A Defector From the Bush Inner Circle
Does Matthew Dowd's startling public criticism of the President signal that a broader rebellion is stirring among former supporters?
Most Americans probably never heard of Matthew Dowd. But his harsh criticisms of President Bush, published on Page One of the New York Times on Sunday, are rippling through the political world and causing quite a stir among bloggers of all stripes and among many Republicans in Washington.
The buzz is strong because Dowd is the first defector from Bush's political inner circle, which has always been known for its loyalty. He was Bush's chief strategist in the 2004 re-election campaign and a Bush adviser dating back to the president's years as governor of Texas. Dowd seemed to embody a central part of Bush's appeal in 2000—his track record of reaching out to the other side. Dowd said he was moved to change his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican specifically because he was so impressed with Governor Bush and his promise to be a "uniter not a divider" as president.
"I really like him, which is probably why I'm so disappointed in things," Dowd told the Times. He added: "I think he's become more, in my view, secluded and bubbled in." Dowd now calls for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq—the position that Democratic nominee John Kerry took in 2004—and wants Bush to reach out to his critics rather than take a "my way or the highway" approach.
It's significant that Dowd chose the New York Times for his interview. He wanted to send a message that he was breaking big-time with his former boss, and going public with a newspaper that West Wing insiders consider an arch-critic of the administration did the trick.
Dowd's defection is causing Republican insiders to wonder whether this is the start of a larger rebellion against Bush by his former supporters. GOP insiders say this could easily happen among GOP members of Congress on the most important issue of the day: Iraq. If Bush's current buildup of combat troops fails to demonstrate strong progress by late summer, it's very possible that Republicans in the Senate and House will give up on the war effort and join Democrats in voting for a timetable for withdrawal.
Why did Dowd speak out now? "I'm a big believer that in part what we're called to do—to me, by God; other people call it karma—is to restore balance when things didn't turn out the way they should have," he said. "...Just being quiet is not an option when I was so publicly advocating an election." He admits that he has endured some personal tragedies in his recent years that have given him better perspective on life and politics: the death of one of his premature twin daughters; a divorce; and now the imminent departure of his oldest son Daniel to Iraq as an Army intelligence specialist.
Last year, he worked on the re-election campaign of GOP Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, who won a strong victory by reaching out to Democrats and calling for unity, rather than by mostly appealing to conservatives as Bush has done. Dowd was very pleased with Schwarzenegger's approach and today he says, "I do feel a calling of trying to re-establish a level of gentleness in the world."
advertisement
