2007年VOA标准英语-Former Bush Strategist Splits With President

By Paula Wolfson
White House
01 April 2007

One of President Bush's longtime political advisors¹ has now become one of the administration's biggest critics. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports Matthew Dowd is taking on the White House in a very public way.

Matthew Dowd took his complaints to the New York Times.

In a story that appears on the front page of Sunday's edition, he describes the president as isolated², and details a loss of faith in George Bush and his policies.

Dowd is considered one of the chief strategists behind the president's 2004 re-election victory over Democrat³ John Kerry. But he told the Times he now thinks the Massachusetts senator was right in calling for a withdrawal⁴ from Iraq.

The White House response to his comment was relatively⁵ low key. During an appearance on the CBS television program Face the Nation, Dan Barlett, one of the president's top advisors, described Dowd as an old friend. Bartlett said Dowd is on - what he called - "a long personal journey" and is seeking answers at a trying time in his life when his soldier-son is headed to war.

"He himself has acknowledged that he is going through a lot of personal turmoil⁶, but also he has a son who is soon to be deployed⁷ to Iraq," said Dan Barlett. "That can only impact a parent's mind as they think through these issues."

Bartlett said in a way, Dowd is personifying the national debate about Iraq.

"... and it brings out emotions in people from both sides of the aisle⁸ [Republicans and Democrats⁹], even those who work closely for the president," he said.

He said he disagreed with Dowd's assertion that the president is isolated, and does not understand the difficulties of the war.

"I have spent most of the last 14 years working beside this president," said Bartlett. "I know everyday he wakes up and there is nothing that weighs more heavily on his mind than this conflict and the people he is sending into it and risking their lives."

Dowd also has a long history with the president that goes back to his days as the Republican governor of Texas. He told the New York Times he joined the Bush staff because of the governor's ability to work with Democrats in the state legislature.

But Dowd told the New York Times that as president, George W. Bush has squandered¹⁰ the ability to unite the country after the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Congressional Democrats seized on those comments, including Delaware's Joe Biden - the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"I think that is the most disappointing legacy¹¹ of this administration, not Iraq or any specific item," said Joe Biden. "I think it is that sort of mindset."

1 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

2 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

7 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

8 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

9 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 squandered   

v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squandered all his money on gambling. 他把自己所有的钱都糟蹋在赌博上了。
• She felt as indignant as if her own money had been squandered. 她心里十分生气，好像是她自己的钱给浪费掉了似的。 来自飘（部分）

11 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。