Besides Mittens I also see Palin, Christie and the majority of the republican leaders. You know like Turtle face McConnell, Bagle boy Cantor and the Cryer of the House Boner.

Simple as that.

on the internet, though (thankfully) none in meatspace.

The tell for me is that they are likely to take the least disagreement as a personal attack, which then gives them license to attack others with a vengeance. (A variation of the last sentence of the OP, I guess.)

at some point in their lives.

...and it can be difficult at times.
They cannon be taken seriously.

But, I assume you're talking about Mittens?

I think it applies to just about every politician that has ever lived!!

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Setting aside the issues surrounding reduction of a serious personality disorder to a political arrow,

Why give a political opponent a pass as the victim of a narcissistic wound induced by an early caregiver (most often a mother)?

Is it because you believe that NPD is a disqualifying condition for high political office?

Whoever exhibits the symptoms needs therapy, not election or accolades that feed the beast.

So, yes, I would consider real NPD as a disqualifier for office.

I'm curious to see the rest of your list.

I've never seen someone stop calling for legal restrictions on only one mental health issue.

.....and they are highly averse to therapy.

That observation isn't unique to NPDs

This attributing the negative traits of politicians to mental illness is tiresome. It frustrates me because it plays on stereotypes and denigrates people who truly experience mental illness.

I think many who come from backgrounds of great wealth and priviledge may get to the same syndrome (or, rather, a very similar one) by a different route, one involving having everyone defer to them from early on.

Dubya might be a case in point, although I could well imagine Ma Bush as a cold and wounding sort of parent.

The political chauvinist, because of a socio-psychological need to establish superiority of self and in-group membership, seeks to create a dialectic wherein the chauvinist establishes and maintains a self-declared favored social position at the expense of either another individual or a class of political rivals through name calling or other references to alleged innate inadequacies of the opponent.

Isn't it a curious thing that the exhibitionist type narcissists' quest for narcissistic supply of attention similarly seeks to define self-identity and to address personal insecurities about relationships with others?

But, is one more frightful or damaging? That seems to be a matter of perspective.

Narcissists' lack of sense of other compromises their acquisition and implementation of social skills can be extraordinarily taxing on associates of the narcissist and damaging to the narcissist's social membership. But narcissism isn't contagious and narcissists don't actively seek to recruit people into similar self-insecure worldviews.

On the other hand political chauvinists actively seek to invite/recruit members into an in-group that practices out-group denigration. Political chauvinism actively undermines social skills such as compassion and empathy, and it's behaviors are promoted through active social invitations. Why? Possibly because the chauvinist recruits have driving needs to become in-group members and the political chauvinists' behavior of demeaning language is a clear semiotic of in-group membership.

Political chauvinism is tolerated on DU, and I'm not trying to stop it. The use of terms of mental illness as disparagment of political opponents is accepted by the admin, and I'm not trying to stop that either.

I'm just pointing out the curiously ironic similarity between chauvinistic need and narcissistic need.

"Opponents of equality for women cited their "flaws" as deviations from the male norm"

That would also apply to homosexuality.

Physical disability and mental illness have been used extensively to justify inequality. It cuts both ways. Insult in one direction legitimizes the discrimination many of us are still fighting.

mothers of causing stuff like that--because they were too distant, even if they coddled the kid constantly.

Then, if they coddled them too much, the shrinks would say it will "make them gay."

Brain chemistry and development are complex things. People with idyllic childhoods with attentive, loving caregivers can wind up having issues in adulthood.

Mitt rMoney had one of those advantaged childhoods...it could be a mutation in his DNA that made him a mean-ass cuss, and his parents and the way they treated him had nothing to do with it.

that way you can decide if you find any proof there or not. Proof is not a word usually used by researchers in clinical sciences.

Masterson was considered by many to be the leading expert of mental disorders of self during the last 25 years. Died 2-3 years ago IIRC

He was deeply interested in mental illnesses with strong developmental components, including narcissism.

Mild, but a true narcissist. It was always about him. Always. The jealousy of others, all of it. Even the slightest comment would become a criticism to him.

not a good thing for a parent to be.

And the thing is, she is very bright, was beautiful and talented and seemingly did have it all.

I feel your pain. I've come to understand this as an adult, and I've been reviewing my entire life since learning about NPD.

There is no way someone with NPD should be POTUS.

This enabled me to spot George W. the first time I saw him speak on TV.

He's a narcissist, in the worst sense of the word.

Not a pretty sight. And certainly not an admirable quality.

I think he's greedy.

Most of the managers I've had have been narcissists.

refuses to release 10 years of tax returns.

nt

n/t

All conversations are about them. You exist only as something they can talk at--usually about their exploits, their interests, their histories. Female NPDs: "high maintenance" types, seductively attired, cosmetisized and surgically altered to the hilt.

When asked about his presidency, he said it was awesome: for eight years he was "famous and powerful."

A proper comment would have been something like this: "It was my great honor to serve the American people."

Katherine Harris,
to the hilt.

etc.

When you have narcissistic personality disorder, you may come across as conceited, boastful or pretentious.

dumb. i've known plenty of people who came across as conceited, boastful or pretentious -- low self-esteem (though i hate that phrase) coupled with poor social skills.

some of the most conceited people i know come across as smooth and caring -- because they know how to manipulate people very well and are "well-bred" or rather, well-trained, like showhorses.

doesn't mean they aren't raging narcissists, just with a better front than some.

He is just classic. I actually posted quite awhile back about him and the trouble I was having with him regarding visitation with our daughter. I finally learned how to deal with him, as much as I can, and things are fairly calm at the moment, but who knows when that might change. He was so bad that the judge finally terminated visitation because he absolutely refused to get a psychiatric evaluation and still does to this day. For awhile there, I was basically going to court everytime I turned around because he fancied himself smarter than the courts and decided to play intrepid lawyer and file all sorts of crazy motions with the court. Let's just put it this way, my experience with him was SO bad that I have yet to even date and it's been 4 years since we split up!

Oops, I left out that I'm pretty damn sure that AT LEAST half of the republican party fits this definition and especially Mittens! Intesting side note tho: My ex is a democrat, but was from Massachusetts and loved him some Mitt Romney.... actually worked on his campaign at some point! I never got that, but now I think I do!

What you are suffering may be PTSD. You were the victim of emotional battering.

Do not assign any blame to yourself. NPD-ers are con artists, manipulative to the extreme. They deliberately choose people who are caring and giving, and then beat them up emotionally.

The good thing is that you are not with him. Each day is a new day, and you are not with him. Rejoice!

I had a knot in my stomach every day of my marriage to a narcissist. It went away with him.

Best wishes. If you need to talk, we are here.

NEVER.

It might help you to read some about emotional battering on the Internet. You will find that you are not alone, and that you will be better.

I thought for years that if I only tried harder and harder, I would finally be perfect enough to stop the battering. Then I realized that the problem was in him, not in me.

Are you safe? Are you afraid of him now? If so, please get in contact with a womens crisis center or shelter and find some safety and healing.

down/cutting hair of people who are different to demonstrate authority; making fun of carefully crafted baked goods; cruelty to animals; marrying opposite number who makes Leona Helmsley look like a humanitarian; telling falsehoods every time mouth is open....

Dick Cheney fits the bill?

He's a better snarler than rMoney, though...