This is what makes Obama tick.
He may be the most mysterious and secretive president in American history.
Though inexperienced and arguably unqualified for the presidency, he mesmerized the entire establishment press and more than half of voters, many regarding him nothing short of a political messiah. Though he can barely speak publicly without a teleprompter, he's praised as a transcendent communicator. Though his voting record is extreme left, he portrays himself as a pragmatic centrist.
But beyond Obama's political ideology, many Americans are troubled also by his strange personality attributes: He greatly exaggerates his achievements, expects constant praise and admiration, believes he's special, doesn't appear to concern himself with other people's feelings, expresses disdain for those he feels are inferior, sets unrealistic goals, appears as tough-minded and unemotional, and other qualities – all of which are textbook symptoms of
Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Indeed, the word "narcissist" is increasingly being applied to America's 44th president. Pulitzer prize-winning columnist and former psychiatrist Charles Krauthammer asks, "Does the narcissism of this man know no bounds?" Jack Kelly, journalist and former high-ranking Reagan administration Pentagon official, says: "The most dangerous thing about having a narcissist in a position of power is his unwillingness – perhaps his inability – to ever admit error. ... Obama acknowledged the troop surge in Iraq has produced dramatic improvements, but said he still would oppose it." Radio giant Rush Limbaugh said of Obama recently: "He's supremely narcissistic ... This is all about him. This has nothing to do with the country. It has nothing to do with our way of life. Every aspect of his presidency is about building him up, making him appear to be savior, messiah ..."
Is the president of the United States indeed a narcissist, a condition psychology and psychiatry recognize as a serious personality disorder?
