The correct answer is " the effectiveness of democracy, particularly checks and balances."
The investigative journalism done by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward helped to expose president Richard Nixon during the Watergate Scandal. The information reported by these gentlemen showed that the freedom of the press cannot be limited just because the president dislikes the findings. Along with this, it shows that the system of checks and balances is alive in well.
A perfect example of this is the court case of the United States vs. Nixon. In this Supreme Court case, it is ruled that president Nixon must release the documents and recordings that were subpoenaed by a federal district court. The ruling in this case shows that the President is just like every other citizen, as they must comply with the courts demands.