Have there been other presidents or world leaders that have gone crazy?

[Renew Deal]

I am sure there are, but you are all such a great resource. Have there been other presidents or other world leaders that have gone crazy while in office. I mean any, like kings in the 1500's or US presidents.

I personally think that Bush has lost it. The presidency could drive many men mad, but especially dishonest ones. He has lost track of his lies and it has gotten bad. He is losing it right in front of our eyes.

[Syrinx]

1. Hitler?

[opihimoimoi]

2. Yup.....

King George 3rd
Idi Amin
Tojo
Hitler
Xerxes
Caligula
and that Mousulini fella

[Renew Deal]

3. When did Hitler lose it?

I knew he committed suicide, but did he ever actually go insane?

[kalian]

Exactly...Hitler was never "insane" per se....

he was definitely egomaniacal but not "insane"...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. He was an addict

Addicted to drugs prescribed by his 'doctor'.

[AntiCoup2K4]

16. Did he have the same doctor as Elvis Presley?

kinda sounds like it.

[mopaul]

4. reagan, of course.........n/t

[Ernesto]

11. "I do not recall"

Is the classic answer for repukes under oath. However in St. Ronnie's case it may have been the truth, especially in the later years of his 2nd term.

[Nevernose]

5. Menachem Bagan (sp?)

Supposedly went crazy when his wife died, circa 1981.

[Astarho]

6. Phocas - byzantine emperor

Nearly lost the empire.

Others:
George III
Cambyses

[OpSomBlood]

7. Stalin.

n/t

[hedda_foil]

8. Nixon was clinically paranoid toward the end of his presidency.

Pretty damned crazy. Take away the religious delusions, and Bush is acting similarly. Bush, though, is insane along more dimensions than Nixon could ever have dreamed of being.

Wilson wasn't crazy, but after his stroke, he was totally unable to function for at least a year. Nobody but his wife and doctor could see him during that time. The whole thing was kept very secret, though there were rumors at the time.

King George was nuts due to a physical condition (porphyria?) which created some of the conditions for the American Revolution.

There have been lots of insane kings of very powerful countries in the past, but none other than Nixon and Bush could literally destroy the world as a result. They could kill millions of people, but they couldn't destroy the world in a good old fashioned nuclear holocaust.

[bemildred]

9. Woody Wilson, for one.

Edit: he was nuts, and then he had a stroke and became
"sub-optimally functional", sort of Nixon-Raygun combo.

[No2W2004]

12. Sure,

Some royalty early on due to inbreeding

Hitler & Stalin were extremely paranoid among other things

[AntiCoup2K4]

13. I believe Napoleon was going nuts from syphillis

It also withered his hand, which is why it's hidden in his waistband in that famous portrait.

[SOteric]

14. Have you read history?

It's respleandent in mouth-frothing loons who've ruled various countries. Syphillitic Kings, incestuous murdering Queens, ... OhYes. Daytime television has nothing on history.

[BigMcLargehuge]

15. George the 5th

Stalin
Hitler
Pol Pot

[cestmoi]

17. Bush Is Insane...Sociopath defined

"There is no doubt in my mind now. Americans have tried to pass him off as stupid, naive, undereducated, a wishywashy codependent with no mind of his own, a corporate pawn, a well-meaning boob, or, at best, someone who MAYBE, just maybe might grow into a halfway decent sort. The past week should make it very obvious to all that Bush is none of these things. He is a charming lunatic, just as Hitler was a charming lunatic. Just as serial murdered Ted Bundy was a charming lunatic.Just as Mussolini was a charming lunatic. Hell - just as Hannibal Lechter was a charming lunatic!

Pick up any psychopathology textbook and under "sociopath" you will find that, by definition, this type of lunatic IS, nearly always, able to be charming when it can gain them an advantage...."

The complete artice at http://www.room23.de/1672.html

[mandyky]

18. Many think Lincoln was

clinically depressed, due to the war, personal losses (children, mother, etc.).

[daa]

19. Sharon