Many historians believe that John Adams suffered from bi-polar disorder. Franklin Pierce had a lifelong struggle with alcoholism. There are strong indications in his own writings that Abraham Lincoln suffered from clinical depression. Nixon most likely suffered from paranoid personality disorder. It is impossible to know for sure what inner demons and/or mental defects were present in the hearts and minds of these deceased US presidents. But perhaps they, and some of their modern day counterparts, demonstrate the need for a formal look at the mental fitness of those who want the job.
