Why Bob Woodward Trashed Patrick Fitzgerald

As Howie Kurtz reports in today's Washington Post, Bob Woodward has repeatedly disparaged Patrick Fitzgerald and his investigation into the leak of Valerie Plame's CIA identity.

In June, Woodward said on MSNBC's "Hardball" that ultimately "there is going to be nothing to it. And it is a shame. And the special prosecutor in that case, his behavior, in my view, has been disgraceful." Then, on NPR in July, Woodward said that Fitzgerald made "a big mistake" in going after Miller and that "there is not the kind of compelling evidence that there was some crime involved here."

"Disgraceful"? That's strong language for a reporter who now says that he's been aggressively reporting a story about the Plame matter.

Set aside for the moment the question of whether it's appropriate for Woodward to publicly comment on a story he's in the middle of reporting. (Answer: It isn't.)

Why would Woodward go out of his way to trash Fitzgerald, who could be an important source for him? That's an excellent way to guarantee permanent non-cooperation.

Woodward must have felt that he had nothing to lose...which means that he already knew that Fitzgerald wouldn't talk to him. Not in the present, and not in the future.

Which only makes you admire Fitzgerald more and Woodward less.

Woodward's public flogging of Fitzgerald now looks like nothing more than a) payback for non-cooperation and b) a warning to others that this is what happens to people who don't play ball with Bob Woodward.

Hmmm....I wonder who's going to come out better in whatever Woodward writes?

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