Early Autism Diagnosis and 1980s Context

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, NewsNation host Leland Vittert opens up about his personal journey growing up on the autism spectrum, the struggles his family faced, and the lessons that shaped his outlook on life and journalism. From being misunderstood in school and learning to navigate social cues, to the pivotal role his mother played in holding the family together, Vittert reflects on why he chose to go public with his story and how his experiences inform his new book—a parenting guide told from the child’s perspective. He also explores how autism has served as both a challenge and, at times, a superpower in his career and personal life.

The conversation widens to America’s media landscape, where Vittert argues for a “radical center” approach and a journalism that calls balls and strikes on both sides rather than chasing flashy headlines. He stresses the importance of reviving local news, curating coverage around what matters most, and confronting the biases not only in how stories are told, but in which stories get told at all. This candid discussion is part memoir, part media critique, and a call for greater honesty—both in parenting and in public life.

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Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Leland Vittert joins the Chuck ToddCast

01:45 The public doesn’t grasp autism and child development issues
03:00 Autism wasn’t well understood in the 80s

03:45 Parents struggle to raise neurodivergent children

05:00 Adapting to the world you live in, not expecting world to adapt to you

06:45 Leland’s father didn’t want him to be defined by his disability

07:30 PE teacher put Leland in with the girls “to protect him”

08:15 The struggle with learning to pick up social queues

13:15 Everyone in DC always wanted to be student body president

14:00 Why go public with your story of being on the spectrum?

16:30 There’s a “parental reckoning” happening in America

17:30 There are lots of broken young men susceptible to radicalization

19:00 Nobody has definitive answers about causes of autism

21:15 Scientists need to be humble enough to say “I don’t know”
22:30 80% of parents with disabled children get divorced

24:30 Leland’s mother held the family together, hero of the story

26:30 Telling this story publicly is like going to therapy on live TV

28:00 How did you share the story of your autism with your wife?

31:00 You don’t “get over” autism

32:30 Where has autism showcased itself as a superpower in your life?

34:30 Book is a parenting book written from the child’s perspective

36:15 There’s no one answer to America’s media problem

37:45 What works and doesn’t work in the news media??

39:00 There is a “radical center” that’s sick of extremes on both sides

39:45 Journalists should call balls and strikes and call out both sides

41:45 Cable news tends to obsess over stories that are flashy over substantive

43:00 Journalists should curate stories that are most important

44:45 Bias isn’t just how you cover the news, it’s what you cover

46:30 Local news was a character reference for the national network journalists

48:15 How to revive local news/journalism?

51:00 Leland really put himself out there with this book

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