Famed journalist Bob Woodward claimed today that the head of Amtrak is trying to kill him.
The surprising charge stems from an email Woodward received last week referencing a "bullet train" Amtrak is hoping to build from Chicago to St. Louis.
Although the message reads like a perfectly innocuous request for a journalist to cover a story, the frequent use of the word "bullet" has left Woodward fearing for his life.
The venerable Washington Post writer of Watergate fame has been hiding out at an "undisclosed location" in the Washington, D.C. area for the past few days and will remain in "deep cover" until the heat dies down.
All The King's Horses
News of Woodward's ordeal comes just days after he accused Gene Sperling, an economic adviser in President Obama's administration, of sending a "threatening" email after Woodward challenged Obama's version of events over how the indiscriminate budget cut known as "the sequester" came into being.
A subsequent release of the emails in question found Woodward to be exaggerating, with the aide writing in a deferential and apologetic tone.
In an interview over a secure satellite phone, Woodward says this time it's different and that he really is under threat.
"This guy, this Amtrak guy he sends me an email out of the blue," Woodward said. "And it was all like BULLET this and BULLET that. And then he said something about THROUGH THE HEART.
"And I was like 'Oh my god this guy is trying to send me a message!' So I activated my super-secret emergency plan, and I'm not leaving my safe-house until I get the all clear."
Politico later obtained a copy of the email in question, which is reprinted below:
-
Hi Bob,
I am just reaching out to you wondering if you'd be interesting in covering a story for us. As you may know Amtrak is going to be announcing the construction of a new high-speed or 'bullet train' from Chicago to St. Louis early next month. The new train is going to be the fastest in service in North America and one of the fastest in the world. Once completed you can get from the Windy City to the Gateway Arch in just over an hour. Now that really is faster than a speeding bullet! So far we haven't been able to get a lot of press coverage, but this train will cut right though the heart of Illinois, which is where I understand you're from. So it'd be great if you could do your hometown a service and cast a national spotlight on this exciting new train project.
Sincerely,
Joseph H. Boardman
President, AMTRAK
