Maureen Dowd

Maureen Dowd (born January 14, 1952) is a columnist for The New York Times and an author. She won a Pulitzer Prize in 1999 for her series of columns on the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Dowd was born in Washington, D.C., the youngest of five children in a Catholic family where her father worked as a police officer.

Related Topics:
January 14 - 1952 - The New York Times - Pulitzer Prize - 1999 - Monica Lewinsky scandal - Washington, D.C. - Catholic

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In 1973, Dowd received a B.A. in English Literature from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. After graduating, she began her career in 1974 as an editorial assistant for the Washington Star where she later became a sports columnist, metropolitan reporter, and feature writer. When the newspaper closed in 1981, she went to work at Time magazine. In 1983, she joined The New York Times, initially as a metropolitan reporter. She began serving as correspondent in The Times Washington bureau in 1986. In 1991, Ms. Dowd received a Breakthrough Award from Columbia University. In 1992, she was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for national reporting, and in 1994 she won a Matrix Award from New York Women in Communications. In 1995, Dowd replaced opinion columnist Anna Quindlen, who went to work at Newsweek magazine. Dowd was named a Woman of the Year by Glamour magazine in 1996. In 2000, she won the Damon Runyon award for outstanding contributions to journalism.

Related Topics:
1973 - B.A. - Catholic University - Washington Star - 1981 - Time - The New York Times - Columbia University - 1995 - Anna Quindlen - Newsweek

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Dowd's columns are distinguished by their witty, incisive, acerbic style. Her targets are usually powerful figures such as President George W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton. Her columns often display a marked irreverence. For example, she usually refers to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as "Rummy." She is allegedly close to New York Times conservative opinion writer William Safire.

Related Topics:
President - George W. Bush - Bill Clinton - Donald Rumsfeld - William Safire

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Dowd's critics, especially James Taranto, have often accused her of editing quotes and adding ellipses so as to change the quotes' intended meanings; the word "dowdify" has been coined to describe this habit. The word has been used as parlance among conservative journalists and bloggers to describe any wilful misinterpretation of a quote.

Related Topics:
James Taranto - Ellipses - Bloggers

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Dowd is the author of the 2004 book Bushworld: Enter at Your Own Risk.

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Dowd's new book, Are Men Necessary? When Sexes Collide, will be published in November 2005.

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