Matthew Dowd
Encyclopedia
Matthew John Dowd is an American political consultant who was the chief strategist for the Bush-Cheney '04 presidential campaign
. In December 2007, he was introduced on ABC's
Good Morning America
as its new political contributor. He also appears on the same network's This Week
with Christiane Amanpour
.
. In 1999, he switched parties to become a Republican.
During the 2002 election, Dowd was a senior adviser to the Republican National Committee
.
During the 2004 Presidential election, Dowd was chief strategist for George W. Bush
's re-election campaign.
As reported in The New York Times
on April 1, 2007, Dowd had come to feel a deep frustration with and great disappointment in George W. Bush
, whom he criticized for failing to call the nation together in time of war, for ignoring the will of the American public with regard to the Iraq War, his re-nomination of former UN ambassador John Bolton
after his rejected confirmation and for failing to hold Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
accountable for the Abu Ghraib scandal. According to Democracy Now, Dowd claims to have undergone a change of heart regarding the Iraq War, and adopted a position advocating a withdraw from that country, after contemplating the likelihood of his own son's deployment
to the country
, as well as after seeing Bush
refuse to meet with anti-war-mother Cindy Sheehan
in the summer of 2005, while he was entertaining Lance Armstrong
at his ranch in Crawford, Texas
. Dowd cited these incidents, as well as Bush's handling of the Hurricane Katrina
disaster, as cause for this change.
Upon leaving the Bush administration, Dowd has not been on speaking terms with former White House political adviser Karl Rove
. Sidney Blumenthal
, in an opinion piece in Salon
, entitled "Matthew Dowd's not-so-miraculous conversion", described Dowd as an "opportunist".
On December 2, 2010 Dowd penned an opinion piece in the National Journal
defending Wikileaks
, writing that, "Republicans and Democrats seem to agree on a few things: That the government, in the name of fighting terrorism, has the right to listen in on all of our phone conversations and read our e-mails, even if it has no compelling reason for doing so."
George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2004
This article is about the presidential campaign of George W. Bush, the former President of the United States and winner of the 2004 Presidential Election. See George W. Bush for a detailed biography and information about his full presidency, and George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000 for a...
. In December 2007, he was introduced on ABC's
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
as its new political contributor. He also appears on the same network's This Week
This Week (ABC TV series)
This Week is ABC's Sunday morning political affairs program.The Sunday morning talk show has aired on Sunday mornings on ABC since 1981; the program is initially aired at 9:00 AM ET, although many stations air the program later, especially those in other time zones...
with Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour, CBE is anchor of ABC News's This Week and formerly chief international correspondent at CNN, where she worked for 27 years. She is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Early years:...
.
Career
Dowd began his political career as a Democrat, working for, among others, Texas Lt. Governor Bob BullockBob Bullock
Robert Douglas Bullock, known as Bob Bullock , was a Democratic politician from Texas, whose career spanned four decades. His service culminated in his term as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from January 15, 1991–January 19, 1999 during the terms of Governors Ann Richards and George W...
. In 1999, he switched parties to become a Republican.
During the 2002 election, Dowd was a senior adviser to the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
.
During the 2004 Presidential election, Dowd was chief strategist for George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's re-election campaign.
As reported in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
on April 1, 2007, Dowd had come to feel a deep frustration with and great disappointment in George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, whom he criticized for failing to call the nation together in time of war, for ignoring the will of the American public with regard to the Iraq War, his re-nomination of former UN ambassador John Bolton
John R. Bolton
John Robert Bolton is an American lawyer and diplomat who has served in several Republican presidential administrations. He served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations from August 2005 until December 2006 on a recess appointment...
after his rejected confirmation and for failing to hold Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
accountable for the Abu Ghraib scandal. According to Democracy Now, Dowd claims to have undergone a change of heart regarding the Iraq War, and adopted a position advocating a withdraw from that country, after contemplating the likelihood of his own son's deployment
Military deployment
Military deployment is the movement of armed forces and their logistical support infrastructure around the world.-United States:The United States Military defines the term as follows:...
to the country
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, as well as after seeing Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
refuse to meet with anti-war-mother Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Lee Miller Sheehan is an American anti-war activist whose son, U.S. Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, was killed by enemy action during the Iraq War. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 for her extended anti-war protest at a makeshift camp outside President...
in the summer of 2005, while he was entertaining Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
at his ranch in Crawford, Texas
Crawford, Texas
Crawford is a town located in western McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is best known as the home of former President of the United States George W. Bush. He currently resides at the Prairie Chapel Ranch, which is located just outside Crawford, Texas....
. Dowd cited these incidents, as well as Bush's handling of the Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
disaster, as cause for this change.
Upon leaving the Bush administration, Dowd has not been on speaking terms with former White House political adviser Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
. Sidney Blumenthal
Sidney Blumenthal
Sidney Blumenthal is a former aide to President of the United States Bill Clinton and a widely published American journalist, especially on American politics and foreign policy....
, in an opinion piece in Salon
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
, entitled "Matthew Dowd's not-so-miraculous conversion", described Dowd as an "opportunist".
On December 2, 2010 Dowd penned an opinion piece in the National Journal
National Journal
National Journal is a nonpartisan American weekly magazine that reports on the current political environment and emerging political and policy trends. National Journal was first published in 1969. Times Mirror owned the magazine from 1986 to 1997, when it was purchased by David G. Bradley...
defending Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
, writing that, "Republicans and Democrats seem to agree on a few things: That the government, in the name of fighting terrorism, has the right to listen in on all of our phone conversations and read our e-mails, even if it has no compelling reason for doing so."
External links
- Excel spreadsheet with fees paid to Dowd by BC04
- Another copy of the Excel spreadsheet showing the $977 paid in fees and expenses paid to Dowd by BC04
- Dowd's 1993 donation to the campaign of Senator Lloyd Bentsen
- Dowd's page at the Web site for his company Vianovo
- FRONTLINE (PBS) interview with Matthew Dowd
- "Ex-Aide Says He’s Lost Faith in Bush" New York Times
- Dowd's ABCNews blog