History of Bob Woodward in Timeline
Bob Woodward is a highly influential American investigative journalist renowned for his work at The Washington Post, beginning in 1971. While currently holding the title of associate editor, he's not an active employee. He gained prominence for his extensive investigative reporting, particularly alongside Carl Bernstein, on the Watergate scandal, which led to numerous awards and ultimately, President Richard Nixon's resignation. Woodward has authored or co-authored numerous best-selling books focusing on American politics and presidencies, solidifying his reputation as a significant chronicler of power and decision-making within the U.S. government.
March 26, 1943: Robert Upshur Woodward Born
On March 26, 1943, Robert Upshur Woodward was born. He is an American investigative journalist.
August 25, 1957: Elsa Walsh's Birth
August 25, 1957, is the birth date of Elsa Walsh, who would later become Woodward's third wife.
1961: Enrolled in Yale University
In 1961, after graduating from WCHS, Woodward enrolled in Yale University with a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship. He studied history and English literature, joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and was a member of Book and Snake.
1965: Received B.A. Degree from Yale
In 1965, Woodward received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University.
1966: First Marriage
In 1966, Woodward married Kathleen Middlekauff, his high school sweetheart.
1969: Divorce from Kathleen Middlekauff
In 1969, Woodward divorced Kathleen Middlekauff.
August 1970: Discharged as Lieutenant
In August 1970, Woodward was discharged as a lieutenant.
1970: Nixon's Comments on Kent State Shooting
In 1970, President Richard Nixon made comments (later revealed by Woodward in 2019) seemingly lauding the shooting of four students at Kent State University.
1971: Joined The Washington Post
In 1971, Woodward began his career as a reporter for The Washington Post. He no longer works for the Post, but holds the title of associate editor.
1971: Hired as a Post Reporter
In 1971, after a year at the Montgomery Sentinel, Woodward was hired as a reporter for The Washington Post.
June 17, 1972: Assigned to Watergate Burglary
On June 17, 1972, Woodward and Carl Bernstein were assigned to report on the burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate. Their reporting revealed political "dirty tricks" by Nixon's re-election committee.
1972: Heywood Broun Award
In 1972, Woodward received the Heywood Broun Award.
1972: Reporting on the Watergate Scandal
In 1972, while a reporter for The Washington Post, Woodward collaborated with Carl Bernstein to report on the Watergate scandal. Their reporting led to government investigations and President Richard Nixon's resignation.
November 1973: Started Covering The Final Days
In November 1973, Woodward and Bernstein began covering The Final Days of Nixon's presidency.
1973: Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
In 1973, Woodward and Bernstein were the lead reporters on Watergate and The Washington Post won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for the coverage.
1973: Sigma Delta Chi Award
In 1973, Woodward received the Sigma Delta Chi Award.
August 1974: Nixon Resigned
In August 1974, The Final Days of Nixon's presidency ended with his resignation.
1976: The Final Days Publication
In 1976, Woodward and Bernstein published "The Final Days", their second book on Watergate.
1976: Portrayal in 'All the President's Men'
In 1976, Woodward was portrayed by Robert Redford in the film "All the President's Men".
1976: All the President's Men Movie Release
In 1976, the film "All the President's Men", starring Robert Redford as Woodward and Dustin Hoffman as Bernstein, was released. The movie transformed the reporters into celebrities and increased interest in investigative journalism.
1979: Divorce from Frances Kuper
In 1979, Woodward divorced Frances Kuper.
1979: Post-Watergate Books Criticism
In 1979, according to Joan Didion's September 1996 essay, marked the beginning of a period where Woodward's books, following Watergate, were criticized for lacking depth and measurable cerebral activity.
September 1980: "Jimmy's World" Story Appeared
In September 1980, "Jimmy's World", a story about an eight-year-old heroin addict, appeared on the front page of The Washington Post.
April 13, 1981: Pulitzer Prize Awarded and Returned
On April 13, 1981, Janet Cooke was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for "Jimmy's World". The story was later found to be fabricated, and the Pulitzer was returned.
1986: Co-Writing 'Under Siege'
In 1986, Woodward co-wrote the NBC made-for-TV film "Under Siege" about terrorist attacks in the United States.
