Bush Derangement Syndrome

"Bush Derangement Syndrome" ("BDS") is a political term coined by the American conservative political columnist, and psychiatrist, Charles Krauthammer in a 2003 column. The term has been used in newspaper columns and editorials, on talk radio, by commentators in the mainstream press, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Fox News Channel, and in the blogosphere.

Meaning of term

The term Bush Derangement Syndrome has been used in the political arena to describe a hatred by some American liberals of President George W. Bush and his policies. This supposedly leads to reflexive opposition to any position advocated by Bush for no other reason than that Bush happens to be advocating it.

Krauthammer defined Bush Derangement Syndrome as "the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency — nay — the very existence of George W. Bush". While Krauthammer's column was somewhat tongue-in-cheek (eg., "What is worrying epidemiologists about the Dean incident, however, is that heretofore no case had been reported in Vermont, or any other dairy state"), the term indicates a belief that some extreme criticisms of President Bush are of emotional origins rather than based on facts or logic.

Examples

• Eugene Robinson, “ Rage of Reason” The Washington Post, 11 September 2007
• Krugman, Paul "All the President's Enablers". The New York Times Company, Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
• Kurtz, Howard "Falling for the Spin". Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
• Paul Krugman All the President's Enablers. New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-09-28..
• "Dim Moral Clarity". Editorial, Investor's Business Daily. Retrieved on 2007-05-19..
• Jed Babbin Loose Canons: Pre-Election SGO. The American Spectator. Retrieved on 2007-05-19..
• Andrew C. McCarthy More FISA Fear-Mongering. National Review. Retrieved on 2007-08-22..
• William Kristol Kill the Die-in. Weekly Standard. Retrieved on 2007-09-10..
• "Bush Derangement Syndrome and Iran". Editorial. The Washington Examiner, Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
• "Hannity & Colmes: Rage Against Bush". transcript. Fox News, Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
• Malkin, Michelle Bush Derangement Syndrome alert: Cover art of the week. Retrieved on 2007-10-11..
• Todd Huston, Warner "AP Scolds Jenna Bush for 'Ducking Iraq' Questions". Newsbusters, Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
• 'ChenZhen' I Think We Can Put The Pejorative 'BDS' To Bed Now. Retrieved on 2007-10-11..

Variants / Spinoffs

• The term Palin Derangement Syndrome (PDS) began to be used in the blogosphere in 2008 , following "one of the most massive and dishonest pile-on smear attacks in the history of liberal media"

References

External links

• "The choice of anger", blog post at "The American Thinker", January 5, 2004 — a supporting view
• "As election season heats up, pseudo-psychology and "anti-American" rhetoric bring debate down", Ben Fritz, spinsanity.org, January 22, 2004
• "Bush-Hating Nation: Anatomy of an epithet", Steve Rendall, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, May/June 2006 — a skeptical view
• Charles Krauthammer, "Bush Derangement Syndrome, Cheney Variant", RealClearPolitics, March 16 2007 — Krauthammer develops the idea further
• "Let's Discuss Bush Derangement Syndrome again", "Dr Sanity" Blog, 12 November 2005