Sidebar: Politi-Psychotic without the "otic"

Recently when using a friend’s new laptop with Windows Seven (I’m still on Vista), typing in the name of this blog in the search box, I noticed that for each letter a different search would come up (assuming that’s Windows Seven or a better browser)….and when I got to politipsych, I found there was a site by that name, and it had some excellent write-ups on Republican candidates…they read with the flare of one of my favorite authors and occasional Salon journalist Camille Paglia. In this case, a post dated August 15, by Dr. Alan J. Lipman, caught my eye:

Note Ben Smith’s excellent article on Bachmann’s rapid Waterloo at Waterloo moment, showcasing all the insular, self-protective tightness of fearful “can’t believe that we’re here” organizational pathology that will magnify as the spotlight increases upon her.

The triangle is between Perry-Bachmann-Romney.

Perry will chip away at Bachmann’s brittle, protected, highly anxious and therefore highly managed style. Bachmann will also increasing demonstrate numerous unforced errors in this regard. End result: Perry’s relaxed strength will be reinforced against Bachmann’s increasingly difficult to hide over-controlled self-protection against her own fear of her shaky insecurity.

Perry’s downhome Texan style, while likely an issue in the general, will wear well against Romney’s shape-shifting, “corporations are people”, off-kilter retail politics. R’s will like his comfortable, broken in boots, and barring a scandal, he’s got it.

I agree: I’m betting on Perry as the one who "gets it", who’ve some described as someone who looks like Josh Brolin portraying George W. Bush. It’s the possibility of scandal and/or the successful ability of the Obama 2012 election team to focus on Perry in terms of Bush’s many negatives (and Perry's forays into right-wing extremism) that will keep him from going to the Whitehouse. While I had always heard he might run in 2016, announcing for 2012 was a good idea (for the Republicans) because he is a far better candidate than the others in terms of potential appeal to independent voters.  Lipman followed by this more in-depth psychological analysis of Perry's rival Michele Bachmann:

Bachmann coming in with expectations of near certifiability for inpatient treatment, has shown herself to be able to shift to voice that is reasonably free of near psychotic utterances (e.g. Swine Flu the result of Democratic machinations), and to show reasonable tenacity at evading the worst dangers of her dangerously near past utterances. Of course–that does not mean that they weren’t said, and while showing increased skill at evasion, she has little with which to actually answer the content of these statements.

She has been able to do this for short bursts. This will not last for the campaign, the frayed edges of the anxious need for controlled perfection–borne of anxiety, of the fear that it will all collapse around her from one mistake, of the remarkable house of cards upon which her “Tax attorney” “Family Business” candidacy has been built, will force a self-protective shock troop surrounding her; a prima donna need to ensure perfect conditions for appearances which will quickly undermine any “voice of the people” rhetoric, and slips of the less than factual or reassuring variety. She is tight, controlled, scared. It won’t be long.

Yep, it won't be long. Next up, as time affords me, will be a Politi-Score review of Perry.