I'd say there are degrees: some are aware, most aren't.

Dick Cheney, for instance, totally falls into the catagory of "self aware" evil--but he doesn't call it that. He uses some euphemnism like "willing/ able to make the tough decisions" and other bollocks, because even though he knows he's bad, he still needs a justification to live with himself. George W. Bush, as much as I despise him, I don't call evil--but he is amoral and has done evil(unnessecary, malicious,destructive) actions. There is of course a point when the totality of your actions or inactions start to define you(alignment check!)

You talk about facial expressions--but while I agree that reveals malice, it doesn't neccesarily mean it's self-aware malice. I've know people who show the same malice/ anger/ desire for destruction--the only diffence is these people have no where near the power of the neo-cons. These people--would be rapists, child abusers, animal abusers-- don't think they're evil; they think they're justified in doing whatever they can get away with, and there is something wrong with YOU for not "minding your own business".

Even most criminal sociopaths have "excuses" they tell themselves to live with themselves. Very few of them are so aware of their evil they chew scenery like film villians. That said the neo-cons do come close; what we are observing is them drunk on power. Now that things aren't such a free ride, the malice we see is their anger at being thwarted--they think they have a right to get away with whatever they can; they would love to tell citizens "Mind your own business!"

I will agree that they know their ACTIONS are evil/malicious/ destructive--but most of them still cling to an identity that "it's all for the greater good".

Impeachment. Accountability. A better world.

Its very good.

Positive callers.

And Kevin rules as usual.