The Psychopath in the White House

[IChing]

By David Model,

Sun Oct 23rd, 2005 at 05:44:17 AM EDT :: Bush

Killing Frogs and Iraqis.
Is George W. a Psychopath?
George McGovern, the 1972 Democratic candidate for president was relentlessly criticized for not knowing that his running mate, Thomas Eagleton, had received electroshock therapy for depression. Increasing pressure forced McGovern to ask Eagleton to resign who was then replaced with Sergeant Shriver. The revelation about Eagleton created two problems for McGovern: a man with a history of mental illness was a heartbeat away from the presidency; and McGovern's careless oversight in not thoroughly investigating his running mate's past. So raving lunatics, people suffering from depression, bipolar mood disorder, disassociative identity disorder and psychopaths need not apply as running mate for a presidential candidate. The public understandably demands that people with mental disorders be excluded as candidates or potential candidates from the position of commander-in-chief; the head of, by far, the most potent military machine on the planet who has his finger on the nuclear button.
The alarming irony is that American voters are completely oblivious to the fact that they may have voted men into the highest office of the land who were probably suffering from a very dangerous form of mental illness. Despite the lack of a psychiatric diagnosis, it is still possible to reach a tentative diagnosis for these presidents based on the multiplicity of symptoms clearly indicated by their behaviour.

The basis for this claim is the fact that Presidents since World War II have committed atrocities in a myriad of ways which include but are not limited to bombing innocent civilians and destroying non-military targets, imposing sanctions that inflict unimaginable hardships on people, torturing prisoners, and sending suspected terrorists to Syria, Egypt etc. to be tortured outside the United States, conspiring to assassinate democratically elected leaders and replacing them with brutal dictators who are American-friendly and who then commit atrocities against their own people. It is difficult to comprehend how people responsible for these atrocities live out their lives without any apparent detrimental impact on their emotional and mental health. It is obvious that either they do not have a normal conscience, are skillful at overcoming cognitive dissonance or have a highly cultivated rationalization mechanism. Although these hypotheses are plausible, there has to be a more discursive explanation.

One possible explanation why presidents seem to be immune to the expected self-doubts, pangs of conscience, or deep remorse which would result from causing so much suffering and death is that they have psychopathic tendencies. Notwithstanding the potential for monstrous behaviour, socialized psychopaths appear normal, can be very charming, and seem to function successfully in society.

Characteristics that lead to a positive diagnosis include a remarkable disregard for the truth, the inability to accept blame, lack of remorse, shame or guilt, lack of empathy, lack of conscience, and socially predatory behaviour. Does George W. qualify? A cursory glance at the traits of a psychopath suggests that George W. probably possesses most of the ascribed characteristics.
To answer this question we turn to Dr. Robert D. Hare, one of the foremost specialists in this area, who has designed the classic checklist of traits which characterize psychopaths
>>>.snip http://forum.truthout.org/blog/story/2005/10/23/54417/948

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. The public ... demands that people with mental disorders be excluded

Such as Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill, both of whom suffered from depression.

I don't know who David Model is, but he needs to do his homework.

[IChing]

3. Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill didn't hold the nuclear button

that could destroy the world with 40 megaton bombs


You obviously have not read the whole article or lived during the McGovern campaign, it wasn't really his depression, it was the electro shock therapy that turned the public against McGovern's choice and the stigma of getting therapy for depression.

A psychopath is a totally different animal.
and a cause for concern......

[melody]

10. exactly

Sociopathy is an entirely different matter altogether.

Lincoln and Churchill weren't psychotic - that's the difference.

[Southsideirish]

6. Depression is one thing, sociopathy is quite another. I think political

candidates (because that is an occupation sociopaths are very much attracted to due to their quest for aggrandizement and aided by their outgoing personalities, "charm", and proclivity for lying) should have to face psychological testing in order that these dangerous deviants be screened out

[Captain Hilts]

13. Theodore Roosevelt [and Eleanor] were depression sufferers also. nt

[Demeter]

2. What About Cheney?

If you took a census, you'd probably come up with 20% psychopaths, and the rest are yesmen and women, with the occasional secretary to correct spelling,grammar, and protocol.

[Stand and Fight]

4. Nothing more than subjective speculative analysis.

There is no basis of objectivity in this article. I have read Dr. Justin Frank's book and though I went into reading it I came away from it with the same opinion I have of this article. That is, that it is based upon speculation and junk evidence. What's the old saying in psychology? "Correlation does not prove causation." Extending that principle a bit, and I am forced to conclude that while I think George W. Bush is disturbed, I cannot objectively conclude he is a psychopath based upon what has been presented here. If you cannot convince a layman who is already biased toward Bush, how can you convince the middle-of-the-roaders and Bush's supporters?

[RC]

5. Psychopath/Sociopath?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2177234&mesg_id=2177418


If you cannot convince a layman who is already biased toward Bush, how can you convince the middle-of-the-roaders and Bush's supporters?
Do you mean against?

[melody]

11. Bully Online clinches it for me

I find their very clear description of bullying to be very indicative of Bush's psyche:

http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/serial.htm

[Bozvotros]

7. Shot his brothers in the back with a bb gun

Sez Kneel:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13603-2004Nov25.html

I think Smirky is probably a Mixed Personality Disorder with narcissistic and psychopathic tendencies. But,I think the growing evidence of meltdown is due to the drying up of narcissistic supplies. As his ratings plummets and ever more harsh criticism increases and he is being openly spoken about as a failure, incompetent, weak, stupid etc, he needs increasing reassurance from fawning admirers or protective parent figures. When Miers is given the boot and the indictments on Cheney and Rove start coming down, he will decompensate. I predict he will go down in a really ugly fashion. I can't see him making it three more years.

[Lisa]

8. thanks for finding this!

A while back, I mentioned that Bush had a penchant for threatening his brothers with his BB gun -- his idea of imposing household discipline -- and not just shooting them in the butt, but doing it in the house. People thought I was making it up!

[cassiepriam]

14. The decomp has already started. But he is on the grown up bus

now, no easy way off. He is stuck with this job whether he likes it or not. For the first time in his life, he cannot bail out. At least he cannot bail out as easily as he as in the past.

[freesqueeze]

9. Well...If the Straightjacket Fits....

There is something wrong somewhere.

Maybe it was just the last two presidential elections.

http://www.freesqueeze.com/BlameGame.htm

[melody]

12. Tim Fields' analysis

I think anyone who reads this expert's description of "bullyism" will easily see George "It's Not My Fault" Bush:

http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/serial.htm