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What struck me of that moment, even more so than what she said, was that the the camera went directly to Obama, and he was laughing it off.

I'm not a psychologist, much less a psychiatrist. But I have studied the subject and more to the point, I've observed how people behave in various situations for a few decades now. So I'm just going to postulate something and leave it for others more qualified to judge its merits.

Obama's response may have seemed discordant; inconsistent with how a "normal" person ought to respond when offered mild criticism, a note of personal connection, and a plea for help.

I suspect, however, that it is quite the "norm" for a malignant narcissist to behave precisely in that way: to laugh reflexively at another's suffering when one has been even mildly implicated in causing it; perhaps as a defense mechanism and also as a means of emotionally distancing one's self so as to maintain a superior self-image.

I have seen Obama do this before, as I have seen others do the same, and I'm curious as to whether my layman's observations might contain any scientific validity.

I’ll leave the term “malignant” to others with more insight. But he’s for sure a narcissist in my estimation, and I too saw his reaction as an attempt to portray her concerns in a minimal fashion. “Oh, it’s not all that bad now, is it?”. Think of the patronizing attitude something like this originates from.

It was a defensive mechanism, I’ll agree. But, I’ll posture, not one coming from his embarrassment but from his desire to tone the message.

"I suspect, however, that it is quite the "norm" for a malignant narcissist to behave precisely in that way: to laugh reflexively at another's suffering when one has been even mildly implicated in causing it; perhaps as a defense mechanism and also as a means of emotionally distancing one's self so as to maintain a superior self-image."

Good point -- I thought that his chuckling at her comments reflected his fragile sense of superiority, as in thinking "oh this fool doesn't get it, she's so inferior to me" (Obozo)

.... which fits well with what you are saying about his malignant narcissism.

Remember this blast from the past?

Kroft to Obama: Are you punch-drunk?
By CRAIG GORDON & JONATHAN MARTIN | 3/22/09

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20339.html

President Barack Obama said he believes the global financial system remains at risk of implosion with the failure of Citigroup or AIG, which could touch off “an even more destructive recession and potentially depression.”

His remarks came in a“60 Minutes” interview in which he was pressed by Steve Kroft for laughing and chuckling several times while discussing the perilous state of the world’s economy.

“You’re sitting here. And you’re— you are laughing. You are laughing about some of these problems. Are people going to look at this and say, ‘I mean, he’s sitting there just making jokes about money—’ How do you deal with— I mean: explain. . .” Kroft asked at one point.

“Are you punch-drunk?” Kroft said.

“No, no. There’s gotta be a little gallows humor to get you through the day,” Obama said, with a laugh.

I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist either but 66 years have taught me a little. Is it possible that he is stressed far more than he seems to show? Stress can cause people to do strange things like break out in raucous laughter at the funeral of a loved one. I haven’t done that but I have done an odd thing or two when under stress.

Then there is the theory I lean to which is that he is a puppet installed for the purpose of destroying America, it is obvious after all that he despises the country. Thus it is possible that things that seem to be going against him actually prove that he has been wildly successful in destroying the national morale and may actually be to him something to smile or laugh about. Maybe he just drops his guard when he sees how well his campaign of slaughtering America is really working.