If You Can't Beat 'Em, Diagnose 'Em

Does Hillary Clinton have a secret degenerative disease? Is Donald Trump a sociopath?

It's not unusual for opposing political bases to spread rumors and speculate about their opposition, but such behavior tends to stay confined to the respective fringes. This year, however, is different, with far-Right theories about Clinton's physical health making their way into mass media outlets, while many in the media actively speculate about Donald Trump's mental state.

The latter is cause for concern for many clinicians, as it flies in the face of the American Psychiatric Association's 40-year-old Goldwater Rule, which forbids psychiatrists from offering opinions on a person they have not personally evaluated, claiming that to do so is "irresponsible, potentially stigmatizing, and definitely unethical." 

Paul Appelbaum is the Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine, and Law at Columbia University and he feels that he's seen the law dangerously flaunted this year. Bob speaks with Appelbaum about why, even in this election year, mental health experts must stay out of the punditry business.

Song:

"Life of the Party" by Jack Shaindlin