Bob Woodward

Legendary Pulitzer Prize-Winning Investigative Journalist, Associate Editor at The Washington Post, and Author of 23 Bestsellers
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Woodward

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About

Bob Woodward gained international attention when he and Carl Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1973. Since then, he’s worked to shine a light on the inner-workings of secret government. Woodward’s factual, non-partisan revelations to readers and speech audiences provide a view of Washington they’ll never get elsewhere. Woodward has written about the last ten U.S. presidents and chronicled how the power of the presidency has evolved. He is author of 23 bestselling books – 17 went to #1 – more than any contemporary nonfiction writer. In his speeches, Woodward looks at the expanding powers of the presidency and the important lessons that can be learned from the presidents he’s covered. He can also assess the role of the media and how well it is (or isn’t) doing its job. Audiences will be awe-struck by insights from this living journalistic legend. Currently associate editor for The Washington Post where he’s worked since 1971, Bob Woodward has won nearly every American journalism award including two Pulitzers.

Former CIA director and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said he wished he’d recruited Woodward into the CIA, “He has an extraordinary ability to get otherwise responsible adults to spill [their] guts to him…his ability to get people to talk about stuff they shouldn’t be talking about is just extraordinary and may be unique.” Therein lays the genius talent of Bob Woodward.

No one else in political investigative journalism has the clout, respect, and reputation of Woodward. He has a way of getting insiders to open up in ways that reveal an intimate yet sweeping portrayal of Washington and the political infighting, how we fight wars, the price of politics, how presidents lead, the homeland security efforts, and so much more. His work is meticulous and draws on internal memos, classified documents, meeting notes and hundreds of hours of recorded interviews with most of the key players, including the president. This is why Fear: Trump in the White House sold more than 1.1 million copies in its first week in September 2018 – breaking the 94-year first-week sales record of its publisher Simon & Schuster – and nearly 2 million copies in hardback, ebook, and audio in the first four months.

In October 2022, Woodward did something he’d never done before; he released the complete recordings of his 20 interviews with Donald Trump in audiobook form titled, The Trump Tapes. The audiobook is unique in that the listener gets the opportunity to hear his lengthy and raw interviews as well as exclusive commentary during some of the interviews – to provide vital context or clarification. The Trump Tapes is considered by Simon and Schuster “…as historically important as the Frost/Nixon interviews.”

As a speaker, Woodward pulls the curtain back on Washington and its leaders to captivate audiences with stories that are sometimes surprising, at times shocking, and always fascinating. He blends stories that are both up to the minute and from the past (to provide historical context). Woodward helps people get behind the spin to understand what’s really going on in the halls of power in an age of 24-hour news, social media, and snarky politics.

Professionally, Bob Woodward is currently associate editor for The Washington Post where he’s worked since 1971. He has won nearly every American journalism award, and the Post won the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for his work with Carl Bernstein on the Watergate scandal. In addition, Woodward was the main reporter for the Post’s articles on the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks that won the National Affairs Pulitzer Prize in 2002.

Bob Schieffer of CBS News said "Woodward has established himself as the best reporter of our time. He may be the best reporter of all time." Lloyd Green wrote in a review for The Guardian that Fear “depicts a White House awash in dysfunction, where the Lord of the Flies is the closest thing to an owner’s manual.” The Weekly Standard called Woodward “the best pure reporter of his generation, perhaps ever.” In 2003, Al Hunt of The Wall Street Journal called Woodward “the most celebrated journalist of our age.” In listing the all-time 100 best non-fiction books, Time magazine has called All the President’s Men, by Bernstein and Woodward, “Perhaps the most influential piece of journalism in history.”

Woodward has co-authored or authored 17 #1 national best-selling non-fiction books. They are: All the President’s Men (1974) and The Final Days (1976), both Watergate books, co-authored with Bernstein; The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court (1979) co-authored with Scott Armstrong; Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi (1984); Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA 1981-87 (1987); The Commanders (1991); The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House (1994); Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate (1999); Bush at War (2002); Plan of Attack (2004); State of Denial: Bush at War Part III (2006); Obama’s Wars (2010); Fear: Trump in the White House (2018); Rage (2020); Peril (2021) co-authored with Robert Costa; The Trump Tapes (2022); and War (2024). Woodward’s other national bestselling books are: The Secret Man: The Story of Watergate’s Deep Throat (2005), The Choice (1996), Maestro: Greenspan’s Fed and the American Boom (2000), The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008 (2008), The Price of Politics (2012), and The Last of the President’s Men (2015). Newsweek magazine has excerpted six of Woodward’s books in headline-making cover stories; “60 Minutes” has done pieces on eight of his books; and three of his books have been made into feature films.

