(NEW YORK CITY) – Ask any political operative and they will tell you that politicians love power, fame, money, and themselves.
However, it’s the first that is the primary force driving politicians.
“There is an addiction to power not only the same away that an alcoholic has to booze, quite frankly it’s also suckling at it all day long.” This is how Mike Paul aka the “Reputation Doctor” describes the demand for the fix that is only produced via politics.
Dr. Bart Rossi has a different perspective, “Without the politics they don’t feel that they are a full complete person. They don’t really belong anymore.”
Dr. Rossi is the self-proclaimed political psychologist. Which according to him is a psychologist that specializes in personality theory.
Which essentially means he tries to identify, “those traits and characteristics of a winning personality.”
As disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner along with disgraced former Governor Eliot Spitzer campaign for public office, Paul along with Dr. Rossi both agree that this is not about redemption. This is simply about who they are and how they are wired, “The traits that they have require them to have the power and control that politics give them,” says Dr. Rossi.
If it sounds like they have an ego, Dr. Rossi confirms it and then some, “Big ego.”
The son of a legendary politician once conveyed to me a great line, “He’s a self-made man that loves his maker.” So when I asked Paul if all politicians are like that? He quickly confirmed that yes, to an extent, “Well I think all politicians have some of that in them. We’re talking about narcissism. We’re talking about entitlement. We’re talking about power. We’re talking about money, we’re talking about sex, those are the things that a narcissist truly is striving for, but quite frankly there are some that are worst than others.”
Narcissism is an ugly word and according to Paul, a crisis management operative who served as communications aide to former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, in politics narcissism produces only two outcomes, “Narcissism will make you rise, it will also make you fall.”
Twenty years ago a politician branded with a scarlet letter was done. Game over. Enjoy the lecture circuit.
Then one man came along changed all the rules, “That would be Bill Clinton,” says Dr. Rossi.
In doing so President Clinton proved that being on the brink of a political TKO was in reality the foundation for arguably’s politics greatest comeback, “They kicked him out ok. At the time we thought, does he have a chance for any kind of legacy that is not tied to a dress and a young intern?,” says Paul, who then quickly adds, “Look at him today. Yes he is not in elected office, but it’s still an example for those that are to look back and say, if that is where I end up in the end, after going through my troubles, I’m in.”
