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A generation and more have come along since Watergate.
Now, some 30 years later, the revelation that Mark Felt was the mysterious news source dubbed “Deep Throat” has rekindled interest in the circumstances that brought about the resignation of a President of the United States.
In KSL’s view, it is good for those Americans who lived through Watergate to recall its lessons, and for the tens of millions who have come along since to reflect on the relevance of those lessons today.
Foremost, let those on the public payroll, elected or appointed, be reminded of the vital value of honesty, and the need to fulfill their temporary stewardships with integrity. Let it reinforce in the minds of public servants the importance of having strong ethics laws and viable rules for personal conduct, along with transparency and openness in their dealings.
Let it also be a reminder to young journalists of the importance of being true to their professional principles, especially those of thoroughness and accuracy in their reporting.
Watergate reminds us that power can, indeed, corrupt, and that all in positions of public trust must be vigilant to overcome the human tendency, bred primarily through vanity and pride, to lie and cover up personal mistakes.
Yes, the lessons of Watergate are many and they are timeless. They must not be forgotten.
