Woodward to Become Own 'Deep Throat'; Sell Book, Movie Rights for Millions

Item from Friday's New York Times:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 - The executive editor of The Washington Post said on Thursday that if other reporters at the newspaper independently discovered the identity of Bob Woodward's confidential source in the C.I.A. leak case, the newspaper might decide to publish the source's name.

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I was just slipped a galley proof of the first couple of chapters from Woodward's upcoming book on the Plame leak, The Post Man Always Rings Thrice.

Here's a sneak peek...

Chapter One: Who Knew?

Jim VandeHei and Carol Leonnig, two reporters for The Washington Post, were at their desks in The Post newsroom when VandeHei's phone rang. He picked it up.

"Jim VandeHei."

A voice that sounded familiar, but that VandeHei couldn't place, said in a muffled tone, "I will call back in 15 seconds. Let the phone ring three times and then answer."

VandeHei heard a click. The line went dead. He looked around the newsroom. Carol Leonnig's desk was next to VandeHei's.

Leonnig noted VandeHei's look of puzzlement. "What's up, Jim?"

"I just had the weirdest call. The guy said he'd call back in 15 seconds and I was to let it ring three times before answering."

"What? That is weird."

Just then, VandeHei's phone rang again. As he instinctively reached for the phone, he heard a voice from somewhere in the newsroom shout, "Not yet!" VandeHei wheeled around in his desk chair to see who had shouted, but the rest of newsroom seemed busy. Nothing out of the ordinary. On the third ring, VandeHei answered his phone.

The muffled voice again. "Meet me in the parking garage, level C, spot 126 in five minutes. And come alone."

"What's this all about," VandeHei asked, scribbling down the garage level and parking spot on a piece of paper.

Another click. The line went dead... again.

There is more and I may post further excerpts in the coming days.

My source tells me that Woodward will become his own Deep Throat but has sworn himself to secrecy. According to the source, Woodward will maintain his vow of silence on being his own source until he reaches age 72 (10 years from now) when he plans to reveal the secret as part of the PR kickoff accompanying the release of his book on the subject, tentatively titled, Keeping Secrets from Myself: How I Managed to Not Reveal My Identity to Me for a Decade.

Woodward refused to comment for this story.