DEEP THROAT REVEALED IN ANTI-CLIMAX

A Vanity Fair article published today reveals that W. Mark Felt, former No. 2 man at the FBI, was the Watergate informant dubbed "Deep Throat."

The thing is, Mark Felt ain't dead.

But I have my suspicions that he may not be all that coherent anymore either. The poorly-written story in Vanity Fair is authored by the family's lawyer and gives hints that the desire to unmask Deep Throat may have belonged more to Felt's children and less to Felt himself. The quotes in the story are few and far between... and what few there are were said years ago - and under the guise of attorney-client privilege. The story suggests that Felt has now waived that right.

But if Felt really wanted his identity revealed, don't you think Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Ben Bradlee and the Post would have been the ones to do it? Instead, the Post is running a wire story on their Web site and those involved are giving a "no comment."

I have to wonder if Woodward & Co. don't question Felt's mental capacity to make this decision. For decades they have protected Deep Throat's identity, saying it would only be revealed at the time of his death - unless Deep Throat changes their agreement. If Deep Throat outed himself then certainly that agreement has changed. But in that case, why are Woodward & Co. continuing to stick by their Watergate-era pact? Makes you wonder what Woodward and Felt talked about over martinis six years ago...

ALSO: What's with all these people and the first initial? W. Mark Felt... E. Howard Hunt... G. Gordon Liddy... L. Patrick Gray... J. Edgar Hoover... I mean, how pretentious is that?

Signed,
W. Kenney Marlatt

MEANWHILE: Supreme Court to Arthur Andersen: Oops!