Yet people keep electing them.

Via Claire, here’s a great article on the sad psychology of politicians: They’re just really (really, really) rotten kids who never grew up.

In understanding the foibles of politicians, I’ve always found it is a benefit to have spent large amounts of time with toddlers. Me! Me! Me! The narcissism of the toddler has its adult manifestation in the career politician: If self-absorption is not a job requirement, it is at least a helpful attribute in getting ahead in politics.

Is there a better explanation for soon-to-be-former Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter’s artless explanation that he switched parties solely to keep his seat than a preschooler’s sense of entitlement? It’s mine! Gimme!

Anyone who’s watched a gaggle of politicians jockey to see who’ll speak first at a news conference understands that taking turns and sharing nicely come as poorly to elected officials as to 4-year-olds in a sandbox.

Yet, as Ms. Marcus concedes at the end of her article, more explanation is needed. Because as rotten as toddlers can be, and as toddler-like as politicians can be, toddlers still aren’t nearly as bad as politicians:

Similarly, Souder seemed to believe he could get away with having an affair with an aide — a part-time aide, he said, as if that matters — who served as his co-host on a video promoting abstinence. You really cannot make these things up.

This leads to an important difference between politicians and toddlers. Both can be entitled narcissists with a problem distinguishing fantasy from reality. But it takes a politician to simultaneously preach abstinence and play footsie. It takes a grown-up to be such a hypocrite.