Are there Any Politicians with Autism/Aspergers?

[Antonio the Sixth]

personality types (and I would count "autistic" as one)

You would be wrong.

[Donald Trump 2016 !]

It's been speculated that Romney has Asperger's syndrome. Here's an article talking about it:  https://www.datalounge.com/thread/11558429-does-mitt-romney-have-asperger-s-syndrome-

and a video demonstrating aspie characteristics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHaMqHh5NZ4


However there are sources that indicate that Romney was known for being quite social in grade school, so maybe his bizarre aspie-like qualities stem from a combination of weird quirks everybody has and growing up in a privileged sheltered lifestyle.

[RFayette]

personality types (and I would count "autistic" as one)

You would be wrong.

I should have said "personality characteristics," my mistake.  Obviously folks with Asperger's have a range of personalities, but they do have commonalities. 

And I agree with captainkangaroo also.

[Nym90]

Michael Dukakis seems a likely candidate.

[RR1997]

It's been speculated that Romney has Asperger's syndrome. Here's an article talking about it:  https://www.datalounge.com/thread/11558429-does-mitt-romney-have-asperger-s-syndrome-

and a video demonstrating aspie characteristics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHaMqHh5NZ4


However there are sources that indicate that Romney was known for being quite social in grade school, so maybe his bizarre aspie-like qualities stem from a combination of weird quirks everybody has and growing up in a privileged sheltered lifestyle.

To add on to this, I remember reading an article about how when childhood classmates made fun of Mitt Romney, he just kind of stood there and did nothing. Apparently, it kind of seemed like he (Mitt) didn't even know that his classmates were making fun of him. This is according to one of Mitt's classmates. Not understanding humor and not being aware of the fact that people are making fun of you (when they are making fun of you) are common autistic traits.

[limolnar]

I have served in elected office in both the U.S. and Canada and am an out autistic.

[Leinad]

Same state as me, same party as me, same spectrum as me:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Odom

I could see some politicians having it and being good at masking the downsides. There are upsides that would help, such as focus on specific topics, but the poor social skills would indeed be a hindrance. I can mask it sometimes, but my stuttering and general introverted behavior would raise flags.

[Thunderbird is the word]

IMO (not an expert, but what do they know) David Cameron clearly suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, Alexis Tsipras from ADHD and Pope Alexander VI from antisocial personality disorder.

From the way I've heard Trump's inability to focus on debate prep and his tendency to just get bored and want to watch TV he sounds like a pretty classic case of ADHD to me as well. (Speaking as someone who has it.)

[BaldEagle1991]

There has to be, they're probably keeping it hidden. Which is a bad idea, because it'll help all those people with autism feel good that knowing they can be politicians too. 

I know engineering, journalism, and higher education faculty is where a lot of Asperger's people wind up, not good occupations to become politicians. Maybe journalists, but that's still a stretch.

[Kingpoleon]

IMO (not an expert, but what do they know) David Cameron clearly suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, Alexis Tsipras from ADHD and Pope Alexander VI from antisocial personality disorder.

Both Biden and Kasich also may have some form of ADHD, possibly a form brought on or triggered by tragedy and emotional damage.

[Cokeland Chastain]

There is a good chance there are. Autism/Asperger's is quite common in males today.

[Medal506]

Possibly Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and maybe Hillary Clinton. I'm not saying this to insult any of them I my self actually have autism. But some of their behavior does indicate that they may be on the spectrum

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

An Aspy's best chance at being a successful politician would probably be to get appointed to an office first and then use the advantages of incumbency to get reelected and also hope for only weak unknown opponents. Getting elected first would be difficult for an Aspy because so much social networking is involved.

Possibly Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and maybe Hillary Clinton. I'm not saying this to insult any of them I my self actually have autism. But some of their behavior does indicate that they may be on the spectrum

LOL NO....JUST NO. Romney, Gore, and Nixon come closer to Aspergers than any of those you mentioned.

[Sir Mohamed]

Probably not much in elected offices, since it is important to interact with people. But that is not equivalent with introvert of course. But you certainly find AP’s in non-elected offices like executive departments. I especially mean the officers more focused on a specific issue. AP’s often have an obsession with a certain issue, and they can be very successful while working on them. So if you have an obsession with taxation for example, it would make sense to work for a Treasury Department/Ministry (federal, state or municipal level) in the taxation department.

[Leinad]

Possibly Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and maybe Hillary Clinton.

Nope. Trump has something, but he's far too social to be autistic. I think Jeb and Hillary are just introverted. No idea where you got the other names from, just sounds like you're naming well-known politicians.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Trying to impose these labels onto people you've never met is not only, shall we say, egotistical, bigoted, idiotic, whathaveyou, but also violates (for an actual psychologist) some explicit rules of the discipline.

[Rjjr77]

IMO (not an expert, but what do they know) David Cameron clearly suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, Alexis Tsipras from ADHD and Pope Alexander VI from antisocial personality disorder.

Both Biden and Kasich also may have some form of ADHD, possibly a form brought on or triggered by tragedy and emotional damage.

Kasich has ADHD? Based on what?

[Rjjr77]

Yes, I know of one, he's not high level and I wouldn't say his name, but I once worked for him.


It's very hard to have this thread, because you are judging public persona not true personality

[Kingpoleon]

IMO (not an expert, but what do they know) David Cameron clearly suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, Alexis Tsipras from ADHD and Pope Alexander VI from antisocial personality disorder.

Both Biden and Kasich also may have some form of ADHD, possibly a form brought on or triggered by tragedy and emotional damage.

Kasich has ADHD? Based on what?

http://thepoliticus.com/sites/default/files/6357465616298537871986486824_anigif_enhanced-31282-1438977947-2.gif

[Rjjr77]

IMO (not an expert, but what do they know) David Cameron clearly suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, Alexis Tsipras from ADHD and Pope Alexander VI from antisocial personality disorder.

Both Biden and Kasich also may have some form of ADHD, possibly a form brought on or triggered by tragedy and emotional damage.

Kasich has ADHD? Based on what?

http://thepoliticus.com/sites/default/files/6357465616298537871986486824_anigif_enhanced-31282-1438977947-2.gif

Wow so someone who is a terrible speaker and talks with their hands has ADHD? If talking with your hands means ADHD, every Italian in the world needs adderall.


Kasich does not have ADHD. He may be a narcissist and a huge jerk but ADHD is a no

[Phony Moderate]

How about (somewhat less controversially) those least likely to be so?

Donald Trump
Bill Clinton
Ronald Reagan
LBJ
JFK
FDR
TR
Andrew Jackson

[parochial boy]

Definitely not François Fillon