

It was his humble demeanor that grabbed my attention. “Hello, I’m Bob,” he said as he got out of his chauffeured sedan upon arriving at Holy Cross, greeting me with a handshake and an affable smile. I met Bob Woodward on Oct. 20 as he arrived to address the Holy Cross student body for the College’s annual keynote Hanify-Howland Memorial Lecture.

As co-chairman of the Hanify-Howland Memorial Lecture Committee, I was elated last spring when our committee decided upon Woodward as our speaker. The Hanify-Howland committee is tasked with continuing to foster intellectual discourse on campus, as well as annually honoring an individual who epitomizes the College’s mission of public service. Over the years, the committee has brought speakers from across the nation to Holy Cross, most former or current government officials. The committee’s decision to explore other facets of professional, public life sparked interest in pursuing a speaker in an area underrepresented over the years: journalism.

The bias we see and hear in the media ad nauseum is pervasive across our culture. Much of contemporary journalism has substituted substance for spin, leaving those such as Woodward as pillars of what many fear is a dwindling profession. However, Woodward’s commitment to objectivity speaks for itself, providing society with compelling narratives composed of facts, completely impartial, allowing the reader to discern his or her own conclusions. Such professional integrity is steadfast and will surpass the fleeting editorialized news of today.

Woodward’s work focuses on civic transparency, shedding light on the unknown, compartmentalized areas of government life. “Democracies die in the dark,” he stated during his address to more than 650 students and members of the general public in the Hogan Campus Center Ballroom. The sobering statements offered by Woodward speak to the role of journalism as a public service, casting light and perspective on pivotal issues of the day; through a better informed citizenry, he emphasized, our democracy is that much more empowered.

The following morning at one of two seminars with students, Woodward recounted an episode from 1974 when he was provided with a letter from a pharmaceutical representative to former U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell. Dear John,” Woodward said, paraphrasing the letter, “we’re having trouble with the Securities and Exchange investigation, if we could get some help, we’ll contribute $100,000 to the 1972 presidential election … there it was in writing.” You know, people don’t write things like that anymore,” said Woodward.

Having grown up voraciously reading American political and historical biographies and chronicles, All the President’s Men was second nature to me. Watergate. Woodward and Bernstein. Deep Throat. These names have been ingrained into the American psyche, used frequently to characterize and define contemporary scandals. The blatant skepticism and distrust of government was fostered during the Watergate era, leaving the American public with a void that was once filled by public accountability. Woodward’s mission is committed to filling this void, providing the American public with a trusted, authentic account of the politics and debate behind our country’s most significant political and cultural developments.

I learned much from meeting, dining with, and listening to Woodward, finding myself able to distill his career into one word: integrity. Woodward was the ideal speaker for Holy Cross, as his intrinsic drive for the truth, and ultimate commitment to society, serves as his compass. He credits persistence and integrity as attributes for a successful life in public service.

Tucker Worthington Wade is a senior history major from Memphis, Tenn. He has been a member of the Hanify-Howland Memorial Lecture Committee for three years, currently serving as its co-chairman. He plans to pursue a career in law.

Read coverage of Bob Woodward’s visit to Holy Cross in the Telegram & Gazette:

* A president unscripted; Woodward’s latest examines Obama’s battles in Afghanistan and Washington” (Oct. 19)

* “Woodward warns government secrecy poses threat to U.S.; Watergate-busting journalist, at HC, says ‘Democracies die in darkness’ ” (Oct. 22)

Related Information:

* Holy Cross in the News