Bankhead Presents Carl Bernstein

Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 7:30PM

Speaking just days before the Nov. 8 midterm election, Bernstein will draw on his five decades of news reporting experience to provide insight into such topics as: the similarities and differences between Presidents Richard Nixon and Donald Trump; where the country stands politically today; the role of media and journalism past and present; and his own journalism career path.

Bernstein is best known as part of the Washington Post reporting duo, who with Bob Woodward, exposed the Nixon administration’s effort to cover up the 1972 burglary of Democratic National Committee Headquarters in the Watergate Building, Washington D.C. The break-in was masterminded by political operatives working for President Nixon. The ensuing political scandal led Nixon to resign in disgrace in 1974.

Historians have called the reporting by Woodward and Bernstein perhaps the greatest example of investigative journalism holding power to account. As a result of the Watergate story, Woodward and Bernstein became cultural icons who inspired a generation to pursue journalism careers and Hollywood to produce newsroom-based television dramas. Watergate underscored the importance of an independent press to democratic institutions.

After leaving the Washington Post in 1977, Bernstein continued to focus on the use and abuse of power by political leaders. He has authored or co-authored six books, the best known of which is “All the President’s Men” (1974), co-written with Woodward. The book was the basis for the movie by the same name. Bernstein also is a frequent political and media analyst for major television networks.

This Bankhead Presents program is sponsored in part by Rae Dorough Speaker Series.