Matthew Dowd, photo from PBS. 

Personal responsibility?  Not much.  Cry me a bloody (Tigris) river (emphasis added):

AUSTIN, Tex., March 29 — In 1999, Matthew Dowd became a symbol of George W. Bush’s early success at positioning himself as a Republican with Democratic appeal.

A top strategist for the Texas Democrats who was disappointed by the Bill Clinton years, Mr. Dowd was impressed by the pledge of Mr. Bush, then...