From Beth, our good friend at BuzzFlash (still a source we can quote on DU, I hope):
Of Course He Is a Psychopath ... A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Elizabeth
... or a sociopath -- the distinction here is insignificant.I'm a mental health professional and psychopaths are a professional interest of mine. There is little doubt that Bush's is a psychopathic character structure.
Another, and I think very appropriate term to describe psychopathy is emotional retardation -- an inability to experience higher emotions expressive of the highest human values (such as empathy and guilt, sympathy, compassion, devotion to common human ideals such as peace, for example, etc.).
A psychopath is a person who uses his often considerable intelligence in the service of his primitive drives (think sex, aggression, power). Being fairly bright, he learns, imperfectly, to mimic emotional expressions suggestive of some higher emotions (compassion, for example), but his reactions hardly fool anyone because they ring hollow as there is no truth and authenticity in them. He can use lofty words when needed -- an easy thing for a fairly intelligent psychopath -- but there is no emotional content to them.
Just look at Bush's responses whenever he is asked, unscripted, about anything that would require him to express either empathy, or caring and compassion for others, including his own family members. He stammers and stumbles, tries some platitudes or inappropriate jokes, and eventually makes a fool of himself. It is always painful to watch and it clearly demonstrates his emotional retardation
CONTINUED...
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/05/08/con05291.html Rove? Rove is a NAZI. That means he's a disciplined psycho.