Is Chicago's Mayor Daley a Sociopath?

In the Chicago Tribune for May 21, 2010 John Kass reports that, at a press conference called by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley,

[a] reporter asked the obvious question: Given the numbers of shootings in the city, isn't the handgun ban ineffective?

The question was more than fair. In Chicago, the only people who are confident in their 2ND Amendment rights to bear arms are the criminals, the cops and the politicians.

Law-abiding citizens can't own handguns. They don't have an army of bodyguards, as does Daley. Political hacks have guns. They get out the vote for his machine.

And the retired neighbor who's never been arrested in his life? Oh, no. If he has a gun, it would be anarchy in the streets, according to Daley.

Confronted with a logical question, here's what the mayor did: He picked up a rifle from the prop table of guns, raised it and began to babble.

"It's been very effective," said Daley of the handgun ban. "If I put this up your butt, you'll find out how effective it is. Let me put a round up your, you know."

Hizzoner's press aides put out a statement claiming the mayor used "less than ideal" language.

So what? A normal person would at least feel some regret at making such a stupid threat. On the other hand, a sociopath, lacking any standard of common human decency, would not. Given that Daley has not expressed any regret for his words (a statement from a media flack doesn't count) I have to count his silence as evidence that he is not a stable, trustworthy person. Certainly not the kind of person who should wield power in a major city.

This single incident does not prove Daley is a sociopath. It could just be a colossal ego that doesn't allow honest questioning. However, given the kind of threat made and the lack of any rational explanation for what is blatant irrational behavior, the possibility must be considered.