--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those [Watergate] tapes are going to take…" description: "\"Those [Watergate] tapes are going to take me to my grave with a huge smile on my face..\" — Ben Bradlee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/ben-bradlee-15971_faces_those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take_139182.jpg" --- # Those \[Watergate\] tapes are going to take me to my grave… ![“Those [Watergate] tapes are going to take me to my grave with a huge smile on my face..” quote by Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/ben-bradlee-15971_faces_those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take_139182.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/ben-bradlee-15971_faces_those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take_139182.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/ben-bradlee-15971_faces_those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take_139182.jpg) > “Those \[Watergate\] tapes are going to take me to my grave with a huge smile on my face..” [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The tapes will haunt me forever, but I will die smiling because I helped expose truth **In simple terms:** The tapes will haunt me, but I’ll smile at my role in exposing truth Key Takeaway Remember the power of perseverance and truth Themes journalism integrity historical events Mood reflective proud Type historical journalistic When to use this quote - political investigations - media ethics - personal reflection Key Concepts accountability public service legacy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal cost with public duty? - What legacy do you hope to leave? A Different Perspective The emotional toll may outweigh the satisfaction for some ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Watergate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watergate/) ## Related quotes > [I recently read some of the transcripts of Nixon's Watergate tapes, and they spent hours trying to figure out who was leaking and providing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/i-recently-read-some-of-the-transcripts-of-nixon-s-watergate-tapes/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [That's why those tapes we made are going to be so great one day, because they'll tell stories that time has swallowed up or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/that-s-why-those-tapes-we-made-are-going-to-be-so-great-one-day/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Mix-tapes are something that have been going on for a while. They've been pretty important to hip-hop. It's the way we advertise our music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/mix-tapes-are-something-that-have-been-going-on-for-a-while-they-ve-2/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [Mix-tapes are something that have been going on for a while. They've been pretty important to hip-hop for the past 10 years. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/mix-tapes-are-something-that-have-been-going-on-for-a-while-they-ve/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [That's what I did, same way as last year. We have tapes going back to '84. You know, we have tapes of all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/that-s-what-i-did-same-way-as-last-year-we-have-tapes-going-back-to/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [“I like knowing one story and having everyone else know another. That's why those tapes we made are going to be so great one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-like-knowing-one-story-and-having-everyone-else-know-another-that-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [There have been as many investigative reporters on this newspaper working on Clinton's many problems as I can remember there were working on Watergate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/there-have-been-as-many-investigative-reporters-on-this-newspaper/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [I fooled everyone with a huge smile, for years and years. I never showed anyone my tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-chiar/i-fooled-everyone-with-a-huge-smile-for-years-and-years-i-never/) [Francine Chiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-chiar/) > [When I draw my caricature self-portrait, I always do a huge smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-harris/when-i-draw-my-caricature-self-portrait-i-always-do-a-huge-smile/) [Rolf Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-harris/) > [“He laughed, and the sound startled me. I turned back, taking in the sight of his hair blowing in the wind and the huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-r-martin/he-laughed-and-the-sound-startled-me-i-turned-back-taking-in-the/) [Kelley R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-r-martin/) > [“Is that what you think? That I follow you around to keep your ass out of trouble?" "If so, you're not very good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/is-that-what-you-think-that-i-follow-you-around-to-keep-your-ass-out/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [One small step from baby, one huge smile from motherhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-poindexter/one-small-step-from-baby-one-huge-smile-from-motherhood/) [Linda Poindexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-poindexter/) > [“I could hear the boy cheering in the back seat and Justin had a huge smile on his face, his dimples standing out. