Robert Redford - Redford Urges Journalists To Investigate Bush

LATEST: ROBERT REDFORD has urged journalists to investigate US President GEORGE W BUSH's administration - because he sees strong similarities between Bush's government and the events leading to the Watergate scandal which forced President RICHARD NIXON to resign.

Redford starred in 1976 movie ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN alongside DUSTIN HOFFMAN, as The Washington Post journalists BOB WOODWARD and CARL BERNSTEIN, who brought about the events that led to Nixon's resignation in 1974.

And Redford wasn't surprised when the identity of the mysterious 'Deep Throat' character who sparked the Watergate scandal was recently revealed to be former deputy FBI chief MARK FELT.

But the shock revelation has reminded the actor of the power of the media and the similarities between Bush's secret cover-ups and the Watergate affair.

He says, "There are deep similarities going on but where is the press? where is the press?"

"There is stone-walling, not telling the truth, getting people under wiretaps. The US public continues to be told things that are not true and what worries me is that we have these brave young American guys risking their lives everyday.

"When Deep Throat was revealed, the press came to me and wanted to know what I thought. I said, 'Well, it's interesting that his name came out but is that the point?'

"My contribution was to come at a time when journalism was at its high point and the role I played was to save a testimony to the freedom of speech. The media have changed, we see the ethics have changed. The press is more, I am sorry to say, celebrity oriented."