Maureen Dowd, "Brutality of Servility": Politics and Narcissism

Today, in an op-ed entitled "Brutality of Servility" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/25/opinion/dowd-brutality-of-servility.html), Maureen Dowd holds John Edward's stinky feet to the fire. Edwards is being prosecuted for receiving illegal campaign contributions, however, as observed by Dowd:

"The case is supposed to be about exceeding a $2,300 individual campaign contribution limit, quaint in light of Citizens United. But it’s really a set of intersecting love stories. Andrew, a caricature of calculated servility, loved his golden boy boss — 'more than he loved Cheri,' his wife, Rielle said.

Flaky Rielle loved the 'hot' meal ticket Johnny. Bunny Mellon crushed on John because he reminded her of the Kennedys. And John, of course, loved John, growing so narcissistic that he was blind to Andrew’s bile and his own grand delusions."

If there is a silver lining to this story, Edwards, according to Dowd, has learned to get his hair cut "for $12.95, not $400." Hmmm. If Edwards is not convicted, maybe Obama should hire him to head up the Office of Management and Budget.

But what about Obama? No, I'm not suggesting any extramarital hanky-panky (Michelle would whip his ass), but why does Dowd avoid reference to the purchase of Obama's Chicago mansion? On the same day Obama purchased his house, the wife of convicted felon Tony Rezko bought the adjacent empty lot from the same seller, who wanted to sell both properties together. However, as reported by ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4111483&page=1):

"While Rezko's wife paid the full asking price for the land, Obama paid $300,000 under the asking price for the house. The house sold for $1,650,000 and the price Rezko's wife paid for the land was $625,000.

Obama denies there was anything unusual about the price disparity. He says the price on the house was dropped because it had been on the market for some time but that the price for the adjacent land remained high because there was another offer."

Nothing unusual about the price disparity? Yeah, right, this was no sweetheart deal . . .

But let's ignore any possible allegation of a bribe or kickback. Instead, let's focus on whether Obama received a gift, which went unreported to the IRS. According to the IRS (http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=108139,00.html#2), a gift is defined as "Any transfer to an individual, either directly or indirectly, where full consideration (measured in money or money's worth) is not received in return."

In 2005, when the Obama/Rezko real estate transaction was consummated, there was an annual exclusion of $11,000 to each donee. Did Obama receive a "gift" in excess of $11,000? Should a Form 709 have been filed by the Rezkos, listing Obama as a "donee"?

Yes, narcissists, whose lives are guided by an exaggerated sense of self-entitlement, are drawn to politics like moths to a flame.