Not being qualified to make such diagnoses nor having access to the subjects in question, I can't say whether or not any of these people are, in fact, clinical sociopaths. Nor can any of us, I would contend (unless one subscribes to the Bill Frist school of diagnosis).

However, there certainly does appear to be a marked diminution of empathic affect on the part of Bush and Cheney that seems to me to be consistent with (but not necessarily indicative of) actual sociopathology, or something very closely approaching it.

But whatever mental, emotional and/or moral diseases they are afflicted with, these are clearly not good people. Sadly, they're not the only two we can say this about, in either party. I will not name names but I think we would all agree on a few of the more egregious cases.

I hope it didn't seem like I was actually trying to defend these scumbags. Their actions, as I said, were clearly consistent with sociopathological tendencies. I was just saying that from a formal, clinical, diagnostic point of view, it's kind of futile to engage in what none of us are clearly qualified or able to do with any definitiveness.

But colloqially (which is how most people use the word), yes, clearly, these two absolutely appear to be sociopaths--among a number of other unflattering qualities (e.g. sadistic, greedy, vain, narcissistic, selfish, mean, misanthropic, etc.). How else to explain the utter lack of empathy for the victims of Iraq and Katrina. Not to mention the troops and their families.

Among many others. Their's will not be a happy legacy, to say the very least.

I agree, with some detours along the way through Cheney, of course. And, to appropriate a related aphorism, Rove wasn't built in a day. Nor will he fall so quickly, either.

But now his highly-touted "Permanent Republican Majority" pipe dream that every other pundit predicted was a "Slam Dunk" after the '04 election is finally been sacked by us reality-based barbarians, and I believe that we're finally seeing the Decline and Fall of the Rovian Empire.

As they say, when in Rove, do as the Rovians do: stomp and gloat with glee.

And now I will cease and desist from further pained punmanship. Rover and out...