This week, we finally learnt the identity of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's inside source for their Watergate story.  It was long speculated that "Deep Throat" would be an FBI insider, and you can't get more inside than the FBI's number 2 man at the time, W. Mark Felt.  So, why come out now?  The answer is really simple, greed, plain and simple greed.  First exhibited by W. Mark Felt himself, and now by his family.

Felt's daughter is quoted as saying -

"We could make at least enough money to pay some bills, like the debt I've run up for the kids' education. Let's do it for the family".

Just like "Deep Throat said in the movie, "ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN", "Follow the money."  That's exactly what the younger Felts want to do.  The senior Felt has gotten up there in years at 91.  He recently suffered a stroke.  The younger Felts see their meal ticket checking out soon.  Where would the younger Felts pick up such character?  They didn't have to look farther than the example of their father.

In the early 70's, Mark Felt was devastated when he was not chosen to succeed J. Edgar Hoover as Director of the FBI after Hoover's death.  When he didn't get it, well, he was going to do something about, and then came Watergate.  I make no excuses for the Nixon Administration and those convicted for breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters at Watergate.  All involved got what they deserved.  What Mark Felt did was equally as wrong. 

Felt Jr. says -

"We believe our father, William Mark Felt Sr., was an American hero. He went well above and beyond the call of duty, at risk to himself, to save his country from a horrible injustice."

What amazes me is how the left leaning liberal media only wants to make you believe Mark Felt is one of the greatest heroes of the 20th century.  On the May 31, 2005 edition of CNN's News Night with Aaron Brown, Brown says he wants to portray Felt as a hero. 

"I want to spin that in an absolutely heroic way, that what actually he saw happening was the political side of Washington trying to take control of an institution with enormous power that needs to operate outside of whoever is in government at any given time, not unaccountably, but independently."  (Aaron Brown, CNN's News Night with Aaron Brown)

If you have to "spin" anything, then you don't want anyone see the truth.  You want it to be seen as something other than what it really is.  Otherwise there's no reason to "spin" anything.  In a recent blog post on Dan Abrams' "The Blawg about justice" on msnbc.com, Abrams wonders how doing the right thing could make someone a villain. 

The problem is Mark Felt never did the right thing.  He wasn't trying to "save his country from a horrible injustice".  He was trying to get back at an administration he felt screwed him out of a job he wanted.  He may have even felt that his actions might embarrass and lead to the resignation or firing of the FBI director, with him waiting in the wings to assume the job he always wanted.

If Mark Felt wanted to "save his country from a horrible injustice", if he wanted to hold accountable a corrupt administration, the right thing to do was to take what he knew to a grand jury.  Duty and honor would've told him to go to a grand jury with his information, not to a journalist.  When I think of bringing anyone to justice, I think about contacting law enforcement, not how I can get in touch with Woodward and Bernstein.  Furthermore, leaking information to Woodward and Bernstein may have been illegal.  To give journalists information regarding a possible investigation that may or may not be with a grand jury?  That's not the actions of a hero.  That's the actions of a criminal.  Let's not forget this is the same man convicted in 1978 of approving break ins to the homes of friends and family of an anti-Vietnam War group.  Isn't this the pot calling the kettle black?

W. Mark Felt is not hero.  He, himself, admitted he never wanted to be, and was even shameful for what he did.  As well he should've been.  "Deep Throat" should've swallowed his identity, taken it with him to his grave and never spit it out.