1986: Worth Bingham Prize for Investigative Reporting
In 1986, Woodward won the Worth Bingham Prize for Investigative Reporting.
1989: Story Writer for 'The Nightmare Years'
In 1989, Woodward collaborated with Christian Williams as a story writer for "The Nightmare Years", a TNT TV miniseries.
1989: Third Marriage to Elsa Walsh
In 1989, Woodward married Elsa Walsh, a writer for The New Yorker.
1989: Portrayal in 'Wired'
In 1989, Woodward was portrayed by J. T. Walsh in the film "Wired".
1995: Ben Bradlee's Memoir
In 1995, Ben Bradlee praised Woodward in the foreword of his memoir, "A Good Life". Also in 1995, Woodward received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.
September 6, 1996: Richard Harwood Defends Woodward
On September 6, 1996, Richard Harwood defended Woodward in a column in The Post, asserting that Woodward's reporting method involved verifying information through interviews and collecting documentary evidence.
September 1996: Joan Didion's Criticism of Woodward
In September 1996, Joan Didion published a critical essay in The New York Review of Books, arguing that Woodward's post-Watergate books lacked depth, relied on irrelevant details, and avoided drawing conclusions. She criticized his "scrupulous passivity" and the resulting "political pornography".
1996: China's Alleged Role in Campaign Finance Controversy
In 1996, Woodward and Brian Duffy reported that a Justice Department investigation uncovered evidence that Chinese agents sought to direct contributions to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) before the 1996 presidential campaign.
2000: David Gergen's Memoir
In 2000, David Gergen praised Woodward's reporting in his memoir, "Eyewitness to Power", noting his reliability and dedication to truth.
2000: William Allen White Medal
In 2000, Woodward was awarded the William Allen White Medal.
2001: Robert C. Vance Distinguished Lecture
In 2001, Woodward gave the Robert C. Vance Distinguished Lecture at Central Connecticut State University.
2001: Main Reporter for 9/11 Coverage
In 2001, Woodward was the main reporter for The Washington Post's coverage of the September 11 attacks.
2001: Walter Cronkite Award
In 2001, Woodward won the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.
January 2002: Articles on Camp David Events after 9/11
In January 2002, Woodward and Dan Balz described the events at Camp David in the aftermath of September 11 and discussed the Worldwide Attack Matrix in a series of articles.
2002: Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting
In 2002, The Washington Post won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for 10 of its stories on the September 11 attacks with Woodward as main reporter.
2002: Gerald R. Ford Prize
In 2002, Woodward received the Gerald R. Ford Prize for Reporting on the Presidency.
June 2003: Conversation with Confidential Administration Source
After a June 2003 conversation with a confidential administration source, Woodward had later conversations with Scooter Libby and might have asked Libby further questions about Joe Wilson's wife before her employment at the CIA and her identity were publicly known.
June 2003: Learned about Plame's CIA Employment
In June 2003, a senior administration official informed Woodward that Joe Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, worked for the CIA as a WMD analyst during a background interview for Plan of Attack.
June 2003: Apologized to Leonard Downie Jr.
Woodward apologized to Leonard Downie Jr., editor of The Washington Post, for not informing him earlier of the June 2003 conversation about Valerie Plame. Downie accepted the apology.
2003: Al Hunt's Statement
In 2003, Al Hunt of The Wall Street Journal called Woodward "the most celebrated journalist of our age."
2004: Bob Schieffer's Statement
In 2004, Bob Schieffer of CBS News said, "Woodward has established himself as the best reporter of our time. He may be the best reporter of all time."
2004: Plan of Attack Publication
In 2004, Woodward released 'Plan of Attack', a detailed account of the Bush presidency.
2004: Confidential Background Interview
In 2004, during a confidential background interview for his book 'Plan of Attack', Woodward learned about Valerie Plame's CIA employment but did not initially consider it important.
May 2005: Deep Throat Identity Revealed
In May 2005, W. Mark Felt was revealed as Deep Throat. Woodward then published a book, "The Secret Man," detailing his relationship with Felt.
