When I think of a politician, I don’t automatically picture someone who can be described as a narcissist. At least, I didn’t for a long time because even though politicians might not always say the right things, they never struck me as abusers.
In recent years, my view on that has changed, but a recent event really put it into perspective. The first 2020 presidential debate, between President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden, set the stage for showing America what narcissistic abuse looks like in real time.
According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) vary but the list is extensive. People may have an exaggerated sense of importance and entitlement, believe they are superior over those who aren’t perceived as equal to them, monopolize conversations and behave arrogantly, all while insisting they are the best and have the best.
The debate was full of arguing, blaming, false claims and interrupting. It got to the point that moderator Chris Wallace said, “Frankly, you’ve been doing more interrupting.”
Neither candidate was innocent in taunting or interrupting, but it was obvious which one thought they were superior. In the full transcript, it’s recorded multiple times that Wallace had to ask the president to stop interrupting, and even had to remind him multiple times that he was debating Biden, not the moderator.
Narcissists also don’t take criticism lightly, and often times become angry. They react with contempt and belittling.
Again, something neither candidate was innocent of, as Biden called Trump a clown in one section of the debate.
The full debate transcript can be found at https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-joe-biden-1st-presidential-debate-transcript-2020.
But the biggest example of narcissism in the debate was when Trump said, “I don’t wear a mask like him. Every time you see him, he’s got a mask.”
According to an article published on Help Guide, another symptom of NPD is living in a fantasy world that supports delusions of grandeur. This delusion helps the narcissist believe they are inferior and will not have consequences.
The mask comments at the debate were a prime example of a threat to the fantasy, which burst days later when Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19.
The presidential debate wasn’t the first time I’d seen narcissistic abuse, I’d dealt with it growing up from a relative. I very quickly recognized what was happening on the debate stage, and I very quickly realized that this is something that needs to be talked about.
In recent years, the term “gaslighting” has become increasingly popular in mainstream media. The term describes the intentional manipulation of a person’s feelings, in order to make you distrust you perceptions.
The term is also one of the indicators of narcissistic abuse in relationships, according to Psychology Today. The article can be found here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/toxic-relationships/201709/how-spot-narcissistic-abuse.
Following the first presidential debate, I realized that gaslighting isn’t only something that happens in relationships. It’s something that is happening in our country, and I think it needs to be talked about.
Politicians are not supposed to abuse the people they serve, or even their opponents. Abuse has been so ingrained into America’s culture, that I believe we are allowing it to come from the very people who should protect us.
