Political-Commentary.com

What Is Wrong with George Bush?

From http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Narcissistic_personality_disorder:

A narcissistic personality disorder . . . is characterized by an all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration or adulation and lack of empathy, usually beginning by early adulthood and present in various contexts. Five (or more) of the following criteria are considered necessary for the clinical diagnosis to be met:

* Feels grandiose and self-important (e.g., exaggerates accomplishments, talents, skills, contacts, and personality traits to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements);

* Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequalled brilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion;

* Firmly convinced that he or she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people (or institutions);

* Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation - or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (narcissistic supply);

* Feels entitled. Demands automatic and full compliance with his unreasonable expectations for special and favorable priority treatment.

* Is "interpersonally exploitative", i.e., uses others to achieve his or her own ends;

* Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with, acknowledge, or accept the feelings, needs, preferences, priorities, and choices of others;

* Constantly envious of others and seeks to hurt or destroy the objects of his frustration. Suffers from persecutory (paranoid) delusions as he believes that they feel the same about him or her and are likely to act similarly;

* Behaves arrogantly and haughtily. Feels superior, omnipotent, omniscient, invincible, immune, "above the law", and omnipresent (magical thinking). Rages when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted by people he considers inferior to him and unworthy.

Bush's Temper

In the second debate, Bush lost it, yelling at the moderator. Imagine that Kerry had done this. Wouldn't the Republicans be outraged by this behavior, claiming that it disqualified Kerry from being president?

The Presidential Debates

So far, the 2004 campaign has seen two presidential debates, and one vice presidential debate. Who has won them? That depends on what you mean by "win." In a "true debate," you make a list of issues and see how well each side handled them. Looked at that way, there is little doubt that Kerry and Edwards have clobbered their opponents.

However, presidential debates are about getting votes. If you like Bush's style, it doesn't matter that he specializes in empty slogans. The only thing that matters is the effect of the debates upon the horse race. How have the debates affected that? Well, viewers go into the debates with certain impressions of the candidates. If the debates merely confirm those impressions, not many votes will change. But to the extent the debates change impressions, the dynamic of the race can change.

So, what has been the effect of the debates upon the voters’ impressions of the candidates? The first debate made Bush look worse than expected, and Kerrey better than expected. So a clear win for Kerry.

The vice-presidential debate made Edwards look better than expected, but certainly didn't have the same effect upon Cheney. So a win for Edwards.

The second presidential debate was vintage Bush -- arrogant, illogical, full of slogans. So he came across about as expected. By contrast, Kerry was logical, consistent, to the point, and clear -- the very opposite of the stereotype that the Bush campaign has successfully painted of him. Thus, Kerry appeared better than expected, and won the debate.

The overall effect of the debates? A tremendous gain for Kerry. The debates have taken a largely unknown person and make him look like a solid candidate for president. At a little more than three weeks before the election, probably the only question is whether he will peak too soon.