Asperger's isn't necessarily a disability so much as a disorder. It of course makes one a bit weaker with their social skills, but one effect is that they become much more passionate about certain things. This, of course, can be a massive boost.
I agree, for the most part. Passion is a major skill for a politician, but perhaps less so for a Presidential candidate. Candidates like Bill Bradley or Steve Forbes who are deeply interested and informed about particular issues generally get branded as "geeks" by the media and large chunks of the electorate.
This brings up a further interesting point. Last month, I attended a David Brooks lecture. He spoke briefly about the "vertical and horizental" relationships. Politicians excell at vertical relationships. They can persuade those under them to support them, and they are good at appeasing those above them. But they struggle at horizental relationships, as they generally move up quickly and spend little time at each level. So they're pretty awkward in the traditional sense, but great at moving crowds and voters.