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-could-hear-the-boy-cheering-in-the-back-seat-and-justin-had-a-huge/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [Life is a huge smile if we stop expecting any outsiders understanding and stop hoping for other peoples sympathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/life-is-a-huge-smile-if-we-stop-expecting-any-outsiders-understanding/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [Have you ever been talking about someone and all the sudden you catch yourself with a huge smile on your face, I love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-you-ever-been-talking-about-someone-and-all-the-sudden-you-catch/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ben Bradlee > [Generals who can write always make me nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/generals-who-can-write-always-make-me-nervous/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [National security is a really big problem for journalists, because no journalist worth his salt wants to endanger the national security, but the law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/national-security-is-a-really-big-problem-for-journalists-because-no/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [We were right about the slush fund. But Sloan did not testify about it to the Grand Jury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/we-were-right-about-the-slush-fund-but-sloan-did-not-testify-about-it/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [The biggest difference between Kennedy and Nixon, as far as the press is concerned, is simply this: Jack Kennedy really liked newspaper people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/the-biggest-difference-between-kennedy-and-nixon-as-far-as-the-press/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [The champagne was flowing like the Potomac in flood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/the-champagne-was-flowing-like-the-potomac-in-flood/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [To hell with news! I'm no longer interested in news. I'm interested in causes. We don't print the truth. We don't pretend to print…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/to-hell-with-news-i-m-no-longer-interested-in-news-i-m-interested-in/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [As a child, one looks for compliments. As an adult, one looks for evidence of effectiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/as-a-child-one-looks-for-compliments-as-an-adult-one-looks-for/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [I must be out of it, but I don't know any good journalists who have excused Clinton's problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/i-must-be-out-of-it-but-i-don-t-know-any-good-journalists-who-have/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [It changes your life, the pursuit of truth, if you know that you have tried to find the truth and gone past the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/it-changes-your-life-the-pursuit-of-truth-if-you-know-that-you-have/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [The Nixon administration really put a lot of pressure on CBS not to run the second broadcast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/the-nixon-administration-really-put-a-lot-of-pressure-on-cbs-not-to/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [As long as a journalist tells the truth, in conscience and fairness, it is not his job to worry about consequences. The truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/as-long-as-a-journalist-tells-the-truth-in-conscience-and-fairness-it/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [I do worry about how newspapers respond to falling circulation figures. I'm not sure that the answer is for newspapers to try to cater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/i-do-worry-about-how-newspapers-respond-to-falling-circulation/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [I never believed that Nixon could fully resurrect himself. And the proof of that was in the obits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/i-never-believed-that-nixon-could-fully-resurrect-himself-and-the/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [Maybe some of today's papers have too many 'feel-good' features, but there is a lot of good news out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/maybe-some-of-today-s-papers-have-too-many-feel-good-features-but/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [If an investigative reporter finds out that someone has been robbing the store, that may be 'gotcha' journalism, but it's also good journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/if-an-investigative-reporter-finds-out-that-someone-has-been-robbing/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) [Explore all 41 Ben Bradlee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) ## More Faces quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I've seen every one, from Motley Crue to John Denver, with tears running down my face. I had no idea everyone had such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/i-ve-seen-every-one-from-motley-crue-to-john-denver-with-tears/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [So," I said. "Seems you're going to be stuck with me for a while." He smiled. A real smile that lit up his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/so-i-said-seems-you-re-going-to-be-stuck-with-me-for-a-while-he/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Here comes old Rosie she's looking mighty fine, here comes hot Nancy she's steppin' right on time. There go the street lights bringing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/here-comes-old-rosie-she-s-looking-mighty-fine-here-comes-hot-nancy/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [A face is too slight a foundation for happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/a-face-is-too-slight-a-foundation-for-happiness/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 13,128 Faces quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those [Watergate] tapes are going to take me to my grave with a huge smile on my face..", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Bradlee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take-me-to-my-grave-with-a-huge/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Faces" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take-me-to-my-grave-with-a-huge/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/ben-bradlee-15971_faces_those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take_139182.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/ben-bradlee-15971_faces_those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take_139182.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/419/ben-bradlee-15971_faces_those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take_139182.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those [Watergate] tapes are going to take me to my grave with a huge smile on my face..” — Ben Bradlee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Bradlee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those [Watergate] tapes are going to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take-me-to-my-grave-with-a-huge/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take-me-to-my-grave-with-a-huge/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```