A Psychiatrist's Perspective On The Dim One

Psychiatrist's analysis of George Bush: A perspective from Dr. Paul Minot, a psychiatrist in Waterville, Maine and Allan Schnaiberg, Professor at Northwestern University. President George W. Bush's "irrational" consideration of a "surge" in the wake of the Iraq Study Group report -- which apparently defies all credible counsel - has begun to generate speculation regarding his sanity. References to Bush's "delusions" have appeared in the mainstream media and throughout the blogosphere. As a psychiatrist, I understandably get concerned when I see clinical terminology bandied about in political discourse, and thought it might be of interest to share a professional perspective on this question. I have a distinct clinical impression that I think explains much of Mr. Bush's visible pathology. First and foremost, George W. Bush has a Narcissistic Personality Disorder. What this means, is that he has rather desperate insecurities about himself, and compensates by constructing a grandiose self -image. Most of his relationships are either mirroring relationships -- people who flatter him and reinforce his grandiosity -- or idealized self-objects -- people that he himself thinks a lot of, and hence feels flattered by his association with them. Some likely perform both functions. Hence his weakness for sycophants like Attorney Harriet Miers, and powerful personalities like Vice President Dick Cheney. Even as a narcissist, Bush knows he is not a great intellect, and compensates by dismissing the value of intellect altogether. Hence his disses of Gore's bookishness, and any other intellectual that isn't flattering him. Bush knows that his greatest personal strength is projecting personal affability, and tries to utilize it even in the most inappropriate settings. That's why he gave impromptu backrubs to the Female German Chancellor in a diplomatic meeting -- George W. Bush is insecure intellectually, and tries to make everyone into a "buddy" so he can feel more secure. The most disturbing aspect about narcissists, however, is their pathological inability to empathize with others, with the exception of those who either mirror them, or whom they idealize. Hence Bush's horrifying insensitivity to the Katrina victims, his callous jokes when visiting grievously injured soldiers, and numerous other instances. He simply has no capacity to feel for others in that way. When President Lindon B. Johnson was losing Vietnam, he developed a haunted expression that anybody could recognize as indicative of underlying anguish. For all his faults, you just knew he was losing sleep over it. By the same token, we know just as well that George W. Bush is not losing any sleep over dead American soldiers, to say nothing of dead Iraqis. He didn't exhibit any sign of significant concern until his own political popularity was sliding -- because THAT'S something he CAN feel. Which brings us to his recent "delusion." To be blunt, I don't see any indication that Bush has any sort of psychotic disorder whatsoever. The lapses in reality-testing that he exhibits are the sort that can be readily explained by his characterological insensitivity to the feelings and perceptions of others, due to his persistently self-centered frame of reference. Mr. Bush knows that things aren't going his way in Iraq, and he knows that it is damaging him politically. He also sees that it is likely to get worse no matter what he does, and in fact it may be a lost cause. However, he recognizes that if he follows the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, that Iraq will almost certainly evolve into a puppet state of Iran, and given his treatment of Iran he will completely lose control of the situation -- and he will be politically discredited for this outcome. The ONLY chance that he has to avoid this political disaster, and save his political skin, is to hope against hope for "victory" in Iraq. Advancing the "surge" idea offers Bush two political advantages over following the Iraq Study Group recommendations. One is that if it is implemented, maybe, just maybe, he can pull out some sort of nominal "victory" out of the situation. The chances are exceedingly slim, granted, but slim is better to him than the alternative (none). Alternately, if the "surge" is politically rejected, he gains some political cover, so when things inevitably go bad, he can say "I told you so" and blame the "surrender monkeys" for the outcome. Most people probably won't buy it, but some (his core Republican & Fundamentalist base) will. Now, I know what many of you are thinking -- is George W. Bush willing to risk the lives of hundreds, maybe thousands more American soldiers, on an outside chance to save his political skin, in a half-baked plan that even he knows probably won't work at all? Yes, he is! Because George Bush is that narcissistic, that desperate, and yes, that sociopathic as well. Especially interesting about Mr. Bush, but quite common, Narcissistic Personality Disorder is frequently associated with alcoholism. The insufferable "holier than thou" attitude associated with "Dry Drunk Syndrome" is indicative of underlying narcissism. Also, the way that Bush embraces Christianity is characteristically narcissistic. Rather than incorporating the lessons of humility and empathy modeled by Jesus, Bush uses his Christian faith to reinforce his grandiosity. Jesus is his powerful ally, his idealized "buddy" who gives a rubber stamp to anything he thinks. Finally -- and this will sound VERY familiar to many readers -- those persons with NPD are notoriously unable to say they're sorry. Admitting error is fundamentally incompatible with their precarious efforts to maintain their sense of order. Anyone having this particular character flaw almost certainly has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. ALLAN SCHNAIBERG Professor of Sociology & Faculty Associate, Institute for Policy Research Northwestern University 1812 Chicago Avenue, room 108 Evanston, IL 60208 847-491-3202 FAX: 847-491-9907 _http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/people/schnaibergpapers.html_ (http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/people/schnaibergpapers.html)

