Communication of this message required a coordinated effort. Each person's willingness to talk to Woodward was cross-checked against the willingness of several others to talk to him. This was part of Woodward's standard method of establishing a critical mass of inside sources: he created a kind of in-group, and this also suggested that if you failed to participate, you would not only lose your opportunity to be part of the in-group but lose your place in history
In "Siege: Trump Under Fire," Michael Wolff describes how communication among sources was critical for investigative journalist Bob Woodward. Each individual’s readiness to share information with him was verified by assessing the willingness of others to do the same. This process was part of Woodward’s strategy to build a robust network of insiders who could provide reliable information.
This approach fostered a sense of belonging among participants, implying that those who chose not to engage risked exclusion from the in-group and potentially missing their chance to make an impactful contribution to history. This dynamic highlights both the importance of collaboration and the pressures individuals face when involved in high-stakes political narratives.
