Maureen Dowd is one of my favorite writers. She’s been at The New York Times for decades and covering politics, particularly US presidents, for thirty-six years. Beginning with George Herbert Walker Bush, or 41, who was very fond of her. Keep that in mind.
Dowd was recently interviewed about that at the New Orleans book festival. I found it fascinating. Let’s get into it.
My Takeaway
was that Ms Dowd hasn’t lost anything, even though she’s now seventy-two years old.
I began following her writing twenty-four years ago during the presidential election- Bush v. Gore. She turned her columns into a book, Bushworld (2004), which I thought remarkably insightful. Maureen took a Freudian approach as to why W (Bush 43), Bush 41’s son, invaded Iraq. In the interview she calls that, “The worst foreign policy mistake in American history.”
Subsequently she wrote Are Men Necessary (2005), Are Men Obsolete (2014), and in 2016 The Year Of Voting Dangerously. Ha! It’s important that she self-indentifies as “shy and introverted.” I’ll add she is a smart, whity, never-married feminist. Additionally, she grew up working class, Irish Catholic. Her father was employed as DC Capital Police.
[This is so rich.]
Her Takes
on the six presidents she covered are short, sweet, and spot on.
- 41- G.H.W. Bush: a perfect gentleman. A first-order Spook.
- 42- Bill Clinton: politically great, soiled by womanizing behavior.
- 43- Dubya: a good man done in by insecurity and domineering men.
- 44- Obama: just wanted to be cool. A big disappointment.
- 45- Trump: always transactional. Learned swagger in the 70’s at Yankee Stadium.
- 46- Biden: angry and a liar.
Dowd says she greatly admires Nancy Pelosi because she wielded power as a confident woman who didn’t give what others thought a thought.
She, Dowd, thought that Donald Trump could “never become president in a million years.” Because his “schtick” would never work.
Trump’s Take
was that Maureen was a “crazy, moronic dope.” However, he’d be willing to give her access and an interview if she’d agree to his terms. According to Ms Dowd.
In Conclusion
I’d say, stay tuned. Maggie Haberman has blown it so why not Dowd? Trump has left the door open to her. Wouldn’t that be something? Let me know what you think? Because 45 is likely to become 47. In my analysis.
PS
there’s so much more here to get into. However, I like to keep these posts short. Besides – it’s Friday. And you know what that means, right?
I’m familiar with her…I take issue with her characterizations of Obama and Biden…and yeah, it’s Friday. Tequila calling! Lol
It’s a great, not too long interview. In the Q & A a person asked about J6- given her father’s job, etc.
Big dodge by all.
Interesting, yes?
Cheers, Bill. Thanks for checking in 🍻
I would agree with you Mark. This woman was indeed spot-on when it came to summarizing the six presidents that she covered. I don’t always agree with her (she’s a little too feminist for me), but she nailed the personalities of the presidents! Great job (as always!)
Thanks! Liz Cheney was also at the book festival. I watched some of her interview. She is, of course, super anti-Trump, part of the “he’s a threat” faction. Her TDS is real. But, she has her fans. Most book readers are liberals, writers, too. So these shows, festivals, and fairs are tough for the likes of me.
~ I’ve read Dick Cheney’s memoir, Bush’s (43), Obama’s (1st), Clinton’s. They all naturally are biased rationalizations for their behaviors and decisions, etc.
~ I like Dowd. She’s smart and funny; but yeah, a feminist spinster – so there is that. The why of that? A shrink question.