For claiming that he was intimidated by the White House and appearing on Fox News to talk about it, Bob Woodward has done “serious damage to his reputation,” according to Eric Boehlert, senior fellow at the liberal Media Matters for America.

Boehlert writes at MMFA:

Why Woodward decided to stage a media tour based on a false premise of a non-existent threat remains to be seen. But we do know Woodward’s now an honorary practitioner of the far right’s Phony Outrage Machine. …

Of course, the GOP Noise Machine embraced the story and hailed Woodward as a hero. And of course Hannity invited Woodward to appear on his show tonight, so the two men can marvel at the White House’s unvarnished nasty streak.

But again, the story isn’t true. There was no threat issued. The only question that remains is why Woodward felt the need to concoct such a bizarre and public Beltway drama.

Bob Woodward remains the most famous journalist of the Baby Boomer generation. And as I argued a few years ago, his often methodical, behind-the-scenes reporting can provide real insights. But by signing up for duty with the Phony Outrage Machine and by parading around on Fox News wringing his hands over a fictitious threat, Woodward does serious damage to his reputation.