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Who is the Stubborn Politician?

Photo: iStockphoto

Eric Konigsberg’s Times story today on the problems the rich face in therapy contains a rather juicy blind item. Somewhat surprisingly, T. Byram Karasu, a respected Manhattan therapist with many rich and powerful clients here and in Washington (And “We’re not talking about congressmen,” ok?), treads a little close to the ethical line by revealing a number of details about one patient in particular, “an elected official” so used to getting his own way that he fired a Harvard-educated foreign policy specialist after the man disagreed with him.

Says the good (?) doctor:

He had learned how to maneuver everyone to come around to his point of view,” Dr. Karasu said. “He had removed the foreign policy consultant from his circle after the man had disagreed with him.”
Dr. Karasu saw this as an opportunity to press the patient. “But this person knows more than you,” he told the elected official, a wealthy businessman who had turned to public service, yearning for a greater challenge, after quickly making a fortune in the private sector.
“But I’m his boss,” the patient insisted.
“The issue wasn’t foreign affairs; it was control,” Dr. Karasu recalled. “That was his attitude to me as well: ‘I know what is best because look at who I am.’ ”

We put the question to you, readers: Who is the wealthy businessman-turned public servant with an arrogance problem?
Is it:

• New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, founder Bloomberg L.P.
• New Jersey governor John Corzine, formerly of Goldman Sachs.
• Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, lawyer.
• Former Massachusetts Governor/ Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney, private equity/buyout honcho
• Senator Herb Kohl, nee of Kohl’s department stores

Or does someone else better fit the profile? Guesses in the comments!

Challenges of $600-a-Session Patients [NYT]

Who is the Stubborn Politician?