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What did former preidential candidate John Edwards say about his own narcissistic attitudes?
Psychology in the Public Sphere
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After the 2008 presidential election, John Edwards, a serious contender in the Democratic presidential primaries, was revealed to have had an extra-marital affair. In a television interview on ABC News, Edwards attributed his behavior to narcissistic attitudes that had mushroomed during his very high-profile campaign. “In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness…. In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic.” He stated that his experiences on the campaign trail “fed a self-focus, an egotism, a narcissism that leads you to believe you can do whatever you want. You’re invincible. And there will be no consequences.”
(Note: Quotes are from the New York Times, August 8, 2008, and the New York Post, June 19, 2009.)