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Relive the Days of “Deep Throat”
At the National Museum of American History (Americanhistory.si.edu), the permanent exhibition ‘The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden’ touches on the Watergate incident in its exploration of the Executive Office. Read a transcript of the hearings, view a file cabinet from the break-in and learn more about Nixon’s impeachment.
Sightseeing tours are also gearing up to showcase a few of the scandal’s most notable sites. Washington Walks (WashingtonWalks.com) will provide a special edition tour of Foggy Bottom, the neighborhood surrounding the Watergate complex, on June 19th. For a more comical rendition, join one of Gross National Product’s Scandal Tours (gnpcomedy.com), which uses comedy to showcase famous locations of our nation’s most disreputable events (including a stop by the Watergate). Author and tour guide Tony Pitch’s Anecdotal History Walk (dcsightseeing.com) of the Adams Morgan neighborhood points out reporter Carl Bernstein’s modest apartment prior to his Watergate fame and the posh quarters he later called home.
Washington, DC’s hotels and restaurants are capitalizing on Watergate’s resurgence with themed menus and cocktails. In 1972, prior to the Watergate break-in, White House Aide Alexander Butterfield used the Key Bridge Marriott parking lot to give $350,000 in cash from a Nixon campaign "reserve fund" -- in $50 and $100 bills -- to Leonard Lilly, who was to make deliveries when directed. In recognition of its unwitting role in the Watergate scandal, Allie’s American Grill (at the Key Bridge Marriott) is serving up a Cloak and Dagger Sandwich (traditional Reuben with Cole Slaw instead of Sauerkraut) and Presidential Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes (made with Pat Nixon's recipe). After a long day of sight-seeing and scandal-chasing, go undercover at a Washington, DC bar and enjoy a Watergate cocktail. At the Ritz-Carlton Washington, DC, savor “The Deep Throat,” a blend of Crème de cacao, vodka and cream with a secret surprise, a Hershey’s Kiss, at the bottom. Sip a Deep Throat Martini at Post Script at The Madison Hotel, located across the street from the Washington Post headquarters and a popular watering hole for Woodward, Bernstein, and Ben Bradlee in the height of the scandal. You deserve a break… Nixon had dozens of people working to cover the same ground you’ve just covered. For more information, visit The Washington, DC Convention & Tourism Corporation website: www.washington.org. Edited by Erika Wright |
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TM
The
secret is out, and Washington, DC is ready to tell all. After the unveiling of
the infamous “Deep Throat,” Washington, DC locals and visitors have taken a
renewed interest in the sights and artifacts linked to the Watergate scandal.
The Watergate Hotel, located at 2600 Virginia Ave. NW, may be the best-known
location, but key sites, tours, artifacts, and even a few cocktails can be found
all over the city. 
Beginning
with historical memorabilia, the National Archives (archives.gov) provides a
detailed (and free) record of the Watergate affair in its newly-opened Public
Vaults exhibition. This includes Nixon’s “smoking gun” audio conversation, a
White House tape recorder used as evidence in his trial, and an interactive
computer program with testimonies, evidence and Nixon’s resignation letter. A
more comprehensive collection of data can be viewed at the Archives’ University
of Maryland- College Park location. A free hourly shuttle runs there from the
Archives’ Pennsylvania Avenue location Monday through Friday.
Now
that one of the world’s best kept secrets is out, the gadgets at the
International Spy Museum (spymuseum.org) can help uncover the next. The
exhibits demonstrate how techniques like wiretapping aid in espionage. The
museum also has a lock pick kit identical to the kit used by Watergate burglars
in 1972. 
Comedy
buffs can enjoy more Watergate spoofs courtesy of the Capitol Steps, a group of
political insiders-turned parodists. The Steps have added a “Deep Throat: by
Dr. Seuss” skit to their weekend performances. The poem frames the scandal in a
Grinch-like manner: “Deep Throat hated Nixon! And his men, who were cruder! He
hated each Colson and Dean and Magruder.” The Steps (capsteps.com) perform
every Friday and Saturday night at the Ronald Reagan Building.