'Post' Rushes Woodward Story After Other Papers Scoop It

By: Joe Strupp Today's scoops in The New York Times and the New York Daily News, in which the papers offered numerous elements of Bob Woodward's upcoming book two days before The Washington Post had planned to excerpt it, prompted the Post to rush out a Web story on the book, according to Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr.

"Because somebody sold the book to somebody, we are going to put more elements in our story that is going up on the Web right now," Downie told E&P this morning. "We are still doing the excerpts on Sunday and Monday, but we are reporting on some of the elements of the book now."

Downie said a version of the web story also will now be in Saturday's print editions of the paper. Woodward could not immediately be reached for comment.

The latest Woodward project, "State of Denial" (Simon and Schuster) is not set for release until Monday. The Post, where Woodward serves as assistant managing editor, had planned to excerpt the book in two parts beginning Sunday.

But today's Times story threw a wrench into those plans as the paper offered a lengthy Page One story on the book, offering numerous details about the reporting and tid bits Woodward has found. The Times story did not state exactly how reporters there had obtained an advanced copy, noting just that the book was "bought by a reporter for The New York Times at retail price in advance of its official release."

The Daily News, meanwhile, also revealed elements of the book in a story that ran inside the paper and on its Web site. It said a reporter had simply bought a copy in a bookstore. Sometimes stores put out books for sale ahead of the embargo.

Downie declined to comment specifically on the Times' story and did not criticize the paper for publishing it. "That doesn't particularly concern me," he told E&P. "We've gotten advance copies of other books and written about them. We've done it, too, in the past. It happens."

The Post editor also stuck by the decision to schedule the excerpts so close to the publication date, saying he does not regret not making it earlier to avoid this type of problem. "We always set a date for when the book will be excerpted," Downie said. "We cover the news and the book is news and since some of it is reported elsewhere we will report on it now."

The Post online story today opens: "Former White House chief of staff Andrew Card on two occasions tried and failed to persuade President Bush to fire Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, according to a new book by Bob Woodward that depicts senior officials of the Bush administration as unable to face the consequences of their policy in Iraq."

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Related E&P story: More From Upcoming Woodward Book Emerges