Deep Throat Revelation Should Spark Valuable Debate

The recent revelation of Mark Felt as Deep Throat--the famous anonymous source for Woodward and Bernstein's Watergate investigation--should spark some valuable debate among everybody, not just media professionals.

People are weighing in with opinions of Felt, with some saying he's a hero and others, like Chuck Colson and Pat Buchanan, saying he sold out and pulled a major boo-boo (that's a paraphrase).

The whole revelation brings up both matters of "loyalty" to one's government and the use of anonymous sources.

The latter issue has gotten a fair amount of attention lately, at least in the media trades. What some perceived as an increased use in anonymous sources led to calls for more circumspection when taking quotes but not names.

I think it was Tim Russert who, on "The Today Show" this morning, defended the reasonable use of anonymous sources, saying that if we ever only relied on official spokespeople in broad daylight, we'd only ever get the party line. And as we know, that's not exactly always the truth and whole truth.

And of course, that leads into the former issue above--"loyalty" to one's government. I'm trying to see Colson and Buchanan's point--that Felt had certain obligations. But I think the ulitmate problem with their position is that they cast Felt as a man who must be obligated to institution, administration or government--not the people.

Who does Felt--or anyone, for that matter--serve? An institution? Or truth? The cynic (or realist, depending on your point of view) in me says institutions and truth aren't always on the same side, despite what mission statements, sounds bites and our trusting selves tell us.

Buchanan called Felt "a traitor." To what? To whom? To a system asking him to literally keep silent about wrongdoing?

I think there are many fascinating sides to Deep Throat, Watergate, the investigation and recent revelation. I invite the Colsons and Buchanans to speak their mind as all of us, I hope, contemplate the larger issue of our role in seeking the truth.