hair-splitting

[chelidon]

I was just thinking, that between the two, I'd much rather have a President who splits hairs over the definition of the word "sex," than one who does so over the word "torture." Far better a philanderer than a psychopath.

[Edit: from the PCL-R, how many of these criteria seem to fit our current Cretin-in-Chief? --

Factor1: Aggressive narcissism
Glibness / superficial charm
Grandiose sense of self-worth
Pathological lying
Cunning / manipulative
Lack of remorse or guilt
Shallow
Callous / lack of empathy
Failure to accept responsibility for own actions

Hmm. ]

Comments

[america-divine.livejournal.com]

Here's a Mother Jones story about an innocent person who seems to have been tortured to death under the Clinton investigation of Oklahoma City:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1329/is_4_32/ai_n27291024

I reckon its a matter of scale... but they seem to share an aptitude for sociopathy. Sociopathic traits are a strength in the kind of performative, amoral dance big time American politicians have to do to succeed.

[contentlove.livejournal.com]

BINGO. I think it's one of the unwritten requirements of the job, a la eat or be eaten.

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that the Wikipedia entry on psychopathy notes just that:

It is estimated that approximately one percent of the general population are psychopaths. They are overrepresented in prison systems, politics, law enforcement agencies, law firms, and in the media.

[contentlove.livejournal.com]

Okay, yeah, if I have to chose, I'd rather it be over sex than torture. But I take a pretty dim view of a person who I think we can agree is in a Position of Power screwing one of their interns, pretty much for the same reasons I'd take a dim view of an initiator screwing the initiatees. With power comes responsibility, and I don't think BC made a wise choice. And that is not a good thing.

[lylythe-strega.livejournal.com]

Yeah - kinda makes you think.

If a person in a POP is screwing up over an issue like sex, how's he doing with the more far-reaching aspects of his responsibilities?

Not that sex is a little deal. Far from it, of course... ;>

[chelidon.livejournal.com]

I'd concur that they're both self-centered bozos, both have shamefully abused their authority...and they're both politicians, but I repeat myself ;> BC was unwise from many perspectives, and I sure don't hold him up as a shining example of anything (though just by comparison to what has passed since he can evoke nostalgia).

On the other hand, so much of the criticism of him was directed against his legalistic hair-splitting, and having just read a detailed account of Bush and his administration's ongoing legalistic hair-splitting about torture, by comparison, Clinton's foibles and failings come across to me as no less wrong, but somehow less...evil.