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Commentary: Saluting a man who truly cut through the bull

  • Story Highlights
  • Mark Felt, Watergate's "Deep Throat" dies
  • Brown: Felt risked everything to help bring down a crooked president
  • Felt had integrity that no one else would show back then, she says
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By Campbell Brown
CNN
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Editor's note: Campbell Brown anchors CNN's "Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull" at 8 p.m. ET Mondays through Fridays. She delivered this commentary during the "Cutting through the Bull" segment of Friday night's broadcast.

CNN's Campbell Brown praises Mark Felt, the Watergate case's "Deep Throat."

CNN's Campbell Brown praises Mark Felt, the Watergate case's "Deep Throat."

(CNN) -- Cutting through the bull. It's hard to think of anyone who gave those words more meaning than Mark Felt.

The man we all came to know as "Deep Throat" died Thursday at his California home after a life in the shadows.

His willingness to risk everything -- career, family, and even his safety -- helped bring down President Richard Nixon in disgrace.

Felt was the No. 2 man at the FBI. And yes, it's fair to say he had an ax to grind after being snubbed for the top job. Video Watch Campbell Brown's commentary »

But that didn't make his information less accurate or crucial. And even after taking that huge risk, he gave up all kinds of chances to cash in on his secret identity.

Imagine the book deal "Deep Throat" would have gotten or the movie rights to a blockbuster like "All the President's Men"?

What millions did he lose by not spending years on the lecture circuit?

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No, Felt's willingness to keep Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward pointed in the right direction as Woodward and Carl Bernstein flushed out the greatest political scandal in American history had its roots in the integrity that no one else would show back then.

We remind you of this because the timing of Felt's death is not lost on us.

Just this month, we've watched a governor accused of redefining crooked politics in Illinois.

We're in the final days of a White House that pushed the limits of the Constitution and never appeared eager to share information with the American people.

And just this week, the president-elect, who talks of change, tried to stop a journalist from finishing a question at a news conference.

Now, as ever, we need people like Woodward and Bernstein to keep asking questions.

But more importantly, we need people brave enough to give the answers.

People like Mark Felt. A man whose name you never heard until he finally surfaced near the end of his life.

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By then, he was a quiet, meek-looking person who changed our country forever -- by cutting through the bull.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Campbell Brown.

All About W. Mark FeltBob WoodwardCarl BernsteinRichard Nixon

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