Charles Krauthammer, a Washington Post columnist who was trained as a psychiatrist, correctly denounces an article by Michelle Cottle in The New Republic that speculates Vice President Cheney is suffering from cognitive decline caused by his heart problems. One of the greatest pathologies of modern political discourse is the constant suggestion that political opponents are mentally ill.
Ironically enough, however, Krauthammer can't resist suggesting mental illness on the part of Cottle and other liberals, ending the column with this paragraph:
If there's a diagnosis to be made here, it is this: yet another case of the one other syndrome I have been credited with identifying, a condition that addles the brain of otherwise normal journalists and can strike without warning -- Bush Derangement Syndrome, Cheney Variant.
And as Matthew Yglesias notes, Krauthammer himself has a history of suggesting that his opponents are mentally ill -- a practice that is particularly inappropriate given his clinical training. Here's what I wrote for Spinsanity in 2004:
[T]he most disturbing of these accusations came from Charles Krauthammer, a columnist for the Washington Post and psychiatrist with a history of inappropriately trading on his expertise for political ends. During an appearance on Fox News Channel's "Special Report" last week, Krauthammer said "it looks as if Al Gore has gone off his lithium again," citing a drug used to treat bipolar disorder.
This was not the first time Krauthammer has offered a phony diagnosis of a political antagonist. In 2003, he suggested former Vermont governor Howard Dean was mentally ill based on a quotation the columnist had heavily altered using ellipses. And the year before, Krauthammer also attacked Gore for his criticism of the conservative media, saying, "I'm a psychiatrist. I don't usually practice on camera. But this is the edge of looniness, this idea that there's a vast conspiracy, it sits in a building, it emanates, it has these tentacles, is really at the edge. He could use a little help."
Krauthammer is particularly fond of mocking his opponents as having bipolar disorder:
-"The media could use some lithium. Not since I studied bipolar disease 25 years ago have I seen such dramatic mood swings as in the coverage of the first week of the war." (Washington Post, 3/28/03)
-"Well, it looks as if Al Gore has gone off his lithium again." (Fox News Special Report, 5/26/04)
Physician, heal thyself!
With respect to your criticism of Krauthammer's diagnosing some journalists with Bush Derangement Syndrome, Cheney Variant, you might want to take into account a little thing we earth-people call "humor."
Posted by: Rob | March 19, 2007 at 09:53 AM
Aw, you are just crazy, that's YOUR problem.
You need to buy some kosher gasoline. THAT will fix you right up.
And, Rob: Krauthammer....humor? I think the test for that is this: If it is humor, it should be FUNNY. Otherwise, not.
Posted by: mungowitz | March 19, 2007 at 03:06 PM
I think that you're about 2/3 right.
First, as to the various Krauthammer analyses: They are obviously not analyses at all, either medical or psychological. Rather, they are attempts by Krauthammer to use his credentials to label and thus delegitimize those he disagrees with.
Second, the Michelle Cottle piece differs from Krauthammer's name-calling. It is not clear to me that it is totally out of bounds. After all, the public has a right to know whether a high executive officer is suffering from some organic disorder that reduces his or her cognitive or intellectual functioning. Yes, it is true that Cottle is making her diagnosis from afar (and without actual medical credentials), but there is no way that she can get close enough to her subject to make a fully informed determination.
Furthermore, we can be reasonably assured that those who are close enough to make such an informed determination will keep it a secret from the public. (See the last days of the Reagan presidency.)
Is it unfortunate that the best we have is speculation? Yes. But sometimes speculation is better than silence. There may not be an elephant in the room, but we should be able to make a measured speculative guess as to what is causing the musky odor.
Posted by: Stuart Levine | March 19, 2007 at 10:46 PM
The problem isn't that her diagnosis is made from a distance. It is that her diagnosis is made on evidence no better than this: She disagrees with Cheney politically. Ergo, he must have suffered brain damage. Maybe instead--she is suffering the results of brain damage.
Posted by: David | September 13, 2008 at 08:06 AM