Key Takeaways
- TV correspondent Leland Vittert details his journey with undiagnosed autism in "Born Lucky."
- His father's intense training helped him adapt to social challenges, rejecting victimhood.
- Autism diagnoses jumped from 1 in 1,000 (1980s) to 1 in 31 today, sparking debate.
- Causes of rising autism rates are politicized, hindering scientific inquiry and understanding.
- Vittert's career includes frontline reporting, Fox News exit, and anchoring at NewsNation.
Deep Dive
- Donald Trump claimed a link between Tylenol's active ingredient and autism, advising mothers to "tough it out."
- A doctor from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia called Trump's remarks "irresponsible."
- The guest's book, "Born Lucky," is released amid this controversy, timely for public discussion.
- The podcast notes the timeliness of Vittert's book in light of the recent controversial FDA announcement regarding Tylenol and autism.
- Leland Vittert was diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder (now autism spectrum disorder) at a psychology testing center.
- His diagnosis revealed a significant spread between genius-level abilities and lower cognitive function, puzzling psychologists.
- Vittert's father focused on adapting him to the world, acting as his primary social companion and teaching social cues at structured lunches.
- His father promoted "earned self-esteem," requiring 200 push-ups daily for a Disney World trip.
- Vittert's father instilled the mantra: "Values and character traits that make you a target now are going to make you successful later."
- His parents chose not to formally diagnose him as a child, prioritizing adaptation over labeling to foster self-reliance.
- This approach aimed to avoid special accommodations and prepare him for a competitive world, like a Washington D.C. newsroom.
- Vittert discusses a potential genetic link to autism, noting his hyper-intelligent parents.
- His father struggled significantly with social cues in youth, finding guidance in Dale Carnegie's 'How to Win Friends and Influence People.'
- Vittert recounts being rejected by fraternities in college, mirroring a similar experience his father had decades earlier.
- At a Northwestern career fair, Vittert encountered a CIA recruiter, leading to an unexpected interview process for an analyst position.
- During his security clearance interview, he humorously admitted to a college liquor delivery business using a fake ID.
- After considering stories of fallen CIA officers, he declined the job offer to pursue a foreign correspondent career.
- Vittert describes the internal "noise" of his autistic thought process, characterized by a desire to interrupt or focus intensely on tasks, requiring discipline and continuous effort.
- He likens managing autism to alcoholism, emphasizing constant work rather than a cure; he admits to still occasionally missing social cues, particularly when nervous or after drinking.
- He didn't discuss his condition until his 30s; his wife provides support and intervention.
- Despite childhood loneliness, Vittert made his first true friends as an adult while working as a local TV correspondent in Denver, attributing it to maturation, discipline, and learned human interaction.
- Vittert discusses his family's absolute rule against embracing victimhood, noting his sister, Liberty, was negatively impacted by his experiences.
- His mother provided support amidst a challenging family dynamic and his father's sternness regarding victimhood.
- Vittert's upbringing emphasized goal setting, leading to his intense, singular focus on activities like flying planes, scuba diving, rowing, and eventually a television career.
- Vittert got an unexpected break as a foreign correspondent for Fox News in Jerusalem in 2010 at age 20, despite having no prior knowledge of the Middle East.
- His father, initially envisioning glamorous foreign postings, encouraged this career move.
- Six months later, he was unexpectedly sent to Cairo during the fall of Mubarak with minimal preparation, a stark contrast to his previous story about a bear in a tree.
- Vittert's views on the Middle East were shaped during his four years as a foreign correspondent in intense environments like Jerusalem and Libya, noting a shift from conventional wisdom.
- He covered the Arab Spring and a prisoner exchange in Jerusalem in 2012.
- An anecdote about Wafa, a woman treated in Israel for burns from a failed suicide bombing but remaining ideologically committed to harming Israelis, solidified Vittert's view on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- Vittert describes his 2021 departure from Fox News as a humiliating experience after being reprimanded for questioning a Trump spokesperson about election fraud claims.
- Tucker Carlson reportedly commented, "Leland effing vittard goes and screws it up"; Vittert now has a desk plate at NewsNation with this phrase.
- NewsNation approached him after his exit, with Bill Shine recommending him for his focus on fair journalism, contrasting with opinion-based shows.
- NewsNation differentiates itself by presenting monologues to explain the host's perspective, followed by guests with opposing views, focusing on the "radical center."