Former Bush strategist, Matthew Dowd, is now saying he has lost faith in the president.
The irony is that one of my biggest criticisms of President Bush is that he surrounded himself with people like ... Matthew Dowd (which, I guess, means I have lost faith in Bush, too).
If you think of it, Dowd was a Democrat until 1999. He embraced Bush's "compassionate conservatism," but I doubt he ever read Barry Goldwater's Conscience of a Conservative (if you know what I mean). The bottom line is that Bush's inner circle included a lot of people who had never seen the inside of the Heritage Foundation before.
For the record, I agree with many of the things Dowd is saying, including the fact that after 9-11, Bush, "missed a real opportunity to call the country to a shared sense of sacrifice.” That's not the point.
Bush's insistence on surrounding himself with cronies -- many of whom are from Texas (think Harriet Miers and Gonzo) -- is one of the more troubling aspects of his tenure. He should not be surprised when these folks turn on him.
Now, the chickens have come home to roost.