[tarheelswamprat]

A very fine description of a narcissistic personality.

I highly recommend reading the original post and following discussion at Wretchard's 'Belmont Club' site at the link.

That said, I find these constant PC references to Obama as merely a narcissist to be a bit tiresome - he's a stone-cold psychopath, but that's not acceptable to say in 'polite' discussion, of course.

[WayneS]

You'll get very little argument from me. It's a pretty short jump from 'mere' narcissism (whatever THAT is) to psychoses.

PS - I highly recommend you read my posting history before accusing me of being politically correct.

[spankalib]

“That said, I find these constant PC references to Obama as merely a narcissist to be a bit tiresome - he’s a stone-cold psychopath, but that’s not acceptable to say in ‘polite’ discussion, of course.”

Well, it’s not for PC reasons, it’s for understanding, and further, PREDICTING reactions and future behavior.
AND
It’s not an ‘excuse’ either.

In ascending order of DISorder:
NPD
Sociopath
Psychopath

There are no ‘clear’ lines of distinction, I’ll grant you. It’s like the judge said @ obscenity; “I know it when I see it.”
In a way, NPD’s are more maddening, because they operate ‘just under the radar’, as opposed to out-and-out psychos, but in many important ways, their behaviors and actions are just as damaging and corrosive as true psychos.
Cheers!