Bob Woodward

"Notes are gold—document everything that matters."

"A journalist's job is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted."

"The truth has a way of emerging, eventually."

"Interviewing is an art that requires genuine listening."

"Government secrecy thrives on public indifference."

"Never trust a memory without corroboration."

"Fear drives many decisions in power centers."

"The best investigations take years, not weeks."

"Power abhors transparency and embraces secrecy."

"A single lie, if believed, can reshape history."

"Journalists must maintain independence from their sources."

"The Washington establishment protects its own."

"Documentation creates accountability where it wouldn't otherwise exist."

"Courage in reporting sometimes means standing alone."

"The public has a right to know how power operates."

"Investigative work requires obsessive attention to detail."

"Sources reveal themselves when trust is earned."

"Silence in the face of corruption makes you complicit."

"Understanding context is as important as understanding facts."

"Power holders fear exposure more than anything else."

"A good question is worth a hundred assertions."

"Truth doesn't change based on who's telling it."

"The role of the press is to be the permanent opposition."

"Watergate proved that the system can work if people try."

"Lying becomes easier the more you've done it."

"History is written by those who document it carefully."

"Power requires legitimacy, which requires honesty."

"The best defense against corruption is sunlight."

"Persistence beats privilege in the long run."

"Questions are the journalist's primary tool."