I must state my feelings on this matter: I feel that it is highly unethical for
anyone to
use their professional status to speculater about the psychological makeup of
public
figures (or anyone else) based on anything other than personal professional
interviewing or testing of that person.

This is part of the code of ethics of a number of professional organizations.

Howard D. Eisman, Ph.D.
Michael Bernet wrote:

> In a message dated 7/24/00 12:57:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time,=20
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> <<      I cordially invite you to contribute to the "The Psychobiographies o=
> f
>  the Candidates  in the 2000 Presidential Election" special September, 2000
>  issue of "Clio's Psyche: Understanding the `Why' of Culture, Current Events=
> ,
>  History, and Society."  We are looking for articles from 300 to 1500
>  words--including your brief biography--which relate to one or more of the
>  following issues:
> =20
>  =B7 What do interviews of parents, siblings, teachers, friends, schoolmates=
> ,
>  and associates, reveal about the childhood and personality of each candidat=
> e?
>  (Note that articles based upon personal, original interviews, may be up to
>  3000 words in length.)
>  =B7 How have the childhood experiences of George W. Bush affected his adult
>  personality, capabilities, and limitations as a candidate, president, and=20
> human being?
>  =B7 What were Barbara Pierce Bush and President G. H. W. Bush like as paren=
> ts,
>  and how has their parenting affected their son?
>  =B7 How have the childhood experiences of Al Gore affected his adult
>  personality, capabilities, and limitations as a candidate, president, and=20
> human being?
>  =B7 What were Senator Albert Gore Sr. and Pauline LaFon Gore like as parent=
> s,
>  and how has their parenting affected their son?
>  =B7 What is the psychology of being the son of a famous father?  How does t=
> his
>  affect the Democratic and Republican front runners?  What are the special
>  advantages and disabilities following from this?
>  =B7 Will Al Gore be able to overcome the "Van Buren Hex" in the manner in w=
> hich
>  former President Bush did in 1988, when he became the first sitting
>  vice-president to be directly elected president since 1837?  What are the
>  special disadvantages and advantages faced by vice-presidents seeking to ru=
> n
>  for the presidency while still in office?
>  =B7 What are the origins and psychodynamics of Al Gore's rigidity?
>  =B7 Explain the psychology/psychodynamics of election humor?=20
> etc.etc. . . .=20
>
> =3D=3DI think that we as professionals should take great care not to seem to=
> =20
> influence the election process by speculations and "diagnoses" about=20
> candidates.  Might I suggest instead that we write down our thoughts now and=
> =20
> then publish them AFTER the election with a brief not on how our thoughts=20
> were shown to be right or wrong--and why.
>
> Michael Bernet
> New Rochelle, NY