Sperling and Woodward agree to move on

The bizarre back-and-forth between the White House and legendary Watergate reporter Bob Woodward has come to a close as both sides agreed on Sunday to move on.

Last week, Mr. Woodward seemed to allege that Mr. Sperling, director of the National Economic Council, threatened him during an email exchange about the looming sequestration cuts. Mr. Sperling disputed that characterization, and many pundits who have examined the entire series of emails say Mr. Woodward may have exaggerated.

The iconic journalist appeared to walk back his allegation during an appearance Sunday on CBS‘ “Face the Nation,” saying that he merely meant the Obama administration’s way of dealing with challenging reporters “just won’t work.”

He agreed with Mr. Sperling’s suggestion that the two men put the flap behind them and return to focusing on important issues.

“He’s a peacemaker. I am in the business of listening. I am going to invite him over to my house, and hopefully he’ll bring others from the White House, maybe the president himself. Talking really works,” Mr. Woodward said.

Mr. Sperling expressed similar sentiments during an interview on ABC’s “This Week.”

“I’ve known Bob Woodward for 20 years, and we’ve had a very friendly and respectful relationship,” he said. “Bob Woodward is a legend, and I hope him and I can put this behind us.”

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