November 14, 2005: Woodward Deposition in Plame Case
On November 14, 2005, Woodward gave a deposition to Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, testifying that a senior administration official told him in June 2003 that Joe Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, worked for the CIA.
November 16, 2005: Woodward's Deposition Reported
On November 16, 2005, The Washington Post reported on Woodward's deposition, revealing his knowledge of Valerie Plame's CIA employment.
2006: State of Denial Publication
In 2006, Woodward published "State of Denial," detailing the Bush presidency.
2008: The War Within Publication
In 2008, Woodward released "The War Within: A Secret White House History (2006–2008)", detailing the Bush presidency.
2008: Woodward's Speaking Engagements
In 2008, Woodward was giving speeches to industry lobbying groups, earning between $15,000 and $60,000, which he donated to his personal foundation. This practice was questioned due to Washington Post policy.
2012: Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award and Honorary Doctorate
In 2012, Colby College presented Woodward with the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award for courageous journalism and an honorary doctorate.
2012: Obama Administration Statements on Sequester
In 2012, the Obama administration made statements about the sequester that Woodward later criticized in his February 2013 column.
February 22, 2013: Published Column Criticizing Obama Administration
On February 22, 2013, Woodward published a column in The Washington Post criticizing the Obama administration's statements about the sequester.
2014: Robert Gates's CIA Recruitment Wish
In 2014, Robert Gates stated that he wished he'd recruited Woodward into the CIA, citing his ability to get people to reveal confidential information.
2017: Portrayal in 'Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House'
In 2017, Woodward was portrayed by Julian Morris in the film "Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House".
2018: Participation in Online Class
In 2018, Woodward announced he would participate in an online class on investigative journalism.
2018: Portrayal in 'The Front Runner'
In 2018, Woodward was portrayed by Spencer Garrett in the film "The Front Runner".
2018: Speech after 'Fear' Publication
In 2018, following the release of "Fear: Trump in the White House", Woodward spoke at Virginia Commonwealth University to a large audience.
May 4, 2019: Kent State Speech with Nixon Revelation
On May 4, 2019, Woodward's speech at Kent State University included the revelation of previously unreleased audiotape where Richard Nixon seemed to approve of the 1970 shooting of four students.
February 2023: Private Dinner with James Comer
In February 2023, James Comer alleges that Woodward confided in him at a private dinner "that everyone in DC knew that Joe allowed his family to sell access to him, but as far as he was aware, that was not illegal." Woodward has denied the allegation.
2023: Voice Reused in 'White House Plumbers'
In 2023, Redford's voice from "All the President's Men", depicting Woodward's phone call, was reused in episode 4 of the HBO miniseries "White House Plumbers".
January 2025: Reported Allegation in James Comer's Book
In January 2025, The Guardian reported that in James Comer's upcoming book, "All the President's Money", Comer alleges that Woodward confided in him at a private dinner that everyone in DC knew that Joe allowed his family to sell access to him, but as far as he was aware, that was not illegal.
Mentioned in this timeline
Home Box Office HBO is a flagship American pay television...
Google LLC is a multinational technology corporation specializing in online...
CBS is a major American commercial broadcast television and radio...
The White House located at Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington...
Will Ferrell is a highly acclaimed American actor comedian writer...
The National Broadcasting Company NBC is a major American commercial...
Trending
1 minute ago Ruud and Tsitsipas Start Strong in Barcelona Open, Aiming to Halt Ranking Slides
1 minute ago Tracy Chapman's debut album reaches Top 10 after 37 years; Chapman speaks out.
1 hour ago Iga Swiatek vs Jana Fett: Live coverage of the WTA 500 Stuttgart match.
1 hour ago Jana Fett at Stuttgart Open: Preview, Prediction and Vekic's emotional defeat.
2 hours ago Tsitsipas and Ruud Start Strong in Barcelona, Aiming to Improve Rankings
2 hours ago Bengals Sign Quarterback Logan Woodside Amidst NFL Draft Preparations: Roster Update
Popular
Doug Ford is a Canadian politician and businessman currently serving...
The Real ID Act of is a US federal law...
Justin Trudeau served as the rd Prime Minister of Canada...
Bernard Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician currently serving...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is a celebrated American...