In November 2017, the online learning portal MasterClass released “Bob Woodward Teaches Investigative Journalism.” In it, Woodward reveals the lessons he’s learned during his career, teaching students what truth means, how to uncover it, and how to build a story with it.

Woodward was born March 26, 1943 in Illinois. He graduated from Yale University in 1965 and served five years as a communications officer in the U.S. Navy before beginning his journalism career at the Montgomery County Sentinel (Maryland), where he was a reporter for one year before joining the Post.

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A Conversation With Bob Woodward

For speaking inquiries in the D.C. area, please contact for reduced fee.

Videos

https://vimeo.com/858622136
BOB WOODWARD: Don’t Despise Those Who Disagree With You – They Have a Point
https://vimeo.com/858989006
BOB WOODWARD: Truth In Journalism – Beware The Demon Pomposity
https://vimeo.com/858993743
BOB WOODWARD – Ford’s Pardon of Nixon – Truth Emerges Slowly
https://vimeo.com/859005544
BOB WOODWARD: Why Did Watergate Happen?

Testimonials

“Bob Woodward was gracious, powerful, pithy, kind, fascinating, funny and just so wonderful.”

Finance Compliance

“The evening was a resounding success, and Bob was just outstanding. What a nice and humble guy, too!”

President, Public Policy Forum

“Bob Woodward was awwwwwsome. He spoke for 30 minutes and then sat down and we did a Q&A with our VP of Federal Affairs. He signed about 30 books for us and we had purchased some to sell as well. After his speech people lined up to say hello, get their photo taken and have books signed. I bet he was there for another 30 minutes. I really enjoyed him as I know others did, too.”

Meetings & Events Planner CMP, Canadian Real Estate Association

“Thank you for joining us at the CoBank Board Dinner. Your perspective on the changing nature of the Presidency was very well received. To a person, every comment about the dinner, and your remarks in particular, was glowing. I am grateful for your contribution making it a wonderful evening. Your remarks were educational, timely and entertaining. In short, it was a perfect message for our dinner.”

President and CEO, CoBank

“Bob did an excellent job, he was absolutely outstanding! Many have commented that his keynote was the best they have experienced.”

Assistant Manager, Integrated Academic Content, American Marketing Association

“As for Mr. Woodward’s performance, it was simply stellar. He held the sold-out crowd of 1,200 in his hand, hit all his press marks with grace, and handled the post-show meet and greet like a master.”

Marketing Director, Zeiterion Performing Arts Center

“Bob Woodward was terrific. He was extremely well received and had the audience hanging on his every word. We really appreciated his insights.”

Vice President, Public Affairs, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU)

“Your presentation was outstanding. Your content was thoughtful, riveting and provocative. You deftly touched on the critical topics most on our investor’s minds.”

Robert W. Baird & Co.

"What (Theodore) White did for presidential campaigns, Post Associate Editor Bob Woodward has done for multiple West Wing administrations---in addition to the Supreme Court, the Pentagon, the CIA and the Federal Reserve."

David Von Drehle

“It was a huge success -- we filled the auditorium and all three overflow spaces -- over 1400 people accommodated and we had to turn folks away. Bob was really great and handled some smart questions very well. He's a lovely man.”

Humanities Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University

“Mr. Woodward was wonderful. The group loved him. I knew he was an icon but I didn't realize how enchanted everyone would become with him. It was like Mick Jagger was at our event or a President.”

Stable Value Investment Association

“Standing ovations are a rarity at our meetings. You were terrific. Keep up the great work!”

Human Resource Policy Association

“In an age of ‘alternative facts’ and corrosive tweets about ‘fake news,’ Woodward is truth’s gold standard.”

Jill Abramson
Former editor of The New York Times