The Four Ds of politics

Not alone: Could Ocasio-Cortez’s experience of past trauma have prompted her to seek public office, just as several former US presidents might have? — Reuters

US representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in emotional testimony delivered during a congressional hearing last month, bravely revealed that she is a survivor of a sexual assault. As a historian, her stunning admission reminded me instantly of former presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Woodrow Wilson. Not because they too were once sexually abused (or accused of abuse) but because of how often personal trauma seems to be a part of the histories of prominent politicians.

Exploring the connection between personal trauma and political success has been an obsession of mine since I first entered politics 20 years ago. I began to wonder why so many of the politicians I encountered seemed so emotionally needy – and, in frequent cases, emotionally damaged.