The Hiller Instinct: Hiller Instinct: 'Deep Throat' Winners And Losers

For thirty years he helped keep a secret, and he should have kept it longer. Because today, the biggest ‘Deep Throat’ loser is ‘Deep Throat’ himself:

"I’ll arrange to write a book or something and collect all the money I can," W. Mark Felt, AKA ‘Deep Throat,’ said.

Those aren't the words of a hero, they're the words of a man on the make, and they make Mark Felt a political piñata as his reputation is battered.

"He lied and lied and lied for years because he was ashamed of what he did," former Nixon speechwriter Pat Buchanan said.

Another loser is ‘Deep Throat's’ daughter, Joan Felt.

Her smile was just a little too wide on Tuesday now that we know she, too, wants ‘Deep Throat’ to become deep pockets, telling Vanity Fair "we could make at least enough money to pay some bills."

Has the whole felt family forgotten ‘Deep Throat's’ advice on how to find the bad guys?

"Just follow the money."

The biggest winner may be Bob Woodward, who had ‘Deep Throat’ as a source, but Carl Bernstein is a loser because he never even met deep throat.

Woodward parlayed Watergate into media prominence and the prime time interviews that began last night will only improve his net worth.

As Woodward and Felt both rush to publish their new books, Woodward is already dissing ‘Deep Throat's.’

"He has dementia, and his memory is often non-existent on critical matters," Woodward said.

Another winner is President Bush, even though he had nothing to do with discovering ‘Deep Throat.’

"It was a revelation that caught me by surprise," Bush said.

Bush doesn't have to worry about the next ‘Deep Throat,’ because there won't be one. Any attack on him will simply trigger counter-attacks, which is why ‘Deep Throat’ is history:

"I'm looking forward to reading about it, reading about his relationship with the news media," Bush said.

And what the president will read will depend on where he reads it. He'll find ‘Deep Throat’ portrayed as a saint, a snake, both and neither.

And each version will insist it's the truth.

30 years ago there was consensus in the media, some agreement, but not today.

Which is why, in many ways, ‘Deep Throat’ is yesterday's news.

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