TED HAGGARD CURED! (NOT?)

Rev. Ted Haggard MIKE JONES When I heard two days ago that one of Ted's spokesmen claims that Ted is "completely heterosexual," I raised my eyebrows because I knew that this was going to be one of those slick stories made up for the media. One of his ministerial reparation counselors, Rev. Tim Larkspur went on to say this his affair with gay escort Mike Jones was the only gay sexual contact he has ever had and that he is completely heterosexual."

This doesn't make any sense to me. In Ted's confessional letter to the congregation of New Life Church he said, "There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I've been warring against it all of my adult life." He admits in the letter that he is a "deceiver and a liar." I'd like to ask him, "which way is it, Ted? Were your trysts with the gay prostitute your ONLY gay experience or is it the only one your church investigators can prove? And when are you being a deceiver and a liar and when can we believe you?

And when I heard that after 3 weeks of counselling, he and his wife plan to return to school and become psychologists, I decided Ted needs to enter a long term treatment center for the mentally ill. He's had THREE weeks of counseling with minister friends after causing grief to his church members, family, friends and he thinks he can just become a psychologist before he gets his own life in order. I fear that without intensive therapy, Ted Haggard will be one of the most dangerous psychologists America has ever seen.

Another aspect of this story that bothers me is James Dobson of Focus on the Family. Why did he drop out of the Haggard Counselling Team after just two days? Is Dobson one of those fair weathered friends? Skeletons rattling in the closet? Something come out in the first couple of days of counselling that rang alarm bells and made him want to run? Or did Dobson realize that Ted is gayer than Liberace and that it was going to take until Jesus comes to set him straight?

The one who shows the class and the best behavior in this mess is Mike Jones. When he visited New Life Church to see what it was like recently, he had nice things to say and appreciated that people who were nice to him and even said, "thank you" to him for letting truth come forth. Mike Jones brought Ted Haggard's deceit into the sunlight. He exposed Ted for

what he is: a man struggling with his sexuality and drug addiction vs his religion.

He showed New Life Church and the American Association of Evangelicals a man

who couldn't handle it except with deceit and lies.

Ted Haggard needs our prayers. He's hurting and may he one day he will accept

that he is a man who has feelings inside that are normal and created by God.

What's not normal is the denial and avoidance of who he is: A man with gay

attractions whom Jesus loves and cares for. My prayer is for Ted to heal from

the pain he has caused others and the torment he is going through. I hope that

one day he will come to realize deep down inside that he doesn't need to be anybody

other than the honest man God created rather than pretending to be something

he's not.

My hope also, is that Ted's minister counselor friends who are letting everybody

know that Ted is cured after three weeks are being honest and not being the deceivers

and liars Ted has been.

To see an excerpt of the kind of dishonest life Ted Haggard lived you might want to see this clip from one of his sermons. It was also in the movie Jesus Camp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnYd4R8crKg&mode=related&search=