All the President's Men1976

[Woodward has just finished writing his first article on the Watergate break-in, and puts it in the pile to be submitted. Bernstein walks to the desk, sees the story, then takes it and starts working on it himself. Woodward goes to him]

Bernstein:
How's it going?

Woodward:
What're you doing?

Bernstein:
I'm polishing it a little.

Woodward:
You're what?

Bernstein:
Polishing.

Woodward:
What's wrong with it?

Bernstein:
Nothing, nothing, it's good.

Woodward:
Then what are you doing with it?

Bernstein:
I'm helping it, it's a little fuzzy.

Woodward:
May I have it?

Bernstein:
I don't think you're saying what you mean.

Woodward:
I know exactly what I mean.

Bernstein:
Not here. I can't tell from this whether Hunt works for Coulson or Coulson works for Hunt-

Woodward:
May I have it, please?

Bernstein:
-so many conclusions to this-

Woodward:
May I have it?

Bernstein:
Yes, I'm not looking for a fight.

Woodward:
I'm not looking for a fight either.

Bernstein:
I'm just aware of the fact that you've only been here nine months.

Woodward:
What's that got to do with anything?

Bernstein:
Well, I've been in the business since I was 16.

Woodward:
What're you saying?

Bernstein:
Look, I'm trying to tell you that if you'd read mine, and then read yours-

Woodward:
Can I read yours?

Bernstein:
Yeah. [Woodward takes Bernstein's version and reads them side-by-side] I walked by, gave yours a glance, it didn't look right, so I figured I'd just refine it a little. The first paragraph has to have more clarity, the readers gotta understand. You don't mention Coulson's name till the third paragraph. I think mine's better, but you go ahead and read. If you think yours is better, we'll give yours to the desk. I've got Coulson's name up front. He's a White House consultant and nobody knows-

Woodward:
You're right. Yours is better. [Goes to his desk, comes back with a bunch of papers] If you're gonna do it, do it right, here are my notes. If you're gonna hype it, hype it with the facts. I don't mind what you did, I mind the way you did it.