The Unauthorized Randy “Duke” Cunningham Page

I refused to believe that Randy is all bad. He cannot be. Even with the worst of people, there is usually some good in them. And let's face it, Randy is by far the worst.

Besides, it is my belief, and proper intellectual practice, to take an objective viewpoint when trying to understand a subject or viewpoint. In essence - to try to argue for or defend a viewpoint or concept that you do not agree with.

In doing so, I asked myself what possible personality or mental disorders might Randy have that makes him the man...or at least the Congressman, he is.

The website below offers a possible explanation:
http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-pe07.html

For those who don't care to check the link, in essence it says:

———
Diagnostic Criteria

A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

- has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
- is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
- believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
- requires excessive admiration
has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
- lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
- is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Differential Diagnosis

Histrionic Personality Disorder; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Borderline Personality Disorder; Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder; Schizotypal Personality Disorder; Paranoid Personality Disorder; Manic Episodes; Hypomanic Episodes; Personality Change Due to a General Medical Condition; symptoms that may develop in association with chronic substance use.

copyright © 1995-2005 by Phillip W. Long, M.D.

———

From the material presented on this website, and all I know of the good Congressman, this is pretty close description of his public tendencies.

If so, then, perhaps all that he is might not be his fault. Clearly he should be accountable for what he does...but to fault him for what he is might be a little harsh.

What say you?

You described a lot of pols and famous celebrities and the pathetic legions of those who want to be famous.

Do you think that it would be a good idea that mental testing and profiling should be required on all political candidates?

Personally, I think it should be if the criteria were based on hard science and not politicized. Afterall, it supposedly works for ensuring who man ICBM silos don't become General Jack Rippers. Why shouldn't it be a requirment for those who hold political office?

Just a thought (an alleged one.)

Thanks Dan (Not Anderson) for the response.

You make a great point. After all, why not test the men who tell the guys in the silos what to do. Hmm. Interesting.

Not that I think that will ever happen, mind you. The reason for this is simple. Running for public national office is not an inherently sane act. I joke, but you see what I mean.

To take on the campaigning that is necessary, the handshakes, the kissing of babies, the repeating the same speech night after night. Bad convention food and party hacks...It makes a person wonder why they subject themselves to it.

It's one of three things as I see it: an incredible need to serve, the lust for money and power or a mental disorder.

The first two are well documented...the second more so than the first...but not much on the third. I wonder if we delve into the records what we will find...

But Randy is likely a mixture of all three. More so on the last two than on the first. But perhaps not. I just think he likes the prestige of the position and the power it gives him.

But....all things come to an end.

R Middlemas

I agree. Wanting to go thru the 24 hour newscycle every two or four years would drive a sane man insane.

The way I see it, the problem isn't wanting to serve or even lust for power, it's the mental issues. To paraphrase Clint Eastwood, "A Man's got to know his limitations." Problem for a narcissist is that they don't. Their only overriding concern is how much they love themselves and anything that gets in the way of their self love needs to be destroyed or ignored.

Having worked for several people who exhibit these tendencies, it becomes very difficult to work with them over time because one sees them as they are not what they want you to see them as. I am ashamed to admit this, but I have had to use every dirty trick in the bureaucratic Art of War to avert disasters for customers and or myself caused by said people (since they think they are utterly bulletproof.) There are a couple of people I used to work with who to this day don't understand how I escaped their office politic boobytraps—problem with narcissists is that they never change the playbook (because they think they are the smartest most craftiest and sharpest tool in the shed.)

History has shown that all it takes is one nut to take their nation or world down the bloody and deadly road. I know what I propose would never be implimented, but it makes practical sense to have political leaders who have the whole 52 (non joker) cards in a deck.

Some would say, what about Hollywood types? Yeah, they're nutty too, but say for instance Tom Cruise has no say in how much I pay in taxes or sends young men off to war. In the greater scheme of things, they're insignificant (doesn't matter how many couches they jump on) whereas what Randy does or did will affect us long after he's gone.

All great points Dan.

Same old story - Clean up the mess of the narcissist while the narcissist is stunned that there is a mess.

Very true when you say it only takes one nut job to cause catastrophe. History is rife with examples.

Funny - I also worked with a guy who was the classic example of a narcissist. Egocentric, argumentative, very inappropriate, very intelligent but in a misplaced way - the only solutions to problems he would ever consider where ones that fit his own viewpoint or way of doing things. Other points of view were, to him, not relevant...

Much like a partisan elected official. Only my former co-worker (thank goodness) was not in a policy making role.

Let me qualify that: I am not naive enough to believe that any official is elected for their objectivity. On the contrary, they are elected for the subjectivity.

In that area of narcissistic tendencies, my former co-worker would have been very well qualified to run for office. To bad he canned for falsifying expense reports, using company property for personal reasons, inappropriate and verbally abusive behavior and for, in short, being a jackass. True story, I kid you not.

Wow...the parallels just keep piling up.

On the subject of Mr. Cruise...sigh...He must have faced a long, self-imposed dry spell to have carried on like that. Not that I care, really but I take your point. Randy and those like him http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9507677/ are a menace to us all.