--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe Watergate shows that the system…" description: "\"I believe Watergate shows that the system did work. Particularly the Judiciary and the Congress, and ultimately an independent prosecutor working in th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/bob-woodward-5424_believe_i-believe-watergate-shows-that-the-syste_2592224.jpg" --- # I believe Watergate shows that the system did work… ![“I believe Watergate shows that the system did work. Particularly the Judiciary and the Congress, and ultimately an independent prosecutor working in the Executive Branch.” quote by Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/bob-woodward-5424_believe_i-believe-watergate-shows-that-the-syste_2592224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/bob-woodward-5424_believe_i-believe-watergate-shows-that-the-syste_2592224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/bob-woodward-5424_believe_i-believe-watergate-shows-that-the-syste_2592224.jpg) > “I believe Watergate shows that the system did work. Particularly the Judiciary and the Congress, and ultimately an independent prosecutor working in the Executive Branch.” [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Watergate demonstrated that checks and balances can function, especially through an independent prosecutor. **In simple terms:** Watergate shows system can work via oversight. Key Takeaway Support strong independent oversight. Themes governance accountability justice Mood analytical informative Type political educational When to use this quote - civic education - policy advocacy - legal reform - public watchdog initiatives Key Concepts Political science institutional checks Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens strengthen oversight? - What safeguards prevent abuse of power? A Different Perspective Political will can undermine institutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Watergate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-watergate-1871278/) [Branches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/branches/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Congress Ultimately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress-ultimately-1871280/) [Did Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-work-304689/) [Executive branch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executive-branch/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Independent women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-women/) [Judiciary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judiciary/) [Prosecutor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosecutor/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Watergate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watergate/) [Watergate Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watergate-shows-1871279/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that without Watergate we would have had an extraordinary period of success with a strong Nixon and a still vital Brezhnev in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/i-believe-that-without-watergate-we-would-have-had-an-extraordinary/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Whether ours shall be a government of laws and not of men is now for Congress and ultimately the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/whether-ours-shall-be-a-government-of-laws-and-not-of-men-is-now-for/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly has been disturbed over what he sees as the erosion of presidential powers since the Watergate scandal and has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/vice-president-dick-cheney-reportedly-has-been-disturbed-over-what-he/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [The source known as Deep Throat provided a kind of road map through the scandal. His one consistent message was that the Watergate burglary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-source-known-as-deep-throat-provided-a-kind-of-road-map-through/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Suppose Watergate had not been uncovered? I'd still be on the City Desk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/suppose-watergate-had-not-been-uncovered-i-d-still-be-on-the-city-desk/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [There may yet be another Watergate book. I have thought a book about the aftermath of Watergate and its impact could be done, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/there-may-yet-be-another-watergate-book-i-have-thought-a-book-about/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Watergate is an immensely complicated scandal with a cast of characters as varied as a Tolstoy novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/watergate-is-an-immensely-complicated-scandal-with-a-cast-of/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Nixon had some large achievements in foreign affairs. They will be remembered. But a president probably gets remembered for one thing, and Watergate will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/nixon-had-some-large-achievements-in-foreign-affairs-they-will-be/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [I suspect there have been a number of conspiracies that never were described or leaked out. But I suspect none of the magnitude and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/i-suspect-there-have-been-a-number-of-conspiracies-that-never-were/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [It would seem that the Watergate story from beginning to end could be used as a primer on the American political system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/it-would-seem-that-the-watergate-story-from-beginning-to-end-could-be/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The fact of the Watergate cover-up is not nearly as interesting as the step into making the cover-up. And when you understand the step,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-fact-of-the-watergate-cover-up-is-not-nearly-as-interesting-as/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [We're not going to have another Watergate in our lifetime. I'm sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/we-re-not-going-to-have-another-watergate-in-our-lifetime-i-m-sure/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Lawyers didn't seriously get involved in the Watergate stories until quite late, when we realized we were on to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/lawyers-didn-t-seriously-get-involved-in-the-watergate-stories-until/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The biggest rap on me is that I don't find a Watergate every couple of years. Well, Watergate was unique. It's not something Carl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-biggest-rap-on-me-is-that-i-don-t-find-a-watergate-every-couple/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Way before Watergate, senior administration officials hid behind anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/way-before-watergate-senior-administration-officials-hid-behind/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) ## More by Bob Woodward > [Certain political figures think when you call them and ask them for a comment; that you are somehow doing something that you shouldn't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/certain-political-figures-think-when-you-call-them-and-ask-them-for-a/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“Maybe that would be less crucial under Obama, Podesta thought, because Obama's approach was so intellectual. 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If you get into a position where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/getting-up-in-the-morning-and-having-work-you-love-is-what-makes-life/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The number of illegal activities were so large that one was bound to come out and lead to the uncovering of the others. Nixon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-number-of-illegal-activities-were-so-large-that-one-was-bound-to/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The failure of the system to deal quickly was attributable to Nixon's lying, stonewalling and refusal to come clean. So it took 26 months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-failure-of-the-system-to-deal-quickly-was-attributable-to-nixon-s/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The biggest rap on me is that I don't find a Watergate every couple of years. Well, Watergate was unique. It's not something Carl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-biggest-rap-on-me-is-that-i-don-t-find-a-watergate-every-couple/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [There are people who take rumors and embellish them in a way that can be devastating. And this pollution has to be eradicated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/there-are-people-who-take-rumors-and-embellish-them-in-a-way-that-can/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“I'm done doing this!' Obama said, finally erupting. 'We've all agreed on a plan. And we're all going to stick to that plan. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/i-m-done-doing-this-obama-said-finally-erupting-we-ve-all-agreed-on-a/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“He never really voice pure, raw outrage to me about Watergate or what it represented. The crimes and abuses were background music. Nixon was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/he-never-really-voice-pure-raw-outrage-to-me-about-watergate-or-what/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [It was accountability that Nixon feared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/it-was-accountability-that-nixon-feared/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Lawyers didn't seriously get involved in the Watergate stories until quite late, when we realized we were on to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/lawyers-didn-t-seriously-get-involved-in-the-watergate-stories-until/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) [Explore all 100 Bob Woodward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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