The Belmont Club has an interesting post about the new Woodward book on the Obama administration, the premise of which is that Woodward begins his interviews at the bottom of the ladder, talking to people who see the opportunity to get their names in print, and so tell him things they think will get them that brief moment of fame. Woodward then interviews people at the next level up, indicating he knows a lot more than he’s telling, and the people at that level then believe the people at a lower level have told Woodward things that might be damaging to them, and so are at pains to disavow or dispute statements that were never made. And so it goes, everyone assuming those below have the knives out, making them afraid not to defend themselves. Woodward’s methods simply reflect the entire Washington mind set. Everyone is at daggers drawn.
At daggers drawn
In deepest night
We creep toward dawn
And fear the light
We have no friends
We share no trust
No means or ends
That mean we must
Work hand in hand
With colleagues who
Will just demand
We’re loyal to
The guy above
Whose shoes we shine
Who shows no love
And gives no sign
That loyal works
Both up and down
He’s got his perks
He owns this town
And when its time
To tell a lie
He drops a dime
On such as I
At daggers drawn
We walk the halls
Each just a pawn
When Woodward calls