AP Lang: All the President's Men, Second Semester

Unit 4: “The Modern Mystery: How the Washington Post deposed Richard Nixon”
• All the President’s Men, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

All the President's Men: 33 pages; 7428 words; some pictures

• Feeney Mark, “How do you keep an audience interested when the entire country knows how the story turns out?” Slate
• Weed, George, “Filmnoia,” Slate

One of the great events of my college year was the resignation of President Richard Nixon, the student's enemy, equivalent of the devil himself.  A California congressman, Nixon left scorched earth whenever he encountered young activists.

I lost 12 of my fraternity brothers in plane crashes during the 60s.  I survived the traumatic draft lottery which claimed many more Los Angelenos brothers.  It was revealing that Nixon, and overwhelming favorite, cheated the Democrats and subverted our democracy, embarrassed the country, had to replace his VP (he went to jail), and seemed insulated and isolated in the White House forever.  So when Woodward and Bernstein wrote All the President's Men (it was published immediately after Nixon's resignation), I was still confused and conflicted about the Watergate Scandal.  I NEEDED the film to show me what happened--and the book came alive again for me.  Hope you enjoy.

John Brovsky

All the President's Men:  33 pages; 7428 words; some pictures